how do i add shore power?

[milkmania]

Am I needing 100amp service or 200amp service control panel?

our local lumber yard has Square D 200amp panel with 5-single pole 20's and 1-double pole 30 for $148

[turf]

Originally Posted by PNW_Steve

Maybe run through a basic RV converter, shore power and transfer switch installation? Some info on safety as well as planning pointers.

that what this thread is about after all

i got some parts today!!!

[family wagon]

Ahh yes it was back on the 28th you mentioned you'd be ordering a cord, transfer switch, etc. I'm looking forward to the big unveiling! It's always interesting to see how things come together.

milkmania: a 100A panel should be plenty. Space being tight as it is, I'd prefer the smaller 100A 12-space panel and use the 2-in-1 circuit breakers if necessary rather than try to fit the larger 200A panel. I bought a 100A value pack (2 breakers included) for about $45 last month for my shop; maybe your lumber yard could bring in something similar.

[milkmania]

Originally Posted by family wagon

Ahh yes it was back on the 28th you mentioned you'd be ordering a cord, transfer switch, etc. I'm looking forward to the big unveiling! It's always interesting to see how things come together.

milkmania: a 100A panel should be plenty. Space being tight as it is, I'd prefer the smaller 100A 12-space panel and use the 2-in-1 circuit breakers if necessary rather than try to fit the larger 200A panel. I bought a 100A value pack (2 breakers included) for about $45 last month for my shop; maybe your lumber yard could bring in something similar

It's quite possible... Since I only called the place and I said 200amp when he asked.

[milkmania]

Now the next dumb question...
Cutler Hammer or Square D, both 100amp service

Had my hands on each today, but didn't know which one to pick up... Looks like Cutler Hammer had the best value. 1-30amp and 5-20amp vs. 1-30amp and 2-20amp

Both for the $65 tag.
I'm thinking that the breakers won't cross over between companies... But, is one better than the other?

[Phatman]

I will probably start an argument here, but what the heck. As an electrician for forty plus years, I would never use Cutler Hammer for anything if I have the choice.I would choose Square D over just about everything.I like GE, but Square D is probably better. At least most electricians think so.

[milkmania]

Originally Posted by Phatman

I will probably start an argument here, but what the heck. As an electrician for forty plus years, I would never use Cutler Hammer for anything if I have the choice.I would choose Square D over just about everything.I like GE, but Square D is probably better. At least most electricians think so.

No argument here... This is from our Electrical Trades Instructor (15 year veteran)

[turf]

getting back on track today!

i made up a bracket to hold the transfer switch.




and got it mounted on to the frame rail next to the generator. not a lot of clearance between the 2. genny might bump the box on start up or shut down.



more electrical fun tomorrow!

[family wagon]

I was excited to see your pictures, but they aren't opening for me. Anybody else having trouble?

[turf]

I forgot how to post pictures. Hazards of living in Colorado. :bong:

it keeps rotating the transfer switch pic, not sure how to fix it.

here are the bracket and the mounted transfer switch.

[turf]

almost finished up today! always something giving another try posting pictures. my old way doesn't seem to work anymore.

i took the transfer switch back out and cut the cord i bought to put the switch in line. installed the cord stops and wired the 2 connections i could do in the open.
it was a 36' cord to start, i cut off about 4' to connect to the generator, and the remainder will be my shore line.



then i wrestled the box back into the generator enclosure and wired the short cable to the generator.



then i attached the original generator wire to the output side of the transfer switch.



then i snapped the cover back on and hung the switch back on the frame rail of the bus. not much clearance, pretty sure the gen will bump it on start up and shut down. not to worried about it.



and pretty much back all together. i need a few cable clamps, but the remaining 30ish feet of cable will fit down along the edge of the generator enclosure.

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by turf

almost finished up today! always something giving another try posting pictures. my old way doesn't seem to work anymore.

i took the transfer switch back out and cut the cord i bought to put the switch in line. installed the cord stops and wired the 2 connections i could do in the open.
it was a 36' cord to start, i cut off about 4' to connect to the generator, and the remainder will be my shore line.



then i wrestled the box back into the generator enclosure and wired the short cable to the generator.



then i attached the original generator wire to the output side of the transfer switch.



then i snapped the cover back on and hung the switch back on the frame rail of the bus. not much clearance, pretty sure the gen will bump it on start up and shut down. not to worried about it.



and pretty much back all together. i need a few cable clamps, but the remaining 30ish feet of cable will fit down along the edge of the generator enclosure.

I'm getting ready to add a panel on our bus and be able to hook it up to generator or shore power to 30amp. If the panel has a 100amp main breaker switch, does that mean the wire I use between the panel and 30amp inlet have to be thick enough for 100amp even though the generator or shore power only will do 30amps? I guess what I'm trying to say is, the main breaker will never trip since it's a 100amp breaker... So I guess I would be relying on the shore power breaker or the individual breakers in the panel ?

[family wagon]

Circuit breakers (and fuses) are normally used to protect the downstream wiring from overcurrent. Your question makes sense: a panel with a main breaker is the only situation that comes to mind in which the breaker is at the "wrong" end of the wire.

And yes, your approach is a good one: size your wire for the circuit it'll be plugged into. Sizing for a 30 amp generator or shore power, and ensuring that there's a 30 amp breaker/fuse at the source end, is a good way to go. The 100 amp main breaker will only be useful as a main disconnect switch, but that's OK.

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by family wagon

Circuit breakers (and fuses) are normally used to protect the downstream wiring from overcurrent. Your question makes sense: a panel with a main breaker is the only situation that comes to mind in which the breaker is at the "wrong" end of the wire.

And yes, your approach is a good one: size your wire for the circuit it'll be plugged into. Sizing for a 30 amp generator or shore power, and ensuring that there's a 30 amp breaker/fuse at the source end, is a good way to go. The 100 amp main breaker will only be useful as a main disconnect switch, but that's OK.

Thanks for the feedback so if the panel I buy comes with a 100amp main breaker...and I only size the wire between the panel and shore power for 30amps...then the 100amp breaker would never trip unless it goes higher than 100amps in which case the wire would already be fried...however since the shorepower has a 30amp breaker, would this be safe ? The generator is 3000wats so it wouldn't ever output more than 30amps...is it safe to keep the 100amp main breaker then?

[Mark_In_MA]

I think you should be fine - the generator can only produce so much power, and the campground power supply should have a breaker of its own.


In a normal situation (like a house), service from the street is often 100amp, or 200amp service. The breaker protects the house from drawing more then the wire from the street can handle. That's why there's a 100amp breaker. That 100amp breaker is for the ENTIRE panel - the total draw of all the other breakers under it can't exceed 100 amps.



In an RV campground, the service is usually 30amp, or 60 amp (protected by a breaker on the campground side.) So you're right - on your bus, that 100amp breaker should never trip. (The breaker in the campground feeding your camper should trip first.)



I would treat the 100amp breaker as an "on-off" switch.

[family wagon]

Originally Posted by Rawlings

Thanks for the feedback so if the panel I buy comes with a 100amp main breaker...and I only size the wire between the panel and shore power for 30amps...then the 100amp breaker would never trip unless it goes higher than 100amps in which case the wire would already be fried...however since the shorepower has a 30amp breaker, would this be safe ? The generator is 3000wats so it wouldn't ever output more than 30amps...is it safe to keep the 100amp main breaker then?

Right, so since the wire itself could fail before the 100 A breaker would trip, that breaker is only useful as a disconnect. The 30 A breaker in the shore power supply is what would be protecting your shore power cable.

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by Mark_In_MA

I think you should be fine - the generator can only produce so much power, and the campground power supply should have a breaker of its own.


In a normal situation (like a house), service from the street is often 100amp, or 200amp service. The breaker protects the house from drawing more then the wire from the street can handle. That's why there's a 100amp breaker. That 100amp breaker is for the ENTIRE panel - the total draw of all the other breakers under it can't exceed 100 amps.



In an RV campground, the service is usually 30amp, or 60 amp (protected by a breaker on the campground side.) So you're right - on your bus, that 100amp breaker should never trip. (The breaker in the campground feeding your camper should trip first.)



I would treat the 100amp breaker as an "on-off" switch.

Thanks for the inputnguys, I've been reading some articles posted on here regarding grounding the bus. It's sort of confusing since the bus is on rubber tires. I'm guess the ground wire that connects to the bus RV inlet will be grounded by the RV park panel outside. But what about on a generator...it's not grounded would I have to ground the generator to a rod outside? Also should the ground inside the bus panel be connected to the frame? Right now the negative (neutral) on the bus engine batteries are attached to the frame...if I connect the AC panel ground wire to the frame would that have any negative impact since the bus battery neutral is connected to frame already?

[Nant]

I like that idea you posted with a 50 ft ext. cord and a 50 amp power strip.

I'm in the middle of converting a mini shuttle bus 1999 Ford E350 And I am pretty sure it's an Eldorado body. And I would love any advice anyone has for me on how I am to go about and set up a 3000/6000 Watt Power Drive Inverter and four 6 volt Interstate GC2 Extreme 225 AH Batteries. With two 250 Watt solar panels.
I'm not even sure what else I need to get...a mppt? A breaker? Battery charger?
( I also want to set up a 1500 watt inverter with two more of the same batteries as mentioned above).

I've been gathering this stuff for a month now and I think I'm at a crossroads, LOL, like it's trigger time to complete the set up, but not sure what the rest of it should include.

Also, I have a Westinghouse 7k/8.5 open frame generator (crazy loud and will freak my doggie clients out) so, I am on the lookout for a Predator 3500 Watt inverter generator lightly used for around $450. I keep hearing how quiet and cheap they are, and I certainly can't afford a Honda anything lol. ( Not yet at least)

This is my retirement dream and it's for mobile dog grooming.

I'm scattered. So would love some grounded advice please.

[Nant]

Not opening for me either.

[roach711]

Originally Posted by Rawlings

Thanks for the inputnguys, I've been reading some articles posted on here regarding grounding the bus. It's sort of confusing since the bus is on rubber tires. I'm guess the ground wire that connects to the bus RV inlet will be grounded by the RV park panel outside. But what about on a generator...it's not grounded would I have to ground the generator to a rod outside? Also should the ground inside the bus panel be connected to the frame? Right now the negative (neutral) on the bus engine batteries are attached to the frame...if I connect the AC panel ground wire to the frame would that have any negative impact since the bus battery neutral is connected to frame already?

Your AC main panel will be grounded to the shore power panel when you're plugged in.

Assuming your bus body is conductive (not fiberglass) the AC panel needs to be grounded to the body in order for the breakers to trip in the event that a hot wire gets loose and shorts to the body. Search on "RV hot body" for an explanation.

"Ground" is a different concept in AC and DC circuits. In a DC circuit the ground completes the circuit. In an AC circuit the neutral completes the circuit and the ground connection is a safety feature. The AC ground only carries current when a hot wire shorts to the body. That's why AC and DC grounds can co-exist nicely when connected to the same body/frame.

Your AC panel should have separate neutral and ground bars. The neutral and ground connection should only be connected (bonded) at the shore power panel.