Using RV gen for home backup

[copperoaksdobes]

I am looking into using my 10kw onan as a backup for the house in power outages. Where would I install a plug on the RV to back feed the house panel? The RV is a 08 Nav with 10kw Onan.

[Gary 05 AMB DST]

If the generator only supplies single leg 120v, it probably would be easier to stay in the RV.

Gary 05 AMB DST

[copperoaksdobes]

It's 2 leg 240v

[Ivan K]

Where ever you install it, I bet/hope you know to isolate the house from the grid first. I only used to it supply power to few minor "necessary" items in the house once and an extension cord worked fine to keep the wife happy. If I was serious about it, proximity to existing transfer switch would be the place and would use the same exit hole as shore power. 

[Bill C]

I have an RV shed with 50 amp power running from my RV shed to my main power panel at my house. I made a potential connection/50 amp plug to my generator directly and made a 50 amp cord to go for my generator to my 50 amp plug at my house so that I could use my generator as a back up for my house. As stated earlier you want to make sure you isolate your house from the power company. Although I’ve never actually had to use it I think it would work fine as long as you don’t overload your RV generator with your house load (AC etc.)

[1nolaguy]

Cooper, I had this same thought as I lived in Hurricane ally ( started this trip after loosing power with H. IDA). Back feeding requires a way to disconnect your house from line power. This can be costly. After much investigation I opted to park in the drive and move to the coach when power is out. If outage is more than 5 hours I run several 10ga extension cords for fridge and freezer in the house. Proved to be the cheapest most effective solution. If the storm threat is too great, empty you fridge & freezer and bug out to a safer place.

[tmw188]

Well IMO if your really wanting to do this I would think a manual switch in the wiring leaving the generator to isolate the one not being used,(the coach) so it can only be one or the other and after the switch a 50a receptacle? Just my first thought and opinion. I have a stand alone gen at the house I use when needed to back feed my panel in the house. I have a disconnect throw switch in the garage and a dedicated breaker in the panel. The panel I installed a breaker interlock at the main. It can only allow power from one or the other power feeds. I turn off big loads like the oven, dryer, ac unit for I only have 30 amps to use. I have ran on this for two days, running the furnace, two refrigerators and deep freezer, lights, tv’s and garage door openers. Neighbors can’t stand it. 

Edited November 21, 2021 by tmw188
Added info

[1nolaguy]

Todd, I looked at a very similar set up at my home. Local code would not allow it. Supposedly there is still the posability of bCk feed through the ground connection. I was told I would need to pull the meter, which is what I did after Katrina when we were out of power for 3 MO. For me, one issue was we were on well (30amp 220v) which was a large draw. YMMV.

 

[tmw188]

Code allows the breaker interlock, I don’t know of the ground concern issue you mention. I can’t go pulling the meter and reinstalling it. 

Edited November 22, 2021 by tmw188
Edit text

[copperoaksdobes]

Corkman did you come off the lugs of the generator or off the transfer switch

[Bill C]

I came directly off the generator.  my 50 a.m. plug goes directly to the output of the generator

[copperoaksdobes]

Thanks

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

Unless you know the local power company and the local electrical codes, I would hire an electrician to do the job.  If you Do Not Properly Isolate the power grid, you leave yourself open to a law suit if someone gets shocked.  There are neophytes on this group who think they can do this.  

[scottjo02]

Going back to the original question "Where would I install a plug on the RV to back feed the house panel?" Here is what I did on a 7.5 KW Onan in my "02 Knight.

Scott

 

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

More important where would one install the wiring for the {plug?}, do you mean receptible that you plug the plug into? 

[vegaman19760]

Back in 2006 we had just returned from a tour of the eastern maritime states.  A few days later we had what is known in these parts as the October storm of 2006.  It was a wet snow and then ice storm when the trees still had all their leaves on and thousands lost power when the branches and trees came crashing down.  We were without commercial power for 18 days. 

I knew I was going to use our coach generator to power things in our home so the first thing I did was disconnect the two hot and one ground wire coming into the house to our electrical box that came from our outside meter.  There was no way I could get electrocuted or shocked because the transformer attached to the pole for our house was broken in half and laying in our back yard as the pole came down when large branches pulled the lines down.  That way my home was totally isolated from any outside power source.  I then used many extension cords connected to our coach generator to power the fridge, freezer, the furnace and satellite tv system and some lights in our home.  

It was just luck that we were home when the storm hit.  When power was restored in our area the power company was happy at how I had isolated our home from the power grid and gladly reconnected the wires back to my service panel.  Since we are Snow Birds and travel south for up to 5 months at a time, we purchased a 10 KW full home backup generator for the house and we sleep better any time we travel on short or long trips knowing our back up generator is guarding our home power needs when we are away.  Stay safe, Stay well

[dl_racing427]

3 hours ago, scottjo02 said:

Going back to the original question "Where would I install a plug on the RV to back feed the house panel?" Here is what I did on a 7.5 KW Onan in my "02 Knight.

Scott

 

To properly feed a 240v single phase to 120v loads in the house, you need a 4 prong outlet, and to keep the ground separate from the neutral.
Ground leads are much smaller than neutrals, and are NOT able to carry the full current.  They can get hot enough to melt through the insulation and start a fire inside your house walls.

I installed an outlet in my electrical bay, fed from the generator input to the transfer switch, so I could use a special (illegal) cord to backfeed through the 50a circuit to the house.
I used it for several outages this way, but I had to me home to make sure the utility was isolated, and that we didn't overload the RV genset.  No way I would let my wife try to hook it up. 🙄

Whatever you do, be ABSOLUTELY SURE that you cannot backfeed power to the utility.  The transformer feeding your house will step the voltage up and feed the power lines.  If you're lucky, your genset will burn up before a linesman gets electrocuted, and you're held liable, criminally and civilly.

I've since installed a 30kW standby diesel, and designed a system to allow for proper shutdown and restart from inside the house.
Now my wife can shut down the system at night or when not needed, and start it up whenever she needs power.  I see no need in running it 24/7 during an extended outage.

[Bill C]

When I built my house I made sure the electrician installed a 200 amp breaker box with a main disconnect. In the case of a power loss from the power company, I turn the main disconnect off. This ensures my RV generator cannot back feed to the power company.

Here is where I installed my 50 amp plug. I run a 50 amp cord (male plug on both ends) to my 50 amp RV power plug, which normally powers my RV from the main ckt box, which is connected to the power company. This way I could feed my whole house from my RV generator.

[copperoaksdobes]

• That's the area I had in mind to put the plug. Now just need to do it.

[Bill C]

On my Gen it was close to the GEN output wiring

 

[tmw188]

So I was talking about this with a fellow RV’r friend and he I believe is correct. If your gen is a Cummins/Onan and smaller than a 10k it is more likely a Inverter style generator and is a 120v not a 240v  120v dbl breaker on the same phase is how I think he described it. Depends on the age of your gen and model.  Verify on the generator label or specific manual. 

[tmw188]

Check your label on the gen. 

[tmw188]

13 hours ago, tmw188 said:

So I was talking about this with a fellow RV’r friend and he I believe is correct. If your gen is a Cummins/Onan and smaller than a 10k it is more likely a Inverter style generator and is a 120v not a 240v  120v dbl breaker on the same phase is how I think he described it. Depends on the age of your gen and model.  Verify on the generator label or specific manual. 

The importance of this info was don’t expect and try and run any 240v equipment in your house thinking your ok because you have a 8000w generator. 

[Bill C]

That’s a good point about the 240 V versus two legs of 120. So you can run all your outlets and everything just don’t run anything that’s got a 240v requirement.  I yes would turn them off at the breaker panel before you connect your generator

[Gary 05 AMB DST]

The opening statement says it's a 10000 watt generator and answers a question on legs with 2 leg 240v.

Gary 05 AMB DST