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Educate Me – 20kw generator
Help me out here…
I’m guessing most fairly new conversions are setup similar in that the transfer switch will select either shore power or generator (priority). Shore power is usually from a 50 amp double pole service breaker. Many generators are 20kw units and have greater than 50 amp double pole output breakers.
Is it correct to assume that the main power distribution panel in the bus has a 50 amp input breaker? Is the additional output of the generator only available to the “buddy plug” outlet?
I’ve hear some on here say that when running the generator, one does not need to worry about overload and only worry if on shore power. I understand that it would be easier to trip the shore power pedestal breaker than the generator breaker but the main power panel’s 50 amp input breaker seems to be the great equalizer.
Educate me!!
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6 Replies
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I do not have a 50 amp breaker, but I do have a larger one that I think is located at my transfer switch. I may be all wrong but somehow 70 amps seems to stick in my mind, and until I walk out to look at the coach what I am saying is a guess.
I know I can put greater loads than the 50 amp on the generator because I have. On shore power I stick to a 40 amp limit.
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That would make sense, Jon.
A 20kw generator’s output should be somewhere around 75 amps or so.
Now I can see why life is good on the generator and a bit of a challenge on shore power for you. My generator is 12.5kw so I have 50 amp output breakers on both the generator and shore power.
A bigger generator would be nice, especially since I use mine 50% of the time. If you think your wife’s hair dryer is a problem, just think about the size of dryers we have for the dogs!
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On a Liberty with 20KW Kohler, Kohler has a 80amp on the gen and Liberty has a 70amp(as Jon said) main breaker…other convertors break it up differantly…..
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Thanks Jeff. See you tomorrow afternoon.
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Actually the 20K is rated for 83 amps and will do more,my liberty uses a Telemecanique 80 amp contactor which has a 110 volt coil to pull it in.
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Jack, I still think Liberty limits its coaches to 70 amps per leg even though the components are sized for greater loads.
The bottom line however is we need to really work to reach 70 amps. But other conversions may be set up differently and because of that have different limitations and protection limits.
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