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Shore power/inverter/Techlink issue
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You may already have your answers from the experts, seeing you are at Marathon.
The 60A breakers shouldn’t be too big of a worry given the generator should itself have 50A breakers on it. What’s important is to make sure the wiring is protected from over current conditions. If you had the possibility of supplying 60A, then the wiring would have to be rated for no less than 60A.
Let us know what you discover.
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Just wondering why a 20 KW generator would be choked down with breakers? I know the way mine is set up I can handle much greater loads than shore power and it is the default power supply in the transfer switch.
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Many, if not most, coaches are setup to operate on 50A/240V service. The main power panel, transfer switch, and most important the wiring is all rated or sized for that amount of service. That being the case, circuit protection devices have to sized for the same.
I suspect the selection of 17.5 – 20KW generators is for their longevity rather than their capability. I know the 73A/240V capability of my 17.5KW generator far exceeds my coach’s needs. If my coach’s demands exceeded the commercial power capabilities I would give consideration to an intelligent air conditioner controller that would eliminate multiple units from starting at the same time and could limit the number of units running at the same time.
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If you want to screw up a generator run if lightly loaded. If we are limited to 12.5 KW for example then install a 12.5 KW generator.
A 20 KW generator in our coaches is working slightly above idle and when lightly loaded sooting and injector problems are likely to follow.
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Spool that turbo up and work it hard!
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if my gen is loaded and a air conditioner kicks in the current will exceed 70 and sometimes 80 amps.20 k is enough but I would not want less.
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Jack,
Is 70A your load or does that just represent the inrush current of the air starting? If it’s start up current, that’s not that big of deal if it’s short enough in time. A lot of plastic coach owners with 3 airs and only 10.5K generator, or less, install larger start capacitors, sometimes marketed as hard start capacitors, to reduce the inrush start current peaks. Another way to reduce inrush current is to make sure the compressor’s head pressure is reduced. Although your airs may have time delay circuits to prevent the compressors from turning on right after turning off, the timers main not be long enough to fully reduce head pressure.
I’m wondering if it’s just Liberties that need to run their generators to run their systems? Most campgrounds don’t allow generators to run where they have power. I’m sure your neighbor doesn’t want to smell diesel exhaust while outside. What do you do when you’re limited to a 50A/240V plug? Are they installing 100A service for Liberties?
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Gil,
Your bias is showing.
Our Liberty coaches run just fine on 50 amp just like your CC or a Marathon or a Millennium.
And our generators are set up to handle any loads we can impose.
And our Cruiseairs (all 4 of them) have a delay so they don’t start under head pressure.
And if we have to run our generator in an RV park chances are the RV park voltages are below acceptable limits and our neighbors are running their generator also.
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Gil I run all 4 cruise airs off of shore and manage the current,if by chance I am dry camping I don’t need to manage the current because Liberty has set up the gen so that any current draw will be covered.
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Jack,
Gil has generator envy.
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Jon,
No bias or envy, just responding to what has been written. As I’ve said before there are qualities unique to each converter that I really like. The only thing I’d like is a single slide and that’s just not going to happen.
If all can run on 50A shore power then a 17.5KW generator (73A/240V) is more than enough. As for loading a generator, I agree. What I haven’t looked at is how the generator loads the engine. I do know that PowerTech states fuel consumption down to 25% electrical load, which implies that’s okay. Of course, electrical load does not directly correlate to engine load. Personally, I’ve always used engine temperature as a means of determining adequate load. If the engine gets to normal operating temperature than it has sufficient load.
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Uhhh Gil,
Maybe CC orgered them without, but my coach generators had thermostats and when combined with ample cooling capacity my generators ran at a constant temperature regardless of load.
Not sure how you can determine generator load based on coolant temperature.
Like any normally equipped coach out there I can trip 50 amp breakers in shore power. Even a CC can. Run all your air conditioners, leave your charging current way up, run the microwave, washer and dryer, outside grille and try to cook a few pots of beans on the cooktop, make coffee and you will be out resetting the shorepower breaker. But like Jack and I have pointed out we can run all that plus our fourth Cruiseair and our generator will be happier than a frog at a blowfly convention (apologies to Gieco).
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I didn’t say I could determine load from coolant temperature. I said there was sufficient load when the coolant temperatures reaches normal operating temperatures.
Unless the house batteries are drawn down the charge rate should be set to a relatively low charge rate. Yes, it will take longer to charge, but the charger won’t have to work so hard and the batteries prefer a slow rate of charge anyway. I also turn off one charger, not the inverter, just the charger. I only have a single house bank, so nothing is lost with the one charger off. FWIW, I have 2 roof airs on one leg and the other air and charger on the other leg. I also don’t have an outdoor electric grill. So, I’ve never trippeda CG breaker. Of course, I suppose I will now 🙁
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