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  1. #1
    Setting Up Camp
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    Generator and Shore power, someone school me please

    Hey so i have a Reflection 367BHS with 2 ACs and I've been trying to search and find my answers but i think i'm lacking knowledge to search up the right things on my own. How can i run a generator(like a Predator 3500) and combine it with shore power to maximize my amps? Or do i have to split the power, like run my main AC on the Predator and everything else on shore power(30amp)? If so then whats the easiest way to power just the main AC? I installed a progressive 50 amp EMS so i'm fine with modifying something if needed.

    It's fix'n to get hot out and we'll need both ACs and a lot of lakes only have 30 amp, hints my questions.

  2. #2
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    You cannot "combine" two different power sources like shore power and generator power. If you want to run the main A/C unit from the genny, then you will have to take the feed for that A/C unit off of the breaker in the breaker panel and isolate that circuit (all three wires) and use the genny to feed it.
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  3. #3
    Rolling Along JColeman's Avatar
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    There are "hybrid" inverter/chargers that will allow you to balance power sources including battery, shore, generator and solar.. Victron and Magnum come to mind but I'm sure there are others. Here is a quick link to Magnum: https://www.magnum-dimensions.com/pr...ger-msh-series
    Last edited by JColeman; 04-30-2019 at 07:29 AM.
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  4. #4
    Setting Up Camp
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    Quote Originally Posted by JColeman View Post
    There are "hybrid" inverter/chargers that will allow you to balance power sources including battery, shore, generator and solar.. Victron and Magnum come to mind but I'm sure there are others. Here is a quick link to Magnum: https://www.magnum-dimensions.com/pr...ger-msh-series
    well that's pretty cool. Guess i need to do some reading on inverter/chargers! a bit pricier than i expected though I think i found a 30Amp switch that has an on/off/on toggle so i can wire the AC to that and then one side of the switch to the Gen, and the other side to the main power. Heck of a lot cheaper than a fancy inverter but gets the job done for now and then i can get the fancy inverter in a couple of years

    Thanks!

  5. #5
    Rolling Along JColeman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Empyrials View Post
    well that's pretty cool. Guess i need to do some reading on inverter/chargers! a bit pricier than i expected though
    That's the single reason we all don't have one.
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  6. #6
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Empyrials View Post
    well that's pretty cool. Guess i need to do some reading on inverter/chargers! a bit pricier than i expected though I think i found a 30Amp switch that has an on/off/on toggle so i can wire the AC to that and then one side of the switch to the Gen, and the other side to the main power. Heck of a lot cheaper than a fancy inverter but gets the job done for now and then i can get the fancy inverter in a couple of years

    Thanks!
    Hopefully that switch you found, switches the neutral also....in other words a double pole switch.
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  7. #7
    Long Hauler howson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Empyrials View Post
    well that's pretty cool. Guess i need to do some reading on inverter/chargers! a bit pricier than i expected though I think i found a 30Amp switch that has an on/off/on toggle so i can wire the AC to that and then one side of the switch to the Gen, and the other side to the main power. Heck of a lot cheaper than a fancy inverter but gets the job done for now and then i can get the fancy inverter in a couple of years

    Thanks!
    How does this switch do anything different from unplugging from shore power and connecting your generator to the trailer? Please post a link.
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  8. #8
    Site Sponsor 315RLTSinPA's Avatar
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    Not sure why you need shore power and a generator at the same time? Do you not have 50amp service?
    Opps, didn't see your last sentence.
    Last edited by 315RLTSinPA; 04-30-2019 at 04:48 PM.
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  9. #9
    Setting Up Camp
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    Quote Originally Posted by xrated View Post
    Hopefully that switch you found, switches the neutral also....in other words a double pole switch.
    Yes, thank you for verifying, i was questing if i Truly needed the double pole(i had more research to do lol)

    Quote Originally Posted by howson View Post
    How does this switch do anything different from unplugging from shore power and connecting your generator to the trailer? Please post a link.
    so from what i'm reading(still more research to do) but you can use a Levitron 1288 to toggle the main ac(in my case) to use either the generator power OR the shore power. Since i'm not an electrician i still have to research to verify this but from all the reviews and the thread i found this on it seems to work well. Manual switch but i'll be outside turning on the generator anyways... Here's another link to a 30Amp Double Pole switch

    Edit, i should mentioned the switches like these are designed to power two different devices(1 at a time) from 1 power source. So we're just using the switch in reverse, powering 1 item, from 2 different sources(1 at a time)

    Edit2, or there's an something like an Parallax Power Supply ATS301, which would automatically switch whenever there's power to the Generator, and switch back to shore power whenever there's not. And it's pretty much the same price as the dang switch with a cover on it lol.
    Last edited by Empyrials; 04-30-2019 at 08:26 PM.

  10. #10
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xrated View Post
    You cannot "combine" two different power sources like shore power and generator power...
    I do it all the time.
    Just takes an expensive MSH series Magnum inverter as mentioned above.
    : )



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