Is anyone supplying power to their 30a panel by back feeding an outlet in the garage

[Jammer]

I want to install a 2000watt inverter to power some or all the outlets in my 30 amp panel by plugging a cable/cord from my inverter to a near by outlet in the garage area of my trailer. Won’t that backfeed the entire electric panel? I will turn off the converter breaker so I don’t have a loop so that shouldn’t be a problem.

I’m just trying to not have to tear into my underbelly to run a dedicated wire to the panel from the inverter. I’m I missing something? Aren’t all the outlets on the same gfci circuit?

[huntindog]

I want to install a 200watt inverter to power some or all the outlets in my 30 amp panel by plugging a cable/cord from my inverter to a near by outlet in the garage area of my trailer. Won’t that backfeed the entire electric panel? I will turn off the converter breaker so I don’t have a loop so that shouldn’t be a problem.

I’m just trying to not have to tear into my underbelly to run a dedicated wire to the panel from the inverter. I’m I missing something? Aren’t all the outlets on the same gfci circuit?

Do not do anything!! What you wrote doesn't make any sense. I do not have time now to get into it..... Just stop where you are.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I’m I missing something?

I think you are missing a lot. Or I am. It's really not clear what you are trying to accomplish.

[huntr70]

A 200 watt inverter is almost nothing.

There are several GFCI "circuits", not all your outlets are on one circuit.

What are you trying to power?

[xrated]

I want to install a 200watt inverter to power some or all the outlets in my 30 amp panel by plugging a cable/cord from my inverter to a near by outlet in the garage area of my trailer. Won’t that backfeed the entire electric panel? I will turn off the converter breaker so I don’t have a loop so that shouldn’t be a problem.

I’m just trying to not have to tear into my underbelly to run a dedicated wire to the panel from the inverter. I’m I missing something? Aren’t all the outlets on the same gfci circuit?

I too am not sure what exactly you are trying to do, but it seems like there are some very important things to point out. All my comments will be based on what I "think" you are saying asking.

1. A 200 watt inverter will supply approx. 1.6 amps of 120VAC power. That amount of power will supply enough power for virtually nothing. Even a cell phone charger will likely pull that much or more power....that's it.

2. It also sounds like you want to use the output power from the inverter and have a male 120V plug on the end of it, in order to plug it into a receptacle in the trailer, which would then backfeed to the breaker panel. DO NOT DO THIS.....that is very dangerous and against any and every electrical code known to man.

3. Even something as small as a 200W inverter is going to draw 15+ amp from the DC source. Do you have a 15A DC source in the location that you are going to hook up the inverter? And if you do, refer to answer #1 and tell us what a 120VAC supply that is rated at 1.6 amps is going to do for you.

If I am misunderstanding what you are trying to do, please let us know what is the real scenario. If you are in fact asking about what I "think" you've ask, the very best advice I can give you is DO NOT DO IT....it's dangerous, useless, and will accomplish nothing.

[Jammer]

Do not do anything!! What you wrote doesn't make any sense. I do not have time now to get into it..... Just stop where you are.

Let me start by saying I meant a 2000 watt inverter.

Huntindog don’t worry I’m not in progress. Camper is in storage and I’m just trying to plan my spring modifications. What I wrote might be confusing so let me try to clear things up.

I know there are risks in doing what I’m suggesting, and that the ideal way to do what I am trying to do would to run a proper sized wire to the back of the electric sub panel and supply the MAIN breaker. Even better if I used a transfer switch just before so that it would use the shore power if it were available. But I’m trying to supply the panel power without doing all that work. Like I said I understand there are risks in doing this, but the biggest being two power sources at once, don’t think I’ll ever have this happen as it’s easily avoided.

My understanding is that if I plus my inverter into an existing outlet it will energize the circuit, and the additional circuits, in the sub panel. If I were going to do this the first step I’d do would be to trip/turnoff the main, ac and converter breakers.

This then would supply 110/120 to the remainder of the circuits on the panel. Thus allowing the use of all the 110/120 outlets and appliances in the camper. I know I’m limited by inverter output and battery capacity.

When using it on inverter power about the only thing I would really use would be limited use of microwave and charging electronics. Fridge and water heater would be switched to LP.

[Jammer]

I too am not sure what exactly you are trying to do, but it seems like there are some very important things to point out. All my comments will be based on what I "think" you are saying asking.

1. A 200 watt inverter will supply approx. 1.6 amps of 120VAC power. That amount of power will supply enough power for virtually nothing. Even a cell phone charger will likely pull that much or more power....that's it.

2. It also sounds like you want to use the output power from the inverter and have a male 120V plug on the end of it, in order to plug it into a receptacle in the trailer, which would then backfeed to the breaker panel. DO NOT DO THIS.....that is very dangerous and against any and every electrical code known to man.

3. Even something as small as a 200W inverter is going to draw 15+ amp from the DC source. Do you have a 15A DC source in the location that you are going to hook up the inverter? And if you do, refer to answer #1 and tell us what a 120VAC supply that is rated at 1.6 amps is going to do for you.

If I am misunderstanding what you are trying to do, please let us know what is the real scenario. If you are in fact asking about what I "think" you've ask, the very best advice I can give you is DO NOT DO IT....it's dangerous, useless, and will accomplish nothing.

Yes sorry that should say 2000watt.

[xrated]

Let me start by saying I meant a 2000 watt inverter.

Huntindog don’t worry I’m not in progress. Camper is in storage and I’m just trying to plan my spring modifications. What I wrote might be confusing so let me try to clear things up.

I know there are risks in doing what I’m suggesting, and that the ideal way to do what I am trying to do would to run a proper sized wire to the back of the electric sub panel and supply the MAIN breaker. Even better if I used a transfer switch just before so that it would use the shore power if it were available. But I’m trying to supply the panel power without doing all that work. Like I said I understand there are risks in doing this, but the biggest being two power sources at once, don’t think I’ll ever have this happen as it’s easily avoided.

My understanding is that if I plus my inverter into an existing outlet it will energize the circuit, and the additional circuits, in the sub panel. If I were going to do this the first step I’d do would be to trip/turnoff the main, ac and converter breakers.

This then would supply 110/120 to the remainder of the circuits on the panel. Thus allowing the use of all the 110/120 outlets and appliances in the camper. I know I’m limited by inverter output and battery capacity.

When using it on inverter power about the only thing I would really use would be limited use of microwave and charging electronics. Fridge and water heater would be switched to LP.

OK...a 2000W inverter. An inverter of that size will need a minimum of around 160 amps of DC power from the battery. That amount of amperage would need 2/0 cable to be able to safely supply the inverter...AND...need to be as close to the battery as physically possible. Longer lengths of cable will cause a voltage drop because of the resistance value of the cable. Even a 2000W inverter is only going to supply approx. 16 amps of 120VAC. It is also NEVER a good idea to have two different sources of voltage to one point (the breaker panel in this case) without a transfer switch controlling the voltage sources....no matter how careful you may be. Also, the fact that it is never a good idea, and in fact is outright dangerous to use a male plug on the output of any electrical device, a common 15 amp receptacle circuit could be overloaded if the inverter is running at or close to full output....so there's two strikes against your idea.

The bottom line is this.....do a proper and safe installation and don't try to cut corners. The result of doing so could be catastrophic......electrocution, fire, and possibly damaging existing equipment in the trailer.

[Jerryr]

Do you know why a hot male plug is called a “suicide plug”?

My recommendation is to do it the right way or don’t do it at all. You should have proper circuit protection, adequate wiring, proper transfer switch etc.

[FlyStar]

Backfeeding an electrical panel without the proper interlocks or transfer switch to insure the isolation of the panel from shore power is extremely dangerous and likely illegal and should never be done. Too many things can go wrong too easily causing injury or death.

Plus. A hot male plug on the inverter is super scary and a serious accident waiting to happen.

Suggest you power your rig with the inverter output plugged into the shore power connection on the outside of the rv.


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