Workers' Compensation Discussion Forums

Okay here is my dilemma....

I decided to buy the 5th wheel so that I could take my beloved furbabies with me. I have been reading and reading trying to figure out the best generator to get so that I can keep them comfy when we are travelling, well at least when we stop and don't have access to plugging in.

Now I am reading about generators causing all kinds of fires etc because the voltage or amps or whatever is not always consistent. I am scared to death that if I leave my furbabies in the 5th wheel while I'm trying to work, go to store, etc that they are going to die in a fire or from smoke.

I dearly want to keep them and it will kill me to rehome them but I reallly need some opinions on this please. I think that would be the straw that broke the camels back if I came home and this had happened.

I want to be fair to them as well. They are used to being on 1/3 acre where they can romp and play. I have a feeling I'm not going to like the replies but I really need help making this decision. I only want what's best for them ... please help.

Hugs,
monster

Hi Monster..
As you know the safest way is too leave your pets behind, but dont blame you for what you want to do.. As far as the fires started by generators, it does not happen often. But it does happen and it's usually done from someone that dont know how to hook them up properly. I dont know if your 5th wheel came with 1 but if not you may want to have it done professionaly. But that does not mean a fire wont happen but may ease your mind.. Now with my dads RV he has breakers and over surge protectors built in for his generator and has never had a problem. It really boils down to weather or not you are comfortable with taking that risk.

If it were me I would have it done or have it all inspected before you use it. But RV'S are built with saftey in mind and you dont hear of many fires...... I cant offer anything more then what I said but I feel you will find good info by just calling around and talking to some of the rv or generator installers in your area..........Good luck..Bronco

OK my blue furry friend. Class is in session. This has nothing to due with the classes that I am taking for my degree. This has everything to due with what I did for fifteen years, before I got injured.

What you need to know before buying a generator is, what is it going to be powering. After that, you will need to know what the voltage and the amp draw of those items is. Some where on those item is a data tag. That is where you wil find the required info.

If everything runs on 110/120 volts, then you will need a generator that puts out 110/120 volts. ( Dont get worry when you see my slash marks. The highest number is what you will be looking for on the generator.) If you have something that needs 208/230/240 volts. then you will need a generator that puts out 240 volts. If you have something that are 120 or 240 volts. You will need a generator that does both.

Now lets talk about amps and fuses. The main issue of electrical fires. Fuses are our friend. I will talk about them in a minute.

On those data tags you will find an amp rating. You will need to add all the amp rating of all the 120 volt items and the amp ratings for the 240 volt items. Keep those totals seperate. When you look at generators, you will also need to look at the amp ratings the can handle. The generater should have fuses to protect it.

That means if you have a total of 22 amps for your 120 volt items and 13 amps for the 240 volt items. You will need a generator that has a protective fuse of 25 or 30 amps for the 120 volts and 15 or 20 amps for the 240 volt items. Most generators that I have use or seen only have one fuse. In that case you would want a fuse that will handle the highest demand. In this case it would be the total of both the 22 amps and the 13 amps. Which is 35 amps.

If something goes wrong such as a an electrical motor gounding. Before that motor gets to hot, the fuse will blow. The generator will not send out any more power until the fuse is either reset or replaced.

Fuses are just like breakers on a house. They protect us from electrical fires.

I hope all that makes sence.

Take Care

Thank you both for your help...Unfortunately I never did understand electrical and I'm not going to pretend to now

Here is the generator I'm looking at. It's an inverter generator and I'm hoping safer.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.d...ductDetail

The roof A/C on the 5th wheel does not work so what I am planning on doing is just getting a small window A/C and using that. So the generator at the most would be running a 4.4 cubic fridge (magic Chef I think) and the little A/C.

I have a converter from the big electrical line on the 5th wheel. I just took it outside but I believe it says 30/20 on it or something like that.

So now my question is can I just run that 1 line to the inverter generator or do things need to be plugged in seperately? I know I can't go over the amps/watts thing. I just went to walmsart and asked my friend that works in that department. He though 20000 watss is plenty to run the little a/c. That is my biggest concern, I can actually do without everything else as long as my pups are cool.

I guess I should take electrical 101, not sure why my mechanical brain will not grasp the concept of amps/watts and volteage....GGGRRRRR

Thanks fot the help guys

Oh man the typos are running rampant, hope you can even make sense out of all that!

BTW the little a/c units do not have the watts/amps listed on the box. They just go by BTU's it seems???? Help please

The a/c unit should have a data tag. It may be on the inside. That breaker you are describing sounds like it has four switches. the middle two may be connected by a metal band. Does it have four switches?????

I just looked at the generator. The max load is 16.7 amps., with, I thick I read 5 hour run time.

You will need to find out the amp rating of the refigerator and a/c. The tage on the a/c may be where you change the filter.

Take Care

Thanks so much AQA I will check on that. I can do without the fridge if I'm somewhere with no power, I will just get an ice chest to put my food. I just need to make sure the furbabies are cool enough.

I didn't describe the cord thing very well. I thought I had to plug into 220V but it is a 50 amp thingie. I had to get an adapter to plug into the end of the RV cord so that I could plug into regular 110V. Hope that makes sense, sorry I'm not an electrical person. Sure wish you were here right now. do you know plumbing too, LOL???

Hugs,
monster

Hi.
When I worked in RV Ind. All roof a/c units had to be on a 20 amp breaker by themselves. No other electrical connected to that breaker. The breaker is the lifeline....you want it to blow (Go off) if it overloads.

Another thing...Your generator.
When it is installed...MAKE SURE that the exhaust pipe does NOT fall below a window or door that opens, ends underneath your trailer.....the exhaust pipe must extend past the side wall by at least 2", NO exhausts below a reefer vent, or furnace vent or any vent that may suck up the fumes & return them into the interior of your RV. Exhaust fumes can kill you, and your pets.

Have a professional RV person, or trailer sales place install the units to be safe.

Take care. Lilly

Hello, I was gone for a day.

Once you locate the data tag on the a/c unit, or model and serial number. (with the model and serial number, I may be able to get the specs. on the unit.) Then I can give my oppinion on the generator. My thought at this point is that you have a 240 volt power cord or a cord that is specific to the application. Anyway, for the money, you may want to look at this.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.d...gMethod=rr

Take Care