Report from using 7.2kw ProPower generator at campsite without shore power

[BLoflin]

Ok, I did some more research, and think I answered my own question. I ordered one of these 30 to 50 amp dog bones. I think that’s what I need to run both AC units off the trucks 30 amp bed connection

Without a link to dog bones you are using, it's hard to help.

Assume you are saying your 2nd A/C unit can be plugged/powered separately from the 1st A/C unit (i.e they are not both powered from the single power cord for the trailer/RV/toy hauler).

For RV usage, your are using 120V. From the 30A/240V 4 pin connector you can get 30A/120V (3.6KW) from each side (A and B).

So if you want to power the 2nd A/C unit you need to use the "other" 30A/120V side.

You do this by getting a connector (dog bone) that brings out both sides from the truck connector (i.e. the dog bone is a splitter that ends in two separate plugs).

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[Sparkyboy]

Without a link to dog bones you are using, it's hard to help.

Assume you are saying your 2nd A/C unit can be plugged/powered separately from the 1st A/C unit (i.e they are not both powered from the single power cord for the trailer/RV/toy hauler).

For RV usage, your are using 120V. From the 30A/240V 4 pin connector you can get 30A/120V (3.6KW) from each side (A and B).

So if you want to power the 2nd A/C unit you need to use the "other" 30A/120V side.

You do this by getting a connector (dog bone) that brings out both sides from the truck connector (i.e. the dog bone is a splitter that ends in two separate plugs).

You need to be careful with this to avoid damaging your trailer or truck. Most camp trailers are 120 volt only. Meaning there is only one hot leg in the breaker panel of the trailer, with a difference of 120 volts between hot and neutral/ground. The 7.2kW outlet in your truck is 240 volt, meaning it has 2 hot legs, with a difference of 240 volts between them, one neutral and one ground. I believe the adapter you are using is only using one of the hot legs from the truck outlet, that's why there are 4 male blades and only 3 female slots. This is why you are only seeing circuit B being used.

I don't know if I am explaining that very well, but if you were to somehow put the power from both truck circuits onto the single hot leg of your trailer at the same time you would create a direct short at 240 volts. Best case scenario: breaker in your truck trips, worst case scenario: Boom and/or fire.

 

[BLoflin]

You need to be careful with this to avoid damaging your trailer or truck. Most camp trailers are 120 volt only. Meaning there is only one hot leg in the breaker panel of the trailer, with a difference of 120 volts between hot and neutral/ground. The 7.2kW outlet in your truck is 240 volt, meaning it has 2 hot legs, with a difference of 240 volts between them, one neutral and one ground. I believe the adapter you are using is only using one of the hot legs from the truck outlet, that's why there are 4 male blades and only 3 female slots. This is why you are only seeing circuit B being used.

I don't know if I am explaining that very well, but if you were to somehow put the power from both truck circuits onto the single hot leg of your trailer at the same time you would create a direct short at 240 volts. Best case scenario: breaker in your truck trips, worst case scenario: Boom and/or fire.

Sparkyboy, not clear if you were responding to me (you have my post quoted) or where replying to OP.

What I was recommending for the ONLY way a 120V system can use the full 7.2KW available from PowerPro is you need to be driving 2 DIFFERENT 120V circuits. There are 2 ways to drive the 2 separate 120V 30A power sides. One is a 4 pin (BUT 120V, NOT 240V) that has 2 120V legs. The other is with a dogbone splitter you will have two 120V plugs each delivering up to 30A (i.e. up to 3.6KW).

For most RVs with 2 A/C units, they are using a 4 pin 120V 50A connection. This is actually two seperate 120V 50A circuits inside the RV. One circuit will have one A/C and some other stuff ( a few of these: frig, microwave, water heater, AC outlets) and the other circuit will have the other A/C and the other stuff not on the first circuit.

 

[wheaties82]

I realize I am commenting on an older thread. Hopefully somebody is still monitoring and can help explain in more detail. The behavior that has been documented as well as the behavior that I've observed when using the powerboost with my RV.

I understand the basic electrical math that volts times amps equals watts, I also read that the travel trailers are typically wired for 120 volt feeds only. So a 30 amp connection at 120 volts will max out at 3,600 Watts. I understand that math, but I am having a difficult time reconciling that against the behavior I've observed with standalone generators connected to my RV, The RV park provided 30 amp connection and the powerboost 30 amp connection.

If all 3 30 amp power sources are providing power to the RV trailer at 120 volts, then all three power sources should exhibit similar behavior that they cannot provide more than 3,600 Watts of continuous power at any point in time... Yet, the behavior that I have observed is that I have never had a overload error or issue when using a standalone generator with a 30 amp connection or when using the RV park provided 30 amp power. I have only ran into an overload error when using the powerboost to power my RV.

I have a small 19 ft travel trailer with a 15K BTU air conditioner (Coleman Mach). Based on the specs that I have researched, it looks like it requires 3,900 Watts starting and continuous wattage of 1,560. Based on the math above, my trailer should not be able to start the air conditioner simultaneously while running anything else or be at risk of a power overload fault... However, when connected to an RV park provided power source or with a standalone 4,500W generator we have been able to run not only the air conditioner and all the lights, but also the refrigerator, the convection microwave and a small built-in vacuum simultaneously without ever tripping a breaker or having a power overload fault.

When connected to the pro power onboard generator we have only been able to effectively run the air conditioner, refrigerator and lights simultaneously... Anytime we try to simultaneously use the convection oven or the vacuum, we are immediately greeted with a power overload error on the display screen in the truck. Similar to the other individual's observation, I only see the B leg of the pro power generator being utilized and once it exceeds the 3600 w limit the truck shuts down and displays an error message.

I think I understand that I can only use the A and B leg from the pro power generator simultaneously via a 240 volt connection, which I also think my trailer is not capable of... But what I don't understand is why do I have different behaviors when using a medium standalone generator or the RV park power pedestal versus when I am connected to the powerboost.

I appreciate any insight that can be shared. I acknowledge I am pretty ignorant when it comes to electricity and so appreciate small words and simple explanations

 

[Snakebitten]

I live in a small 30 Amp EV hooked to a shore power 30Amp RV receptacle behind a 30amp breaker in a 125Amp service panel.

I also have powered this RV from the Powerboost ProPower generator on now many occasions. (actually 2 different Powerboost trucks)

While I admit that the shore power 30amp breaker will not trip immediately, if I am using a second high wattage "device" while the AC compressor tries to cycle on, the 30amp breaker will throw.
The Powerboost is only a little quicker to do the same.

My Air Conditioner is a Dometic Brisk II 15,000 BTU as well.
By "second device", I mean microwave oven, air fryer, or even sometimes the electric tea kettle. It's simply the math.

 

[Jack in Prescott]

Ditto with Snakebitten, Wheaties. The power pole breaker at the RV Park and the F150's 120V 30A breaker share the same design limits. They may behave differently for a variety of reasons including the age of that RV Park breaker. But as Snakebitten concludes....it's simply math and 30A is 30A.

I'm guessing the reason you raise this question is that you can't carry the load you want with your other appliances and still have your air conditioner cycle on & off. As you noted, the surge current on A/C start-up can exceed your 30A current draw limit while also using the other appliances. So I would suggest installing a 'soft start' device on your A/C unit. The Micro-Air product is the one I've seen most commonly recommended (see e.g. Amazon), and I found its quality and install instructions very good. This device will slowly ramp up the current delivery to the A/C compressor and, in my experience, it does not exceed on start-up the normal ongoing current draw of my Domestic A/C unit.

Jack

 

[Snakebitten]

I indeed have one of those softstarts. It obviously doesn't increase the amount of load that my shore power breaker or my Powerboost will tolerate, but it nips that momentary spike, which definitely gives me headroom I didn't have before when the compressor cycles.

I recently purchased this one: (Although at a pre-inflation price)

 

[wheaties82]

I appreciate the input and confirmation. I will be investing in a soft start ASAP.

 

[BLoflin]

I realize I am commenting on an older thread. Hopefully somebody is still monitoring and can help explain in more detail. The behavior that has been documented as well as the behavior that I've observed when using the powerboost with my RV.

I understand the basic electrical math that volts times amps equals watts, I also read that the travel trailers are typically wired for 120 volt feeds only. So a 30 amp connection at 120 volts will max out at 3,600 Watts. I understand that math, but I am having a difficult time reconciling that against the behavior I've observed with standalone generators connected to my RV, The RV park provided 30 amp connection and the powerboost 30 amp connection.

If all 3 30 amp power sources are providing power to the RV trailer at 120 volts, then all three power sources should exhibit similar behavior that they cannot provide more than 3,600 Watts of continuous power at any point in time... Yet, the behavior that I have observed is that I have never had a overload error or issue when using a standalone generator with a 30 amp connection or when using the RV park provided 30 amp power. I have only ran into an overload error when using the powerboost to power my RV.

I have a small 19 ft travel trailer with a 15K BTU air conditioner (Coleman Mach). Based on the specs that I have researched, it looks like it requires 3,900 Watts starting and continuous wattage of 1,560. Based on the math above, my trailer should not be able to start the air conditioner simultaneously while running anything else or be at risk of a power overload fault... However, when connected to an RV park provided power source or with a standalone 4,500W generator we have been able to run not only the air conditioner and all the lights, but also the refrigerator, the convection microwave and a small built-in vacuum simultaneously without ever tripping a breaker or having a power overload fault.

When connected to the pro power onboard generator we have only been able to effectively run the air conditioner, refrigerator and lights simultaneously... Anytime we try to simultaneously use the convection oven or the vacuum, we are immediately greeted with a power overload error on the display screen in the truck. Similar to the other individual's observation, I only see the B leg of the pro power generator being utilized and once it exceeds the 3600 w limit the truck shuts down and displays an error message.

I think I understand that I can only use the A and B leg from the pro power generator simultaneously via a 240 volt connection, which I also think my trailer is not capable of... But what I don't understand is why do I have different behaviors when using a medium standalone generator or the RV park power pedestal versus when I am connected to the powerboost.

I appreciate any insight that can be shared. I acknowledge I am pretty ignorant when it comes to electricity and so appreciate small words and simple explanations

It really is the tolerances of an "over-spec" situation that is giving the results that are confusing you.

For almost all power delivery the "decision" point for when to shut down the circuit is a Circuit Breaker. This is true for the RV park pedestal and for the Generator. A circuit breaker is an old design that relies on thermal (heating due to excess current) to activate (trip). The tech needed to sense actual current is much more expensive than allowable for the cost of a circuit breaker ( and years ago was not readily available at the consumer level). There is usually a fair amount of "margin" built into circuit breakers (especially for short duration current surges).

The Power Boost is using an intelligent circuit actually measuring the current (hence the Power Wattage displays on your Sync screen). It can detect EXACTLY when you are trying to pull more than 30Amps (no matter how briefly) and will trip.

 

[Hullguy]

I realize I am commenting on an older thread. Hopefully somebody is still monitoring and can help explain in more detail. The behavior that has been documented as well as the behavior that I've observed when using the powerboost with my RV.

I understand the basic electrical math that volts times amps equals watts, I also read that the travel trailers are typically wired for 120 volt feeds only. So a 30 amp connection at 120 volts will max out at 3,600 Watts. I understand that math, but I am having a difficult time reconciling that against the behavior I've observed with standalone generators connected to my RV, The RV park provided 30 amp connection and the powerboost 30 amp connection.

If all 3 30 amp power sources are providing power to the RV trailer at 120 volts, then all three power sources should exhibit similar behavior that they cannot provide more than 3,600 Watts of continuous power at any point in time... Yet, the behavior that I have observed is that I have never had a overload error or issue when using a standalone generator with a 30 amp connection or when using the RV park provided 30 amp power. I have only ran into an overload error when using the powerboost to power my RV.

I have a small 19 ft travel trailer with a 15K BTU air conditioner (Coleman Mach). Based on the specs that I have researched, it looks like it requires 3,900 Watts starting and continuous wattage of 1,560. Based on the math above, my trailer should not be able to start the air conditioner simultaneously while running anything else or be at risk of a power overload fault... However, when connected to an RV park provided power source or with a standalone 4,500W generator we have been able to run not only the air conditioner and all the lights, but also the refrigerator, the convection microwave and a small built-in vacuum simultaneously without ever tripping a breaker or having a power overload fault.

When connected to the pro power onboard generator we have only been able to effectively run the air conditioner, refrigerator and lights simultaneously... Anytime we try to simultaneously use the convection oven or the vacuum, we are immediately greeted with a power overload error on the display screen in the truck. Similar to the other individual's observation, I only see the B leg of the pro power generator being utilized and once it exceeds the 3600 w limit the truck shuts down and displays an error message.

I think I understand that I can only use the A and B leg from the pro power generator simultaneously via a 240 volt connection, which I also think my trailer is not capable of... But what I don't understand is why do I have different behaviors when using a medium standalone generator or the RV park power pedestal versus when I am connected to the powerboost.

I appreciate any insight that can be shared. I acknowledge I am pretty ignorant when it comes to electricity and so appreciate small words and simple explanations

Circuit breakers are known not to trip at their rated current labeling. I believe it is due to the time lag it takes for the thermal trip element to heat up.

 

[Gros Ventre]

Regular circuit breakers have a curve for tripping time. The greater the overload the faster the trip. That's why Arcfault circuit breakers were developed. The integrated circuit in it can sense the irregular current of a short as it's developing and trip the breaker long before a regular breaker would trip but before the short could start a fire. Unfortunately these cost 5-10 times the price of a regular breaker..

 

[Atlee]

This happened to me the first time I tested it when I first got the truck. I’m wondering if it needs to recognize the scenario for it to adjust or something.

Some times I think so. The 1st time I tested my PB in the driveway, it tripped. Once it was reset, I've had no problems, including one 84 hour camping trip. Knock on wood.

 

[s.v.t.]

Nice write up! Maybe a slight regret I didn’t get a PowerBoost!!

Same here. I don't own a camper, and am planning on getting a stand alone back up generator for my home; however, more and more I'm thinking more power, better mpg, the capabilities! Why didn't I get the PB?! I suppose I wanted to wait it out a couple years just in case there are any early model bugs that come with new vehicle technologies. That and getting the BAP on a 3.5 EcoBoost gets that cool dual rear bumper exhaust! Maybe if I trade out in a couple years I'll get a PB, and have a reason to buy a camper too.

 

[Atlee]

Same here. I don't own a camper, and am planning on getting a stand alone back up generator for my home; however, more and more I'm thinking more power, better mpg, the capabilities! Why didn't I get the PB?! I suppose I wanted to wait it out a couple years just in case there are any early model bugs that come with new vehicle technologies. That and getting the BAP on a 3.5 EcoBoost gets that cool dual rear bumper exhaust! Maybe if I trade out in a couple years I'll get a PB, and have a reason to buy a camper too.

There is some wisdom to waiting a couple of years bedore getting a PB. There is a lot of new technology involved.

I did jump in early because I wanted the 7.2 "generator". I tow a lot.

 

[Meterman]

I have a 8.5x20 enclosed trailer and want to add power. If I get a L14 to L5 adapter like this https://www.amazon.com/L14-30R-Adap...5&qid=1655761822&sprefix=l14-l5,aps,85&sr=8-1 and install a L5-30 inlet, will this allow me to take advantage of both A and B circuits in my 7.2Kw PB?

I plan to add A/C to my trailer but right now I just want to add a 30amp breaker and some 120v outlets.

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