20 amp generator

[Coopster8]

Someone gave me a new Coleman 6250 generator (5k watts) but the only problem is that is only a 20 amp? is there a way that I can change it to a 30 amp, 50 amps would be great, so I can run my a.c. if needed too.
Yes, I'm handy and dont mind doing the work.
Any help would be great..

 

[Isaac-1]

No, you would need a bigger generator, having said that 20 amps should be enough to run an RV air conditioner with room to spare, assuming that 5KW is a realistic output rating.

Having said that something does not add up here, are you talking about just changing out the outlet?    Do you have the model number of the generator, 6250 is likely the output rating not a model number

 

[Coopster8]

?? I thought rv a.c. take 26 amps to run.. trying to sell it and buy a 50 amp generator, but if I could rewire and change breakers i would do it.

 

[Willandgiselarv]

But even if you change the breakers or plug, the generator power output will remain the same.

 

[Lou Schneider]

The Coleman 6250 generator is a two winding, 120/240 volt generator.  Each winding produces 20 amps but you can't combine them for 40 amps because they're out of phase with each other to provide 240 volts and if you parallel the outputs you'll put a dead short across the generator.

Is your RV 30 amps or 50 amps?  If It's 30 amps, you'll only be able to use one of the 20 amp generator windings while the second winding stays unused.  You can't just add a bigger breaker because pulling more than 20 amps will burn out the winding.

If you have a 50 amp RV, the 120/240 volt L14-20R socket will provide two 20 amp feeds to your RV through an adapter cord.

Some 120/240 volt generators have a switch to change the windings from 120/240 volts to only 120 volts with the full current from both windings (40 amps) available on a single circuit.  I'd take the generator to a repair shop and ask if this can be added to your generator.  The answer will depend on the configuration of the generator itself.

 

[cavie]

Someone gave me a new Coleman 6250 generator (5k watts) but the only problem is that is only a 20 amp? is there a way that I can change it to a 30 amp, 50 amps would be great, so I can run my a.c. if needed too.
Yes, I'm handy and dont mind doing the work.
Any help would be great..

sorry. 20 amps. that's it thats all, there aint no more.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

Isn't there a 30amp twist lock resp. next to the 20amp outlets?
Can you post a picture of the side of the generator with the outlets?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

As Lou explained, 20 is the most amps that can be had at 120v. No rewiring or different receptacle can change that.  There is surely a 240v outlet with a combined 40A, but it's still 2x 20A@120v.  Therefore, when powering a 120v unit like a 30A RV, that Coleman is a 2400 watt genset rather than 4800 (aka 5000W).

I thought rv a.c. take 26 amps to run..

It may momentarily take as much as 26A  to start the a/c, but it needs only about 12A-13A continuous amps to run.  Usually an RV a/c unit will start ok on a 20A source because it gets going before the breaker trips. Some gensets, however, will auto-shut down at the first sign of overload. Overload is defined as exceeding its peak watts/amps rating. I could only guess what that Coleman might do.

 

[mhbell]

He could install a Soft start, hard start, or a kick start Capacitor on the ac unit and 20 amps or even 15 would start the ac. Just a thought. They are cheap.

 

[kdbgoat]

Not knowing how the generator is wired, it seems like using a 30 amp to 20 amp adapter for the RV in general hooked to on set of windings, then do a bit of wiring to run the a/c off the other set of generator windings.

 

[grashley]

There is no way to rewire anything to increase the generator output.  What you get is what you get.  HOWEVER...
As Lou said, this appears to generate two 20A at 120V.  They can NOT be combined to make 40A, but they can be used separately to provide 40A total as long as neither leg exceeds 20A.  As others have said, 20A should be enough to run a RVV  A/C unit.

 

[kdbgoat]

The rewiring I was talking about is the a/c in the RV. Run a separate line from the a/c to get power from the generator without going through the rv's power panel. Doing that allows one of the 20 amp generator output circuits to power the a/c unit alone, and the other 20 amp generator runs the rest of the RV.

 

[Coopster8]

Thanks all , for the info.. I found an adtapor that I can get that will plug into 1 110v, and the 110/240 twist. That will give me what i need to run the a.c. if needed.. so great help all.. once again thank you all very much

 

[Lou Schneider]

Measure the voltage between the two hot legs on the 50 amp socket end of the adapter.  If there's 240 volts you're good.  Zero volts means both the 20 and 30 amp plugs are connected to the same single generator winding and you'll be limited to the original 20 amps.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

If you have a 50A shore power RV, then you don't even need that.  Just an adapter to allow you to plug to the 240v twist lock outlet. If its a 30A shore power RV, make sure you aren't putting 240v into it!