220V/50Amp Plug... Any generators that will support?

[fastzr1]

Hello,
I just bought a new race car trailer a couple weeks ago and it has a 220V/50Amp plug for power.  It has interior and exterior lights along with outlets inside and out.  It is also wired for AC, although I don't have an AC unit yet.
I want to use the lights and outlets when the trailer is at the house.  Is there a generator that supports this 50Amp plug.  It appears the trailer is wired for 110 but at the breaker box, 220 comes in and then splits between 2 curcits.  Is this close to being right?
None of the generators that Sears, Home Depot or Lowes sells support 220V/50Amp plugs.
Thanks,
Ed

 

[John From Detroit]

Well, with the proper adapter the answer is always YES.

However even w/o the adapter the answer is yes, But consider this

My motor home is wired as your trailer, 240VAC at 50 Amps, though there is NOTHING inside that takes 240  OR 50 amps

I normally use an adapter to plug into a 30 amp out let at the campground

I have run both front and rear AC, TV (2 of them) Fridge and Microwave all at the same time
(This is just about the maximum load I can put on the line) and have yet to trip a 30 amp breaker other than one on the generator,,,, And I suspect heat and vibration had more to do with it tripping off than anything else

One weekend I left the rig here at work, 12 volt systems live, I work Friday Night, take Sat off and came back Sunday... To a dead rig, I mean dead, no 12 volt at all

I grabbed my "Spare killowatt" (Genrac 1000) fired it up on the first pull, plugged in the proper adapter, (15+15 to 30 amp) plugged in the next proper adapter (30 to 50) and plugged in the power line... Just enough to charge up the battery (Converter outputs 960 watts, so a 1,000 generator is goign to be working it's spark plug off)  Did the job.. Genrac ran out of gas but not before it had enough charge to fire up the onboard Onan.

So, again to answer your question... IT's a matter of the proper adapter is all

NOTE: most generators have "Twist Lock" type outlets... You do not want to know the cost of a 50 amp marine type extension cord (Twist Lock plugs both ends) and what's worse the marine twist lock is different from the one on the generator

Best option is to get a pigtail outlet from an RV dealer and a plug matching your generator from an electrical supply and a compentent person to hook it up (Also at the electrical supply)

I do not suggest you play with this kind of wireing if you don't have expirenece

 

[fastzr1]

Ok John.
This gives me hope as now I know it can be done.  I'll just have to find someone that can do it for me, as I am not that expierenced with these kind of electrical curcuits. 
Thanks,
Ed

 

[quapaw]

Are you sure the MH is wired for 230 VAC or is it wired with two 115 VAC circuits?  There is a difference. 

 

[Karl]

Ed,

You can use an adapter which has a receptacle for the 50 amp plug from the trailer and two 30 amp plugs on pigtail leads coming out like this one http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=25774&tab=desc. A 220V trailer will typically have 2 separate 115V circuits; each powered by one leg of the 220V power cord. With the adapter, you can plug one 115V pigtail lead into one 30A outlet and the other into another 30A outlet. If only one 30A outlet is available, only those devices wired into the breaker box for that side of the 220V plug will operate; the other side of the breaker box will be dead. A generator like this Generac model http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?deptID=&subOf=15,55&skunum=12799 has a 220V outlet, but it is rated at 20 amps and your 50 amp plug won't fit. You could get the plugs, receptacle, etc at some place like Home Depot and build an adapter yourself - not a difficult job. 

 

[fastzr1]

Ed,

You can use an adapter which has a receptacle for the 50 amp plug from the trailer and two 30 amp plugs on pigtail leads coming out like this one http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=25774&tab=desc. A 220V trailer will typically have 2 separate 115V circuits; each powered by one leg of the 220V power cord. With the adapter, you can plug one 115V pigtail lead into one 30A outlet and the other into another 30A outlet. If only one 30A outlet is available, only those devices wired into the breaker box for that side of the 220V plug will operate; the other side of the breaker box will be dead. A generator like this Generac model http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?deptID=&subOf=15,55&skunum=12799 has a 220V outlet, but it is rated at 20 amps and your 50 amp plug won't fit. You could get the plugs, receptacle, etc at some place like Home Depot and build an adapter yourself - not a difficult job.?

Yes, this is what I need.
My trailer is wired for 115V on the two seperate curcuits.  I think that breaker box will work great.  I am not too concerned with both 115V curcuits operating as it appears the lights and outlets are on one curciut and the A/C (not installed now, just wired) is on the other curcuit.
Thanks again,
Ed

 

[Irocrcr]

In your first post you said that you wanted to use the electric in your new trailer while parked at your home.  My question is why don't you hire an electrician and have the proper 50amp plug installed on the outside of your home?  Being an electrician myself, it has to be cheaper to have the oulet installed than to go spend upwards of a grand for the type of generator needed to run that rig of yours. 

 

[Ned]

While your post is a good suggestion, the topic is nearly 5 years old and the original poster hasn't been back here since.