Onan 5500LP generator wiring

[Dillard, Robert]

I have 5 wires (2 Blk, 2 Wht and 1 Grn) running from a new 5500 LP
ONan generator. According to the manual, a vehicle with provisions to
connect to shore power must have an approved device to keep the genset
and utility from being interconnected.The five wires (12 ga) are to be
wired to a three pole transfer switch. which in turn directs power to
the C distibution paneland 50 Amp shore power.

I have a nearby junction box , about 2 feet away and outside of the
generator box, that has 3 large cables (2 ga, red, wht and green) and a
copper ground wire that are not connected to anything and are capped
off. The panel on the junction box has two 20A circuit breaker buttons
that are not wired. According to the wiring diagram, the grn wire goes
to ground, the black (L1 and L2) and the two white wires go to N.

Is this the right box to wire the five wires to? If not where do they
go?

I have a 34QRL Grand Junction fifth wheel.

[Will Sill]

Post by Dillard, Robert
I have 5 wires (2 Blk, 2 Wht and 1 Grn) running from a new 5500 LP
ONan generator. According to the manual, a vehicle with provisions to
connect to shore power must have an approved device to keep the genset
and utility from being interconnected.The five wires (12 ga) are to be
wired to a three pole transfer switch. which in turn directs power to
the C distibution paneland 50 Amp shore power.
I have a nearby junction box , about 2 feet away and outside of the
generator box, that has 3 large cables (2 ga, red, wht and green) and a
copper ground wire that are not connected to anything and are capped
off. The panel on the junction box has two 20A circuit breaker buttons
that are not wired. According to the wiring diagram, the grn wire goes
to ground, the black (L1 and L2) and the two white wires go to N.
Is this the right box to wire the five wires to? If not where do they
go?
I have a 34QRL Grand Junction fifth wheel.

At the risk of prompting the usual chorus of anklebiters bitching
about my manners, it is obvious you don't know what to do. (Which is
of course why you asked) What is NOT obvious to you is that you are
very likely to get wrong answers here, even from well-meaning folks
who think they are comunicating goos information.

My advice: Take it so someone who has the expertise to do it right.
There are several ways to do it right, and a lot of ways to do it
wrong. IMO the simplest and most idiot-proof method is to wire the
gen output to a receptacle. When you want gen power, plug the rv
power cord into that receptacle. When shore power is available, plug
your cord into that source. But either wiwth that method or a
transfer switch, it seems like you need help. My advice: get competent
help.

Will Sill
The Curmudgeon of Sill Hill

[Alan Robinson]

Post by Dillard, Robert
I have 5 wires (2 Blk, 2 Wht and 1 Grn) running from a new 5500 LP
ONan generator. According to the manual, a vehicle with provisions to
connect to shore power must have an approved device to keep the genset
and utility from being interconnected.The five wires (12 ga) are to be
wired to a three pole transfer switch. which in turn directs power to
the C distibution paneland 50 Amp shore power.
I have a nearby junction box , about 2 feet away and outside of the
generator box, that has 3 large cables (2 ga, red, wht and green) and a
copper ground wire that are not connected to anything and are capped
off. The panel on the junction box has two 20A circuit breaker buttons
that are not wired. According to the wiring diagram, the grn wire goes
to ground, the black (L1 and L2) and the two white wires go to N.
Is this the right box to wire the five wires to? If not where do they
go?
I have a 34QRL Grand Junction fifth wheel.

Two points:

The gauge of the cables, and their color code, seems to indicate that
they're NOT ac wiring. 2 ga is WAY overkill for any generator you are likely
to put in a fifth wheel, and normal color code would be black L1, red L2,
white neutral (and you would either have two neutral wires, or one that is
larger than the two hots), and -either- green or, more commonly, bare copper
for ground.

Only the manufacturer or a dealer is likely to have any idea what those
wires are for, and what they are hooked to on their other end. Or not hooked
to, as the case may be. If you can't get answers from them, then you - or
someone more knowledgable - is going to have to try to trace the wires and
find out what they are for.

You MUST have some positive way of making sure that the generator and
shore power aren't both hooked up to the trailer wiring at the same time.
The simplest way is to run the generator output to a receptacle that matches
the plug on your shore power cord. If you want to run on generator, you plug
your shore cord into the generator receptacle. If you want to run on shore
power, you plug your power cord into the campground pedestal. Next step up
is a transfer switch, either manual or automatic. A manual transfer switch
will have a handle -somewhere- that you move to one position to connect to
shore power, and the other position to connect to the generator. An
automatic transfer switch can be mounted almost anywhere that has room and
access to the required wiring, and will automatically switch (using relays)
between shore and generator power without requiring any action on your part
other than starting the genset.

DON'T assume that those large cables are connected to a transfer switch - or
indeed, to ANYTHING - without verifying it. They may run to the area that
the manufacturer would have mounted a transfer switch if you'd ordered a
generator installed from the factory, but there's no way of knowing what
might have been done to them at that end - maybe they're all just twisted
and taped together..

Alan

[Art Todesco]

Post by Alan Robinson

Post by Dillard, Robert
I have 5 wires (2 Blk, 2 Wht and 1 Grn) running from a new 5500 LP
ONan generator. According to the manual, a vehicle with provisions to
connect to shore power must have an approved device to keep the genset
and utility from being interconnected.The five wires (12 ga) are to be
wired to a three pole transfer switch. which in turn directs power to
the C distibution paneland 50 Amp shore power.
I have a nearby junction box , about 2 feet away and outside of the
generator box, that has 3 large cables (2 ga, red, wht and green) and a
copper ground wire that are not connected to anything and are capped
off. The panel on the junction box has two 20A circuit breaker buttons
that are not wired. According to the wiring diagram, the grn wire goes
to ground, the black (L1 and L2) and the two white wires go to N.
Is this the right box to wire the five wires to? If not where do they
go?
I have a 34QRL Grand Junction fifth wheel.

The gauge of the cables, and their color code, seems to indicate that
they're NOT ac wiring. 2 ga is WAY overkill for any generator you are likely
to put in a fifth wheel, and normal color code would be black L1, red L2,
white neutral (and you would either have two neutral wires, or one that is
larger than the two hots), and -either- green or, more commonly, bare copper
for ground.
Only the manufacturer or a dealer is likely to have any idea what those
wires are for, and what they are hooked to on their other end. Or not hooked
to, as the case may be. If you can't get answers from them, then you - or
someone more knowledgable - is going to have to try to trace the wires and
find out what they are for.
You MUST have some positive way of making sure that the generator and
shore power aren't both hooked up to the trailer wiring at the same time.
The simplest way is to run the generator output to a receptacle that matches
the plug on your shore power cord. If you want to run on generator, you plug
your shore cord into the generator receptacle. If you want to run on shore
power, you plug your power cord into the campground pedestal. Next step up
is a transfer switch, either manual or automatic. A manual transfer switch
will have a handle -somewhere- that you move to one position to connect to
shore power, and the other position to connect to the generator. An
automatic transfer switch can be mounted almost anywhere that has room and
access to the required wiring, and will automatically switch (using relays)
between shore and generator power without requiring any action on your part
other than starting the genset.
DON'T assume that those large cables are connected to a transfer switch - or
indeed, to ANYTHING - without verifying it. They may run to the area that
the manufacturer would have mounted a transfer switch if you'd ordered a
generator installed from the factory, but there's no way of knowing what
might have been done to them at that end - maybe they're all just twisted
and taped together..
Alan

Alan is right, don't assume anything.
The Onan 7.5KW that I have on a TV
production truck is really unusual. It
is an RV generator bought at and installed
by KW. It has, as I recall, 4 wires.
There are actually 2 120 volt outputs. As
I recall, you can't combine them to make
1 120 volt circuit. I think you can wire
it for 240. When I wired it to the
truck, I had each circuit going to a
separate
breaker box, one for video gear and one
for heater/AC. The generator is
probably set up that way for a 50 amp RV
circuit, but 7 years ago, when putting
this together, I didn't own an RV and
knew nothing about them.