Adding generator to non-prepped Pinnacle....

[cadman_ks]

Wife and I are having a discussion about adding an generator/inverter to our 2021 37MDQS that was not gen prepped from the factory.

Has anyone done this, and how difficult is it? I would do this myself, so it's just the need to understand what is all involved in making this happen.

Probably my biggest question though, is how to get power from the current breaker panel to the transfer switch, because the power panel in the MDQS is in the middle of the unit, and there is no access on the back side of that into the basement, to get wiring routes up there.

I'm not too worried about the propane. I would just get a 40LB bottle, and run from the one side...

[Bill2e]

I was quoted almost 11K to have one installed in a Prepped unit.

No Thank you. CW was offering free installation last year.

I am going to go with a portable option.

[craigav]

Originally Posted by cadman_ks

Wife and I are having a discussion about adding an generator/inverter to our 2021 37MDQS that was not gen prepped from the factory.

Has anyone done this, and how difficult is it? I would do this myself, so it's just the need to understand what is all involved in making this happen.

Probably my biggest question though, is how to get power from the current breaker panel to the transfer switch, because the power panel in the MDQS is in the middle of the unit, and there is no access on the back side of that into the basement, to get wiring routes up there.

I'm not too worried about the propane. I would just get a 40LB bottle, and run from the one side...

There is a lot to consider if you desire to install a generator in a compartment such as the fuel supply, weight, exhaust, heat, sound, etc. When I did have a 5th wheel I most often kept the generator in the bed of the truck.

For your biggest question, the transfer switch doesn't have to be near the breaker panel. You could install it in the compartment where your power cord is and then run your generator power cable to that same compartment. ~CA

[cadman_ks]

Originally Posted by Bill2e

I was quoted almost 11K to have one installed in a Prepped unit.

No Thank you. CW was offering free installation last year.

I am going to go with a portable option.

That's NUTS!!! At that point, it's just the cost of the generator and maybe a transfer switch, and lifting the generator Into the box...

WOW!!!

[cadman_ks]

Originally Posted by craigav

There is a lot to consider if you desire to install a generator in a compartment such as the fuel supply, weight, exhaust, heat, sound, etc. When I did have a 5th wheel I most often kept the generator in the bed of the truck.

For your biggest question, the transfer switch doesn't have to be near the breaker panel. You could install it in the compartment where your power cord is and then run your generator power cable to that same compartment. ~CA

All good points. As I understand the Pinnacles, all of them have the generator "box" up front, even if not gen prepped, so I'm not worried about that.

As for the transfer switch, I understand that it doesn't have to be by the breaker box. The issue getting power from the breaker box to the transfer panel. You can't see the back of the breaker box from the basement. I suspect that you could get to it from the bottom, which may be the only option, and that is way more work than I want to go after.

At the end of the day, I don't think there's an "easy" button here....

[cadman_ks]

Originally Posted by Bill2e

...
I am going to go with a portable option.

I have considered that, but the main reason for wanting this is to run the generator while traveling, so portable doesn't work in that case....

[craigav]

Originally Posted by cadman_ks

All good points. As I understand the Pinnacles, all of them have the generator "box" up front, even if not gen prepped, so I'm not worried about that.

As for the transfer switch, I understand that it doesn't have to be by the breaker box. The issue getting power from the breaker box to the transfer panel. You can't see the back of the breaker box from the basement. I suspect that you could get to it from the bottom, which may be the only option, and that is way more work than I want to go after.

At the end of the day, I don't think there's an "easy" button here....

Perhaps another way to say what I am thinking, you don't need to get to the back of the breaker panel. In the compartment with the existing power cable there is likely already a junction box, if not just cut the power cable leaving about a foot or two of the cable that goes deeper into the RV and attach the transfer switch "out" to that section of cable, and then the existing power cable that goes to the shore power pedestal and the generator's power cable going to the input side of the transfer switch. All of this can be in the existing power cable compartment without needing access to the rear of the breaker panel. ~CA

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by cadman_ks

That's NUTS!!! At that point, it's just the cost of the generator and maybe a transfer switch, and lifting the generator Into the box...

WOW!!!

It's even worse since the transfer switch and all the wiring except from the geny to a junction box less then 3 ft away is already there.

In your case it will take a lot of creative wiring to add one.

[cadman_ks]

Originally Posted by craigav

Perhaps another way to say what I am thinking, you don't need to get to the back of the breaker panel. In the compartment with the existing power cable there is likely already a junction box, if not just cut the power cable leaving about a foot or two of the cable that goes deeper into the RV and attach the transfer switch "out" to that section of cable, and then the existing power cable that goes to the shore power pedestal and the generator's power cable going to the input side of the transfer switch. All of this can be in the existing power cable compartment without needing access to the rear of the breaker panel. ~CA

Gotcha. On this model the power input is at the back of the unit, and it has a power reel. I have never looked inside that compartment, but there's a junction box somewhere around there...

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by cadman_ks

Gotcha. On this model the power input is at the back of the unit, and it has a power reel. I have never looked inside that compartment, but there's a junction box somewhere around there...

Just remember you need 6/3 with ground to make all the wiring runs.

[craigav]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

Just remember you need 6/3 with ground to make all the wiring runs.

The shore power cable should already be 6/3 but 6/3 is overkill for the generator to the RV transfer switch run when using for example an Onan 5500 (or smaller), or any generator where the outputs are protected with 30A breakers or less.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by craigav

The shore power cable should already be 6/3 but 6/3 is overkill for the generator to the RV transfer switch run when using for example an Onan 5500 (or smaller), or any generator where the outputs are protected with 30A breakers or less.

But he still needs 6/3 to get from the shore power cable to the transfer switch and back to the breaker panel. I know on our PINNACLE there was not enough room to add a transfer switch at the point of entry for the shore cable or near the breaker panel.

[craigav]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

But he still needs 6/3 to get from the shore power cable to the transfer switch and back to the breaker panel. I know on our PINNACLE there was not enough room to add a transfer switch at the point of entry for the shore cable or near the breaker panel.

Agreed, that is what I was saying should already be in place though (the 6/3 wiring, not the transfer switch). If I was to take on a project like this, I would first attempt to determine where Jayco installs the transfer switch when a generator is installed for this RV at the factory. (if they do sell them with a generator already installed). ~CA

[cadman_ks]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

But he still needs 6/3 to get from the shore power cable to the transfer switch and back to the breaker panel. I know on our PINNACLE there was not enough room to add a transfer switch at the point of entry for the shore cable or near the breaker panel.

Thanks for the reminder on 6/3!

I haven't even dug into this yet, and I'm pretty sure that you are correct, that there is not enough room in neither the point of entry, or behind the breaker panel. Even if there was behind the breaker panel, still not for sure how I would get a wire from there to the generator up front...

[cadman_ks]

Originally Posted by craigav

Agreed, that is what I was saying should already be in place though (the 6/3 wiring, not the transfer switch). If I was to take on a project like this, I would first attempt to determine where Jayco installs the transfer switch when a generator is installed for this RV at the factory. (if they do sell them with a generator already installed). ~CA

That would be a good question to get answered. I'm assuming, and we all know where that gets you, that the transfer switch on the 37MDQS is in the same compartment as the generator.

Is anyone following this thread with a factory installed generator to confirm where the transfer switch is on the 37MDQS? I'm assuming that any model that has the entry point in the rear, and the breaker panel in the middle (in the kitchen area) would have the same transfer switch location...

[Learjet]

Originally Posted by craigav

The shore power cable should already be 6/3 but 6/3 is overkill for the generator to the RV transfer switch run when using for example an Onan 5500 (or smaller), or any generator where the outputs are protected with 30A breakers or less.

Careful what advice you are giving, the neutral is not balanced on a 120 volt generator and needs to be able to carry the full power of the generator on the neutral, in this case it would need to be 6awg.... or you need two 10awg runs for the neutral to the transfer switch.

[craigav]

Originally Posted by Learjet

Careful what advice you are giving, the neutral is not balanced on a 120 volt generator and needs to be able to carry the full power of the generator on the neutral, in this case it would need to be 6awg.... or you need two 10awg runs for the neutral to the transfer switch.

Perhaps I should have added a bit more clarity as certainly not all generators are the same. My example was particular to the Onan 5500 which from the factory has 2x 10awg lines out and 10awg is what they recommend to the transfer switch. The Onan 5500's have either 30/30 or 30/20 amp breakers and for a 30A circuit 10AWG is common.

I agree with you overall though, and in particular if someone wanted to wire the Onan differently than what is stated in the installation manual, for example if someone wanted to run a single neutral, then the neutral would need to carry all of the generator's capacity which would be ~46 amps for a 5500W generator so a 6awg would work well in that case. ~CA

[Learjet]

Originally Posted by craigav

Perhaps I should have added a bit more clarity as certainly not all generators are the same. My example was particular to the Onan 5500 which from the factory has 2x 10awg lines out and 10awg is what they recommend to the transfer switch. The Onan 5500's have either 30/30 or 30/20 amp breakers and for a 30A circuit 10AWG is common.

I agree with you overall though, and in particular if someone wanted to wire the Onan differently than what is stated in the installation manual, for example if someone wanted to run a single neutral, then the neutral would need to carry all of the generator's capacity which would be ~46 amps for a 5500W generator so a 6awg would work well in that case. ~CA

I looked the other day at my factory installed Onan 5500 and 3 x 6 awg was run to the junction box at the generator where it ties into the two hot 10 awg and two neutral 10 awg wires out of the generator. Just an FYI.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Learjet

I looked the other day at my factory installed Onan 5500 and 3 x 6 awg was run to the junction box at the generator where it ties into the two hot 10 awg and two neutral 10 awg wires out of the generator. Just an FYI.

That's what I remembered, but couldn't verify.

[craigav]

I didn't intend to imply that 6/3 (w/ground) would be a bad choice although I would suspect they would use 6/4. In fact it would likely be easier and more cost effective to install, not to mention I suspect that the 6\4awg would likely be purchased in bulk by Jayco for the 50A shore power service. My original thoughts were more based on wire size instead of other aspects whereas a cable that can support ~12,000 watts would be a bit overkill for 5500 watts, but with all of other factors to consider, I can see where that would be a good choice over even what the Onan 5500 manual recommends. Certainly there is no issue with using a larger awg than needed vs the opposite. ~CA