Can a 220 volt generator be hooked up safely to a 120 volt pop-up camper?

Question

Here's one for all of you with electrial expertise. The camper is a 1989 Coleman Columbia. Hubby thinks he can plug the camper power cord to an extension cord, cut the opposite end off of the extension and connect the wires to the AC plug fitting for the generator. I said since there's no way to convert the 220 volt source down to 120 volt, that this is not a wise or safe idea. He's insistent that his idea will work and I have visions of a burning camper. Any input on this would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

To begin with, the double male extension cord is very dangerous and against all electrical codes.

How would the trailer normally be supplied with AC power? Why don't you just plug trailer power cord into the generator instead of trying to lash something together? There is no need for such an unsafe practice.

If the trailer cord uses a 120V 30A plug you can purchase an adapter which will allow it to connect to a standard 15A duplex outlet. The generator should have this type outlet and everything will be safe.

I have other generator connection and safety items on my web page.
http://members.rennlist.org/warren/generator.html

Answer 2

120 Volt Generator

Answer 3

He needs to find out what the current draw is on the trailor at its worst. Now calculate the amount of work to be done.
If it draws 5 amps, for example, that means its work is :
Voltage ( amperage) = Watts ( work)
120 ( 5 ) = 600 watts.

Next, to reduce voltage I need a step-down transformer, since i am cutting it in half it is a step down transformer in the ratio of 2:1.
It needs to be rated to handle the 240 volts at 600 watts work. This means:
600 / 240 = 2.5 amps
to put it another way. ..

volts / amps = volts / amps
240/ 2.5 = 120 /5
You can see now, with the step-down transformer I can increase one and it will decrease the other. I can increase my voltage and it will decrease the amount of amps that can be drawn.
Or I can decrease my voltage and i'll increase the amount of amperage that can be drawn to perform the same work.
In this case it is not the amps you are concerned with - it is the voltage only. So if I decrease my voltage this transformer will provide that voltage up to a higher current ( twice the current).
Since one side is equal to the other, both produce the same amount of work.

If it were the amps I'd want to reduce this would produce that current at a higher voltage.

Once I figure out my work I usually allow an extra 10% for fluctuations in the circuit.

The 240 line should be ran directly to the transformer on the high side, and a 120 outlet ran off of the low side of the transformer. The work done on one side will be the same amount of work that can be done on the other side of the transformer. Forget the whole cut -off the prong / extention cord method. And keep in mind a trailor as in " out in the woods" which implies the possibility of a lightening strike and proper grounding better be involved in the circuit.

Answer 4

since the camper was designed for 120 volts, so are all the loads inside, like lights, freezers or heaters or electric ranges.
if the generator doesn't have a 120 volts output then all of your 120 volt loads inside the camper will turn to ashes if not the whole camper, better consult a qualified electrician before switching on what your hubby had connected.

Answer 5

Some of these answers are okay but let me tell you what I would do. You can buy an electrical panel (BREAKER BOX) at Home Depot or Lowes, and build a system that is powered by the generator. If you'd like help on how exactly to do that email me and I'll send you some plans.

That is what I would do. You can plug the box into the generator and the camper into the box. It is a lot safer that going directly to you generator because you will also have circuit breakers in line with the camper to definitely prevent a blazing camper. But like I said if you'd like a schematic drawing let me know.

Answer 6

This will depend upon the generator as much as anything. I don't remember seeing one that did not have 120 volt outlets in addition to the 240 volt, except for some specialty industrial models. If there is a 120 volt outlet, you should be fine so long as you do not pull more wattage than the generator is rated for.

If there is not a 120 volt outlet, then the generator is not designed to be used to generate 120 volts. Depending upon the way it is designed, it may be possible to get 120 volts out of it, but you would run a very high risk of damaging the generator. The camper should be fine, unless it is close enough to catch on fire when the generator goes up in smoke.

Answer 7

Unless he knows what he is doing, it is not advisable. If you split 220 in half you get two 110 volt circuits, not 120. To split the 220, you need to go from one power lead to neutral. That leaves the other power lead live. It is also 110 volts to neutral. Be fully aware that one power lead to the other power lead is 220 volts. On most 220 volt systems, the neutral is also ground. Be sure that the generator is grounded to a grounding rod or the camper is properly grounded. The safest way is to consult a licensed electrician or trade off the 220 Gen. for a 120v Gen.

Answer 8

Yes you can. You would need to find that wire and double pole breaker in the panel and remove the two wires from the breaker, should be a black and a white or a black and a red. If it's a black and white you would take the white wire and move it over to the neutral bar with all the other whites and hook it up there. Then remove the double pole breaker and replace it with a single pole 20 amp breaker and hook the black wire to it. On the other end just mount a handy box over the romex and put a regular receptacle on it hooking the black wire to the brass colored screw, the white to the silver screw and the bare ground to the green screw.

Answer 9

why are you using 220 volts when you need 120 volts,you will wind up frying your camper,even with an adapter it wont work,why not get one that puts out 120 they are cheap and small,made by Honda,

Answer 10

there should be a switch on the generator for either 120 or 220