Electrical Transfer Switch

[Mlleml]

Yet another newbie question. Have a 2018 Windsport 29M. Someone mentioned it had a transfer switch that lets you run the generator when still plugged into shore power without causing a problem. Not sure why you would do that other than a mistake but wondering if they are equipped with such “protection “?

[JamieGeek]

Yes you can do that.

Reason: You're plugged into a simple 15A outlet and its hot out so you want to run the Air Conditioning (which will trip the 15A breaker) so you fire up the genny to get a few moments of cool air in the coach.

There is even more reason for this if you have two A/C's and a 50A coach--with the genny running you can run both A/C's.

[SuperD]

When the generator is running it always has priority for providing electric to the coach due to the transfer switch. One example would be a hot day with your AC running, plugged in to shore power, and getting ready to leave the campground. After you start the generator and it starts providing power the transfer switch automatically switches the load from shore power to the generator which means you can now unplug without interrupting your AC. The transfer switch is automatic and requires you to do nothing. When the transfer switch operates it isolates the electric load to either shore power or the generator if it’s running.

[TurnerFam]

the automatic transfer switch(ATS) is simply a safety mechanism... it keeps your breaker box from having TWO incoming power sources at the same time, and backfeeding 120v from one to the other.

as for running the Generator when plugged into shore power, many times it's for nothing more than exercising the generator when in storage, but without having to unplug from shore power, etc.
Also, if you lost shore power, such as at a campground, and had to use your Generator, you wouldn't want the shore power restored without a ATS, since you could have problems with two different power sources.

The ATS 'defaults' always to Generator power, if two sources are present.