ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS
ELECTRICAL WIRING
All wiring must be applicable with local electrical codes. A qualified licensed electrician must
perform all electrical wiring connections. Ground Fault (GFCI) breakers must be installed to protect all
vehicle branch circuits. All switches and controls must be securely mounted to prevent damage and
accidental opening or closing from vibration, road shock and vehicle motion.
Battery, load leads and the remote switch panel connections are necessary for completing the
installation. Make final connections to the battery only after all other connections have been made, as this
will prevent unintentional starting. Some specific details on each connection are stated in the following
paragraphs. Refer to the wiring diagram for specific details. All wiring to the generator set shall be securely
supported or harnessed to prevent abrasion. Additional support is required to prevent exposure to the exhaust
system and any possible leakage of fuel, oil, or grease. At least 2 inches of clearance must be maintained
between electrical wiring and hot exhaust parts. Wiring must not be located directly below or close to the
fuel system, oil fill and drain locations. If the coach is equipped with a mechanism for removing the
generator set from the compartment such as a mounting base or slide rack, be certain all wiring is long
enough to allow for free movement of the generator for servicing.
A separate 12-volt battery is recommended for the generator set. With a separate battery, cables
should be kept short in length thus eliminating problems with excessive voltage drop. See the Table below
for cable size (AWG) to length requirements.
NOTE:
A heavy gauge #4 ground strap must be connected between the ground lug on the generator set and
the frame of the vehicle. All wiring connections made at the time of installation should be readily accessible
for periodic inspection and servicing.
DISTANCE BETWEEN
GENERATOR SET AND
BATTERY
CABLE SIZE (AWG) REQUIREMENTS
AT VARIOUS TEMPERATURES
0°F (-18°C)
32°F (0°C)
75°F (24°C)
40’ (12.2M)
00
0
1
30’ (9.2M)
0
1
2
25’ (7.6M)
1
2
4
20’ (6.1M)
2
2
6
15’ (4.6M)
2
4
6
10’ (3.0M)
4
6
8
5’ (1.5M)
6
6
8
2.5’ (0.8M)
8
8
8
AC LOAD LEAD CONNECTIONS
Some generator sets have four color-coded leads. The Black leads (L1 & L3) are hot. The White or
Gray lead (L2) is neutral and the Green lead is ground. The load leads can be routed directly from the
junction box to the vehicle AC circuit or transfer switch connection. All installations require that the load
leads be routed through flexible conduit from the generator end bracket to the junction box location. The
load lead junction box must be accessible for servicing and inspection.
AC load lead (L2) White or Gray is always the neutral lead on PTS generator sets. Make sure the
neutral of the AC circuit in the vehicle is connected to the (L2) White or Gray lead. If equipment ground type
plugs and receptacles (3 prong) are used in the vehicle, the green wire must be connected to the chassis
ground. On vehicles, which also have provisions for using an outside AC, power source, the neutral lead as
well as the Black (L1 & L3) hot leads must be completely isolated from the generator set when power is
switched to the outside source.
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