Newell Gurus

Another obvious newbie question.  There is a 50 amp outlet in the electric bay.  When not on shore power does or is the shore power cord supposed to be plugged into this 50 amp outlet?  If not what is this outlet for?

The 50 amp outlet is probably power from your generator if you don't have a transfer switch so you just plug your power cord into that 50 amp outlet to use your generator power rather than shore power.

Our coach also has a 50 amp outlet in the electrical bay . There is a switch for shore / generator in the panel above the driver with the generator switches . I haven't tried it , but I think the outlet can be used to power other things , trailer , etc . Our coach pigtail is only used for shore power,  not connected when generator is in use .

That is usually a buddy plug to power another coach, or a pass-through.

On my '82 you plug in there to receive power from the generator, or inverter......not live when plugged into shore power as far as I know.....I'll check today to be sure.

I do have a switch for shore or generator above drivers seat. But it seems from replies that it could need to be plugged in on some models to get power from generator. If I try plugging it in and starting generator can I damage anything?

A voltmeter is your friend in answering this question. Newell may have changed over the years but on my coach, that is a buddy plug. It provides power to the plug when I am plugged in or running on the generator.

I would measure the voltage at the plug 1 when the coach is plugged into shore 2. when the generator is running 3. When the coach is unplugged, without gennie running, and on inverter power. The answers will tell you when the plug is powered.

I would not plug the coach umbilical into the buddy plug without checking the above on the buddy plug first. In theory it shouldn’t hurt anything if is isn’t a buddy plug, but a cautious approach is good lest you let the smoke out of something electrical.

Just checked mine, and there is no power through this outlet when plugged into shore power. It may be different on later models, such as yours, but not in 1982, apparently.

Not sure when the transition between the need to manually plug in the generator on the 1982's and the transfer box with the manual switch which was first located on the dash and later the driver's overhead console occurred. I do not have any notes in my database regarding that issue. I was fairly sure that Clarke did not have a buddy plug but I believe the 1985's did. I think that anyone that has the generator/shorepower transfer box, should have a buddy plug as Newell re-purposed the bay outlet.

In our '86 that is a buddy plug. I made up a 50/15 with 4 heads so others can use our power for fridges, battery chargers etc. Only 1 genny running for 5 rvs. Pretty slick. Family reunions, concerts etc. We are the centre of it all.