Generator Charging Questions (Renogy Lycan 5000)

[Sgt.Pepper]

Hi All,

I have a small off grid cabin that I'm powering with a Renogy Lycan 5000. For now I'm using the outlets on the Lycan, but it will be tied into a sub panel that will power the cabin.

While I wait to get the ground mount for my solar array installed, I'm going to be charing the Lycan with my Honda eu3000is. And eventually, will be using both when circumstances require it. Unfortunately, the AC charging cable that came with the Lycan is about 10ft long and prevents me from getting the generator far enough away from the cabin to be safe. I'm now searching to find a cable that will fit my needs and am coming up empty handed. The Lycan charges via an IEC C19 to NEMA 5-20P cable and trying to find a 50ft+ outdoor rated version of that cable is proving impossible.

My eu3000is has both a 20 amp circuit and a 30 (really 23.3) amp circuit. I originally considered using just the 20 amp and finding the right cable, but alas here we are. Now I'm considering using the the 30 amp circuit with a l5-30p cable.

Here's the tricky part through, I still can't find the right cable (e.g. L5-30p to c19). So I'm thinking about using a l5-30p to l5-30r cable to a generator inlet box. Something like this: https://conntekisi.com/30-amp-125v-l5-30-power-inlet-box-cable-combos Then from the inlet box, I'd wire in a 20 amp 5-20r outlet to plug the lycan into. The Lycan has 20 amp breaker for AC input, so I'd never pull the full 30 (23.3) amps.

I'm starting to wonder if I'm making this way too complex.

Any thoughts on how I should do this?

 

[DIYrich]

If the Lycan is indoors, and that is your permanent setup, then an outdoor L5-30p with an indoor 5-20r, is what I would do.

Alternative is to hard wire the Lycan on the inside.

If it were temporary until you do solar, then I would get a short L5-30P to 5-20r cable to bridge between the two cables.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

Thanks for the reply. Here's a little more context about the installation. They Lycan is currently on a large covered deck behind the cabin and is protected from sunlight. The sub panel for the cabin will be mounted there as well with the Lycan plugged into the panel via its 30 amp circuit. The generator will be 50-100 ft away from the cabin and will be used to supplement solar power on cloudy days and as needs arise.

While I'm currently looking for temporary solution to get things rolling, I'm thinking that I should probably focus on a permanent solution. The Lycan has a 20 amp circuit breaker for the input circuit (generator connected here), but to get to these breakers, I need to unscrew two thumb screws to open the weather tight glass panel.

After I posted last night, I thought about adding a 20amp disconnect box close to the Lycan and simply hardwiring an L5-30p cable from the diconnect to the generator and a c19 cable from the disconnect to the Lycan. That way I can quickly kill the power from the generator if need be.

If I think about it, I could use a throw switch or a disconnect.

Anyway as relative newbie to this type of stuff, am I missing something else?

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

What would be ideal is a panel with receptacles (& breakers) that I would allow me to plug-in both the generator & Lycan. Like an electrical passthrough with receptacles & breakers. That way I can easily swap out cables if I ever needed to, but I doubt such a thing exists or would pass code.