Reverse Polarity RV Plug on Bluetti/Ecoflow/Goalzero?? Is this a problem?

[time2roll]

Well, now that I am thoroughly confused, I am wondering about my use case with my Bluetti system.
The house is all prepared with a 10 circuit transfer switch and an L14-30 inlet box. All installed by an electrician.

I am waiting on my 2 x AC300 + 4 x B300 + Fusion Box Pro. I intend on using the system as if it were a generator. I will be using the L14-30 on the fusion box pro ac out to connect to the L14-30 inlet box.

Should I be worried/reconsider my choice?

View attachment 72872

I expect that all will be fine.

 

[Bud Martin]

If you look at Will's pictures in his post #60, the Neutral (W) terminal of the L14-30 is not connected so you will not be getting any 120V between X and W or Y and W, you will be feeding the panel with power from X and Y only which will be 240VAC.
I may be wrong but I do not see any wire connected to the W terminal of that L14-30 outlet at all, may be Will can take a close look at it.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

Update: just realized this is for the ep500pro. They must have sent these to me by mistake because I don't have that model.

Ok get this!! Just got the fusion box and I found a few issues instantly. The ac300 ac200 max have a tt-30, but the fusion box has L14-30 male prong plugs!! They don't connect at all. How bizarre!

Also notice all the mistakes posted on the fusion box sales brochure. The labeling for the plugs is incorrect.

There's also a relay on the 240V outlet plug for one of the hot conductors. I am guessing that it tests to see if everything is connected properly, then it allows you to safely use the plug.

Having the improper plugs confuse me to no end. I hope they didn't make a million of these!

Very nice build quality though. Looks great otherwise.

Hello,
Is there a reason the white plug is aksew in the center of the 4th pic, ending in 30. (Copy attached)
Also note what appear to be a several nicks or gouges(?) in the black wires above the large red wire.

 

[Will Prowse]

Hello,
Is there a reason the white plug is aksew in the center of the 4th pic, ending in 30. (Copy attached)
Also note what appear to be a several nicks or gouges(?) in the black wires above the large red wire.

Good point but it was probably my fault. I ripped the cover off

 

[dhughes2]

Question: Would it be a major issue to buy a TT30P/TT30R extension cord, cut it in half and solder the two wires (Hot to Neutral & Neutral to Hot) swapped, obviously making sure to protect the cut wires with a good shrink wrap? I really don't want to open my AC200MAX to swap the wires (possibly voiding my warranty) or send it back in right now for warranty/recall work. I'd label the wire so it would be obvious that it's a crossover.

 

[John Frum]

Question: Would it be a major issue to buy a TT30P/TT30R extension cord, cut it in half and solder the two wires (Hot to Neutral & Neutral to Hot) swapped, obviously making sure to protect the cut wires with a good shrink wrap? I really don't want to open my AC200MAX to swap the wires (possibly voiding my warranty) or send it back in right now for warranty/recall work. I'd label the wire so it would be obvious that it's a crossover.

A better solution is to make a reverse polarity "dogbone"
Its a small adapter that reverses the polarity on your expensive tt30 extension cord without ruining the cord.
Its my understanding that plenty of RVers develop a collection of "dogbone" adapters to address various situations.

 

[740GLE]

Easiest would be making the company correct their error free of charge.

 

[Bud Martin]

I would not modify the cord, who knows next time someone else tries to use it without knowing that the modification has been made to the cord.
I agree that the correction should be made at the source end, inside the unit.

 

[djorgensen2k]

Am I missing anything? I have been thinking about it all day and cannot find any other issues that could occur. If you think I am wrong or missing something, please let me know below.

Hi Will,

How about the case of a Neutral Ground Bonding Plug inserted into one of the standard 15a sockets in order to charge an EV car from the RV socket? It seems like a common scenario for an EV Car Charger (and other common devices), trying to detect ground and needs the Neutral Ground Bonding Plug in the other socket in order to do so. Plugging in a Neutral Ground Bonding Plug into a circuit that shares ground with a Reverse Polarity socket, can’t this create a Reverse Polarity Bootleg Ground condition? And isn’t a Reverse Polarity Bootleg Ground condition a safety issue? It seems like this would cause a short with the reverse polarity relative to the other socket(s) in use with neutral ground, or even an electrocution hazard because conductive surfaces may be electrically ‘hot’ on the plugged-in device(s).

Is this case an issue to add to your list?

Best,
—Dave

 

[Will Prowse]

Hi Will,

How about the case of a Neutral Ground Bonding Plug inserted into one of the standard 15a sockets in order to charge an EV car from the RV socket? It seems like a common scenario for an EV Car Charger (and other common devices), trying to detect ground and needs the Neutral Ground Bonding Plug in the other socket in order to do so. Plugging in a Neutral Ground Bonding Plug into a circuit that shares ground with a Reverse Polarity socket, can’t this create a Reverse Polarity Bootleg Ground condition? And isn’t a Reverse Polarity Bootleg Ground condition a safety issue? It seems like this would cause a short with the reverse polarity relative to the other socket(s) in use with neutral ground, or even an electrocution hazard because conductive surfaces may be electrically ‘hot’ on the plugged-in device(s).

Is this case an issue to add to your list?

Best,
—Dave

Yes good point! And some DJ audio equipment requires it, I found out yesterday. The company should just fix it.

The EV charger would never be connected to the RV plug because the maximum that it can pull at 120V is 15A, which would require the traditional receptacle. I still personally think they should have a 240V RV plug. The 120V 30A is just illogical and expensive.

But yes you are right. And the company should just fix the issue at this point.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

Yes good point! And some DJ audio equipment requires it, I found out yesterday. The company should just fix it.

The EV charger would never be connected to the RV plug because the maximum that it can pull at 120V is 15A, which would require the traditional receptacle. I still personally think they should have a 240V RV plug. The 120V 30A is just illogical and expensive.

But yes you are right. And the company should just fix the issue at this point.

Hello Will,
RE :
“The 120V 30A is just illogical and expensive.”
Do you mean that due to the need for a RV plug?
While on the plug subject, any good sources for “aircraft“ connectors?

Thanks

 

[Rocksnsalt]

Bluetti youtube response re the polarity issue?

 

[Marduke]

Bluetti youtube re polarity

That’s essentially just a product insulation test. It does NOT test or demonstrate any of the fault conditions which pose a safety issue.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

Yeah I thought it was pretty basic myself.

Though they titled it as
AC200MAX Reversed Polarity Safety Test

 

[FilterGuy]

I am not sure what they were trying to say.... but is sure sounds like an attempt to say it is OK that they screwed up the polarity of the plug by using unrelated tests.

 

[John Frum]

That video argues black is white when red is the color.

This drawing has a hidden hover menu that allows navigation between 2 pages which show the reverse polarity issue when connecting an RV and a bonding plug.
Reverse polarity issue

Its called and RV receptacle for a reason.

NEMA connector - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[tigerwillow1]

Looks like a totally useless video to me. With a floating output there is no polarity, so reversing the wires means nothing. The problem arises only when the standard and RV outlets are used at the same time, in which case a polarity might be established, and a shock hazard might be created. They really ought to fix it.

 

[John Frum]

 

[eXodus]

some how they can sell Toaster that only break one side of the Line.

there a lots of cartoons people putting their hand into a toaster and getting electrocuted.
I guess that they are using an approved ancient grand fathered in design.

The regular US-plug is quite a hazard by itself - since it's already hot when you can still touch the prongs with little fingers, or any metal instrument.

No to mention the 30A RV plug - those prongs are already hot when I can still wedge some full grown fingers in between.

The European Schuko plug is a much better design. I mean by a lot.

I still personally think they should have a 240V RV plug. The 120V 30A is just illogical and expensive.

most modern RVs come with the 50A 240V RV plug. But that's rather bulky plug. Since it's actually 4 conductors - so 2x hot, ground and neutral.

Having a 240V 30A plug with 3 conductors would be sufficient for most RV applications. Hot, neutral, ground - 7kw should be enough for most RVs.

 

[740GLE]

Looks like a totally useless video to me. With a floating output there is no polarity, so reversing the wires means nothing. The problem arises only when the standard and RV outlets are used at the same time, in which case a polarity might be established, and a shock hazard might be created. They really ought to fix it.

Ahh yes the “it’s not a problem, unless it’s a problem” clause, a widely underutilized clause of the IEEE standards. More companies really ought to use it.