any electricians around r5g? school me about generator

[DukeCanBuildit]

There is a device call Generlink. It plugs in to where your meter is. Check with your power company and see if they will plug it in for you. The power co here sells and installs them for $800 bucks.

It is even easier to use. Just plug your gen cord in & you are done.

These are great where available - our power utility promotes their use. Hella expensive and a few necessary fees but when people live in vulnerable areas, it can really be worth it.

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[9zero1790]

thank you neil

 

[RedlandRanger]

Buy yourself a generator interlock, a new 30A circuit breaker, a 220v external plug and a few ft of 10-3 (with ground) wire and you are all set. It is a super easy installation. If you hire someone to install the breaker and maybe rearrange a few in your breaker box, you'd likely have less than $300 total invested.

I recently installed this set up in mine. I have less than $100 invested. No cords to run. Just kill the main breaker, and all the breakers in the box, flip the new breaker to "ON" move the generator outside, plug the generator into the external box, start the generator and select the circuits that you need and you are done.

Never seen this before - what a cool solution! One of the nice things is that you can use any circuit you want, not limit yourself to pre-defined ones.

I wired in a manual transfer switch myself many years ago. I hired an electrician to double check my work, and he said "why the hell did you call me? You already did all the work!" It seemed too simple to me - I wanted to verify it was installed correctly.

 

[Nellieg]

I also have a interlock kit installed... Depending on the breaker box they tend to run 50 to 200....outside input is 50bucks......wire has gotten expensive but your run sounds like about 50ft 3wire... Working in the breaker box...you tube videos help... Shut off the main...make room left or right side...depending on box ... Drill a few holes in panel screw in...attach stickers and instructions...just don't touch incoming lines on the open circuit when you are in the box...it is a good way to go... But again that's a future project...never trying using a suicide plug...but you are asking so you probably know that already.

is the three prong locking or just straight...locking 3 prong is 20a rated and non locking is 15a. That's likely a 20a out of the generator on the 3prong and 15 or 20a out of the house outlets on the generator... (On the house outlets the right prong has a notch to the right with 20a... Look at 20a outlets on Amazon)... You might need both outlets to consume the full load out of generator...and the tap isn't for each but both total 15a or 20a ( typically you can pull 20a out of top plug...or bottom plug...or when plugged into both 20a total ...)

 

[9zero1790]

the generator has
4 - 120 V 15 amp
1 - 120 V 3 prong straight 30 amp
1 - 12 V DC 8 amp

 

[Nellieg]

30amp straight might only be rated 20on wire... You can figure out how to load the heaters and configure it... Test it out so you have a plan... The generator likely has overload protection...got a headache yet from all the info? Good luck... probably a good day to try ....merry Christmas ?

 

[9zero1790]

thank you all!

 

[Skit hjälm]

Fwiw,
Before getting too deep into transfer switches...
Maybe tell us what specific generator you have.
From this info, I suspect you have an inverter generator. 120 volt only.
While that can still work, it can substantially complicate connecting to a loadcenter.
If you want generator to connect to your house thru a transfer switch, it best to use a conventional 120/240 volt split phase synchronous generator.

the generator has
4 - 120 V 15 amp
1 - 120 V 3 prong straight 30 amp
1 - 12 V DC 8 amp

 

[9zero1790]

Fwiw,
Before getting too deep into transfer switches...
Maybe tell us what specific generator you have.
From this info, I suspect you have an inverter generator. 120 volt only.
While that can still work, it can substantially complicate connecting to a loadcenter.
If you want generator to connect to your house thru a transfer switch, it best to use a conventional 120/240 volt split phase synchronous generator.

correct it is a 120v generator

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