User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
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Posted: 1/31/2022 2:00:46 PM EDT
[#1]
You're not missing anything. The metal interlock basically prevents both the main breaker and the generator input breaker for being on at the same time. You have to have both turned off before you can move the interlock. Picture of one type of interlock attached.
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Posted: 1/31/2022 2:05:50 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You're not missing anything. The metal interlock basically prevents both the main breaker and the generator input breaker for being on at the same time. You have to have both turned off before you can move the interlock. Picture of one type of interlock attached. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/12621/generator_interlock-2261496.jpg It will energize both sides of the panel? I have a Square D if that matters. What gauge wire do I need for a less than 50’ run? My house has gas heat and the blower fan won’t draw much. I have an open frame Champion inverter generator, 4500/3500 |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 2:11:55 PM EDT
[#3]
Quoted: Last year we had a good thread with clear instructions. @falarak even had a list of parts. I can’t find that thread. Here's the link to @Falarak's thread. Generator Preps Paid Off mm |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 2:17:04 PM EDT
[#4]
My thread should answer most of your questions.
You need pretty much exactly what I did. Buy an OEM interlock. Most of the crap on Ebay I cant stand to work with.... For a 50 foot run, are you talking like a 50' extension cord from the inlet to the genny, or do you mean 50' of romex inside the home from the breaker panel to the inlet location? Either way, you need #10 wire to support a 30amp inlet. You dont have to consider bigger wire to accommodate for voltage drop until you hit 150'. To power both sides of a panel using a 120V generator (with a single hot output), you need a special cable that splits your generator hot output into two hots, as I show in my post. It is the orange cable. |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 2:19:38 PM EDT
[#5]
Here is one I did for a friend last week, on a GE panel using the OEM interlock. This was a 50 amp install because he has a 240v generator and wants to power his central AC in the summer.
   
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Posted: 1/31/2022 2:23:34 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My thread should answer most of your questions. You need pretty much exactly what I did. Buy an OEM interlock. Most of the crap on Ebay I cant stand to work with.... For a 50 foot run, are you talking like a 50' extension cord from the inlet to the genny, or do you mean 50' of romex inside the home from the breaker panel to the inlet location? Either way, you need #10 wire to support a 30amp inlet. To power both sides of a panel, you need a special cable that splits your generator hot output into two hots, as I show in my post. Thanks. It’s less than 50’ from where the generator and plug will be to the panel. I had planned on using romex. I am at Home Depot now and they have nothing I can use other than romex. If I am firced to run extension cords is it better for me to get the adapter that plugs into the generator’s big outlet and has 3 cords rather than just plugging extension cords into the 110 outlets on the generator? |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 2:27:39 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Thanks. It’s less than 50’ from where the generator and plug will be to the panel. I had planned on using romex. I am at Home Depot now and they have nothing I can use other than romex. If I am firced to run extension cords is it better for me to get the adapter that plugs into the generator’s big outlet and has 3 cords rather than just plugging extension cords into the 110 outlets on the generator? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: My thread should answer most of your questions. You need pretty much exactly what I did. Buy an OEM interlock. Most of the crap on Ebay I cant stand to work with.... For a 50 foot run, are you talking like a 50' extension cord from the inlet to the genny, or do you mean 50' of romex inside the home from the breaker panel to the inlet location? Either way, you need #10 wire to support a 30amp inlet. To power both sides of a panel, you need a special cable that splits your generator hot output into two hots, as I show in my post. Thanks. It’s less than 50’ from where the generator and plug will be to the panel. I had planned on using romex. I am at Home Depot now and they have nothing I can use other than romex. If I am firced to run extension cords is it better for me to get the adapter that plugs into the generator’s big outlet and has 3 cords rather than just plugging extension cords into the 110 outlets on the generator? I dont think it matters much, nothing you are powering will consume a lot of amperage when you home-run to a furnace or a fridge. But long extension cords of small gauge do have voltage drop. |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 2:43:00 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I dont think it matters much, nothing you are powering will consume a lot of amperage when you home-run to a furnace or a fridge. But long extension cords of small gauge do have voltage drop. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: My thread should answer most of your questions. You need pretty much exactly what I did. Buy an OEM interlock. Most of the crap on Ebay I cant stand to work with.... For a 50 foot run, are you talking like a 50' extension cord from the inlet to the genny, or do you mean 50' of romex inside the home from the breaker panel to the inlet location? Either way, you need #10 wire to support a 30amp inlet. To power both sides of a panel, you need a special cable that splits your generator hot output into two hots, as I show in my post. Thanks. It’s less than 50’ from where the generator and plug will be to the panel. I had planned on using romex. I am at Home Depot now and they have nothing I can use other than romex. If I am firced to run extension cords is it better for me to get the adapter that plugs into the generator’s big outlet and has 3 cords rather than just plugging extension cords into the 110 outlets on the generator? I dont think it matters much, nothing you are powering will consume a lot of amperage when you home-run to a furnace or a fridge. But long extension cords of small gauge do have voltage drop. My big problem is the furnace doesn’t have a plug. I can’t power it with an extension cord. I can’t believe I had so much going on that I didn’t do this earlier. |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 2:47:03 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My big problem is the furnace doesn’t have a plug. I can’t power it with an extension cord. I can’t believe I had so much going on that I didn’t do this earlier. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: My thread should answer most of your questions. You need pretty much exactly what I did. Buy an OEM interlock. Most of the crap on Ebay I cant stand to work with.... For a 50 foot run, are you talking like a 50' extension cord from the inlet to the genny, or do you mean 50' of romex inside the home from the breaker panel to the inlet location? Either way, you need #10 wire to support a 30amp inlet. To power both sides of a panel, you need a special cable that splits your generator hot output into two hots, as I show in my post. Thanks. It’s less than 50’ from where the generator and plug will be to the panel. I had planned on using romex. I am at Home Depot now and they have nothing I can use other than romex. If I am firced to run extension cords is it better for me to get the adapter that plugs into the generator’s big outlet and has 3 cords rather than just plugging extension cords into the 110 outlets on the generator? I dont think it matters much, nothing you are powering will consume a lot of amperage when you home-run to a furnace or a fridge. But long extension cords of small gauge do have voltage drop. My big problem is the furnace doesn’t have a plug. I can’t power it with an extension cord. I can’t believe I had so much going on that I didn’t do this earlier. You can cut the romex going to it, and install a plug nearby using it. Then install a plug on the furnace. |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 3:16:58 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You can cut the romex going to it, and install a plug nearby using it. Then install a plug on the furnace. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: My thread should answer most of your questions. You need pretty much exactly what I did. Buy an OEM interlock. Most of the crap on Ebay I cant stand to work with.... For a 50 foot run, are you talking like a 50' extension cord from the inlet to the genny, or do you mean 50' of romex inside the home from the breaker panel to the inlet location? Either way, you need #10 wire to support a 30amp inlet. To power both sides of a panel, you need a special cable that splits your generator hot output into two hots, as I show in my post. Thanks. It’s less than 50’ from where the generator and plug will be to the panel. I had planned on using romex. I am at Home Depot now and they have nothing I can use other than romex. If I am firced to run extension cords is it better for me to get the adapter that plugs into the generator’s big outlet and has 3 cords rather than just plugging extension cords into the 110 outlets on the generator? I dont think it matters much, nothing you are powering will consume a lot of amperage when you home-run to a furnace or a fridge. But long extension cords of small gauge do have voltage drop. My big problem is the furnace doesn’t have a plug. I can’t power it with an extension cord. I can’t believe I had so much going on that I didn’t do this earlier. You can cut the romex going to it, and install a plug nearby using it. Then install a plug on the furnace. I didn't think of that. Thanks. |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 3:21:05 PM EDT
[#11]
I was looking for a generator extension cord so I could at least have the connections in the garage. The cords I have found all have 4 prongs that plug into the generator big outlet. My generator has a 3 prong outlet and says RV use only.
I think I found an extension at Lowes with 3 prongs but why the difference? |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 3:28:53 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I was looking for a generator extension cord so I could at least have the connections in the garage. The cords I have found all have 4 prongs that plug into the generator big outlet. My generator has a 3 prong outlet and says RV use only. I think I found an extension at Lowes with 3 prongs but why the difference? 30 amp 120V RV typically use NEMA TT-30. Many generators use this as their 30 amp receptacle 50 AMP typically uses NEMA 14-50, which is typically 240V (two hots, one neutral, one ground) 30 amp 120V twist is NEMA L5-30 (some generators have this receptacle)  You can purchase a TT30 extension cord for an RV, which are everywhere.... then convert TT30 to a splitter. https://www.amazon.com/AC-WORKS-TT30W515-018-Generator-Tri-Outlets/dp/B071G98371 https://www.amazon.com/Parkworld-885880-Adapter-TT-30P-Lighted/dp/B074LVQK8H  For extension cords I like these from Camco: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BUU5YU/ https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Extension-PowerGrip-Convenient-Carrying/dp/B004809YBE |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 3:30:57 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 30 amp 120V RV typically use NEMA TT-30. Many generators use this as their 30 amp receptacle 50 AMP typically uses NEMA 14-50, which is typically 240V (two hots, one neutral, one ground) 30 amp 120V twist is NEMA L5-30 (some generators have this receptacle) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/NEMA_simplified_pins.svg/1024px-NEMA_simplified_pins.svg.png Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I was looking for a generator extension cord so I could at least have the connections in the garage. The cords I have found all have 4 prongs that plug into the generator big outlet. My generator has a 3 prong outlet and says RV use only. I think I found an extension at Lowes with 3 prongs but why the difference? 30 amp 120V RV typically use NEMA TT-30. Many generators use this as their 30 amp receptacle 50 AMP typically uses NEMA 14-50, which is typically 240V (two hots, one neutral, one ground) 30 amp 120V twist is NEMA L5-30 (some generators have this receptacle) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/NEMA_simplified_pins.svg/1024px-NEMA_simplified_pins.svg.png Mine looks like the NEMA TT 30. |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 3:53:25 PM EDT
[#14]
It looks like a 50’ RV 10ga extension cord is a lot cheaper than 50’ of 10ga romex. I may have to rethink what I plan to do.
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Posted: 1/31/2022 3:56:52 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It looks like a 50’ RV 10ga extension cord is a lot cheaper than 50’ of 10ga romex. I may have to rethink what I plan to do. Romex prices are INSANE right now, especially 10/3. They RAPE you on buying a shorter roll at $3.50 a foot when a 250 foot roll is HALF that cost per foot. They know they can bend over susie homemaker. When I wired mine up I paid $27 for a 15' roll. It is $65 today. I installed my inlet in the garage, right next to my breaker panel, and just run the RV extension cord to my generator. This keeps my connections at the inlet, and the splitter adapter cable, nice and dry. I did a 50 amp install last week and could not even FIND any 6/3 romex. Everyone was out for weeks. I ended up buying 4 individual #6 wires for the install, luckily I only needed 5' of each. |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 4:14:58 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Romex prices are INSANE right now, especially 10/3. They RAPE you on buying a shorter roll at $3.50 a foot when a 250 foot roll is HALF that cost per foot. They know they can bend over susie homemaker. When I wired mine up I paid $27 for a 15' roll. It is $65 today. I installed my inlet in the garage, right next to my breaker panel, and just run the RV extension cord to my generator. This keeps my connections at the inlet, and the splitter adapter cable, nice and dry. I did a 50 amp install last week and could not even FIND any 6/3 romex. Everyone was out for weeks. I ended up buying 4 individual #6 wires for the install, luckily I only needed 5' of each. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: It looks like a 50’ RV 10ga extension cord is a lot cheaper than 50’ of 10ga romex. I may have to rethink what I plan to do. Romex prices are INSANE right now, especially 10/3. They RAPE you on buying a shorter roll at $3.50 a foot when a 250 foot roll is HALF that cost per foot. They know they can bend over susie homemaker. When I wired mine up I paid $27 for a 15' roll. It is $65 today. I installed my inlet in the garage, right next to my breaker panel, and just run the RV extension cord to my generator. This keeps my connections at the inlet, and the splitter adapter cable, nice and dry. I did a 50 amp install last week and could not even FIND any 6/3 romex. Everyone was out for weeks. I ended up buying 4 individual #6 wires for the install, luckily I only needed 5' of each. The RV extension cord will have male 3 prongs at the generator and a female 4 prongs at the end? Then I need a jumper from the extension cord to the 30 box? Then wire from the box to the panel? |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 5:34:24 PM EDT
[#17]
Lowes and Home Depot don’t have anything in stock.
I will just run extension cords until I get yhe supplies ordered. |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 8:15:50 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My thread should answer most of your questions. You need pretty much exactly what I did. Buy an OEM interlock. Most of the crap on Ebay I cant stand to work with.... For a 50 foot run, are you talking like a 50' extension cord from the inlet to the genny, or do you mean 50' of romex inside the home from the breaker panel to the inlet location? Either way, you need #10 wire to support a 30amp inlet. You dont have to consider bigger wire to accommodate for voltage drop until you hit 150'. To power both sides of a panel using a 120V generator (with a single hot output), you need a special cable that splits your generator hot output into two hots, as I show in my post. It is the orange cable. I will order the supplies from amazon using your list. I hate to be the designated dumbass but it just comes naturally. I understand the orange cable can split into 2 hots that then plug into the wall box. I understand I will connect the 2 hots to the hots on the breaker. I still don’t understand how that will energize the breakers on the left side of my panel. It looks to me like it just puts a second hot on the right side. Please use little words. |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 8:32:21 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I will order the supplies from amazon using your list. I hate to be the designated dumbass but it just comes naturally. I understand the orange cable can split into 2 hots that then plug into the wall box. I understand I will connect the 2 hots to the hots on the breaker. I still don’t understand how that will energize the breakers on the left side of my panel. It looks to me like it just puts a second hot on the right side. Please use little words. No problemo. Here is what a panel looks like before breakers:  Notice how every other lug in the center comes from the left or right side - alternating? This how 240V panels work. Each breaker on the right physical side of the panel is energized by either electrical side of the panel, depending on position and which lug the breaker is attached to. Each 240V breaker is double sized, so it can connect to two lugs. Two adjoining lugs ALWAYS come from alternating sides of the panel, providing two 120V sources out of phase with each other, hence 240V. When a 240V breaker (double pole) is used for a generator backfeed/interlock, then these two sides of the panel are electrified through that breaker -> inlet -> generator. When using a 240V generator, you supply 240V to the inlet and therefore the panel. When using a 120V generator and a special bridging cable for the two hots, you supply 120V to EACH side of the panel, but not out of phase. Therefore - nothing that uses 240V will work. However, ANYTHING that uses 120V works fine. You can control which circuits get power simply by flipping the breakers. |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 10:26:53 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have an open frame Champion inverter generator, 4500/3500 Apologies if I missed it... is your generator 120V or 240/120V output? I didn't see a 3500/4500 inverter on Champion's website. All the open frame inverter gennies I found were only 120V. |
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Posted: 1/31/2022 10:36:31 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Here is one I did for a friend last week, on a GE panel using the OEM interlock. This was a 50 amp install because he has a 240v generator and wants to power his central AC in the summer. https://i.postimg.cc/0ykd6WVk/screenshot-1004.png https://i.postimg.cc/hPrVq8cH/screenshot-1005.png https://i.postimg.cc/W4DZrQgv/screenshot-1006.png https://i.postimg.cc/zDwgnwbV/screenshot-1007.png Hello, This is probably the third or fourth time I have read your how-to guide, and I have finally bought a generator. I got a Predator 3500w (120v) inverter generator, and have ordered the inlet plug box. I am installing the box indoors near my panel. I think that I have a similar GE load center as your friend's, only mine is inverted and indoors:  Echoing the previous poster's request for small words: It looks like I need to relocate the HEAT circuit breaker on the bottom left (usually referenced as top right, but mine is inverted) so that I have a place for the backfeed breaker to be installed; Correct? Any idea if I need to relocate the bottom right HEAT breaker as well, to keep it directly across from the other HEAT breaker? Thank you! |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 12:38:29 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: No problemo. Here is what a panel looks like before breakers: https://i.postimg.cc/RZwH2nQy/screenshot-1013.png Notice how every other lug in the center comes from the left or right side - alternating? This how 240V panels work. Each breaker on the right side of the panel is energized by either electrical side of the panel, depending on position and which lugh the breaker attached to. Each 240V breaker is double sized, so it can connect to two lugs. Two adjoining lugs ALWAYS come from alternating sides of the panel, providing two 120V sources out of phase with each other, hence 240V. When a 240V breaker (double pole) is used for a generator backfeed/interlock, then these two sides of the panel are electrified through that breaker -> inlet -> generator. When using a 240V generator, you supply 240V to the panel. When using a 120V generator and a special bridging cable for the two hots, you supply 120V to EACH side of the panel, but not out of phase. Therefore - nothing that uses 240V will work. However, ANYTHING that uses 120V works fine. You can control which circuits get power simply by flipping the breakers. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I will order the supplies from amazon using your list. I hate to be the designated dumbass but it just comes naturally. I understand the orange cable can split into 2 hots that then plug into the wall box. I understand I will connect the 2 hots to the hots on the breaker. I still don’t understand how that will energize the breakers on the left side of my panel. It looks to me like it just puts a second hot on the right side. Please use little words. No problemo. Here is what a panel looks like before breakers: https://i.postimg.cc/RZwH2nQy/screenshot-1013.png Notice how every other lug in the center comes from the left or right side - alternating? This how 240V panels work. Each breaker on the right side of the panel is energized by either electrical side of the panel, depending on position and which lugh the breaker attached to. Each 240V breaker is double sized, so it can connect to two lugs. Two adjoining lugs ALWAYS come from alternating sides of the panel, providing two 120V sources out of phase with each other, hence 240V. When a 240V breaker (double pole) is used for a generator backfeed/interlock, then these two sides of the panel are electrified through that breaker -> inlet -> generator. When using a 240V generator, you supply 240V to the panel. When using a 120V generator and a special bridging cable for the two hots, you supply 120V to EACH side of the panel, but not out of phase. Therefore - nothing that uses 240V will work. However, ANYTHING that uses 120V works fine. You can control which circuits get power simply by flipping the breakers. Thank you. It makes sense now. I didn’t understand about the panel itself. |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 12:41:29 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Apologies if I missed it... is your generator 120V or 240/120V output? I didn't see a 3500/4500 inverter on Champion's website. All the open frame inverter gennies I found were only 120V. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I have an open frame Champion inverter generator, 4500/3500 Apologies if I missed it... is your generator 120V or 240/120V output? I didn't see a 3500/4500 inverter on Champion's website. All the open frame inverter gennies I found were only 120V. It’s 120v. The Champion 4250/3500 open feame inverter. |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 7:20:05 AM EDT
[#24]
Then only half of your panel would be powered using an interlock.
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Posted: 2/1/2022 7:56:17 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Then only half of your panel would be powered using an interlock. Nope. Both sides. See the link above. |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 12:44:04 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Nope. Both sides. See the link above. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Then only half of your panel would be powered using an interlock. Nope. Both sides. See the link above. Does that depend on what breaker is used? |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 1:04:35 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Does that depend on what breaker is used? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Then only half of your panel would be powered using an interlock. Nope. Both sides. See the link above. Does that depend on what breaker is used? Not really. You always backfeed with a 240V breaker (which is by nature connected to both sides of a panel) and all inlets are 240V. The key is to use the bridging cable/adapter with a 120V generator, that's the part not everyone knows about... |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 1:15:55 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It looks like I need to relocate the HEAT circuit breaker on the bottom left (usually referenced as top right, but mine is inverted) so that I have a place for the backfeed breaker to be installed; Correct? Quote HistoryQuoted: It looks like I need to relocate the HEAT circuit breaker on the bottom left (usually referenced as top right, but mine is inverted) so that I have a place for the backfeed breaker to be installed; Correct? Yes. In your inverted panel, it is the bottom left breaker that must be relocated. Hopefully there is enough wire to easily relocate it. It depends on if there is excess wire in the panel or if the wire goes up - you are good to go. Sometimes you have to get creative and relocate several breakers to not have to pigtail. I have no problem pig-tailing a 20 amp circuit, but not sure I'd do that for a high amperage circuit, like electric heat. I'd want to pull some more wire into the panel if at all possible. Quoted: Any idea if I need to relocate the bottom right HEAT breaker as well, to keep it directly across from the other HEAT breaker? There should not be any requirement for the location in the panel, other than you generally like to balance the loads across the two 120V supply. But 240V loads are connected to both supply legs, so they don't matter. Just find an available space, or bump all the 240V breakers up one space on the left side. |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 7:16:27 PM EDT
[#29]
Now I know whom to call when I need to connect my genny to the main panel of the house. |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 10:34:42 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Nope. Both sides. See the link above. Then no 240V loads will run. If you've tied L1 and L2 together, then the two poles of a 240V breaker are no longer 180 degrees out. Voltage across the L1 and L2 terminals will be zero. |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 10:40:38 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Then no 240V loads will run. If you've tied L1 and L2 together, then the two poles of a 240V breaker are no longer 180 degrees out. Voltage across the L1 and L2 terminals will be zero. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Nope. Both sides. See the link above. Then no 240V loads will run. If you've tied L1 and L2 together, then the two poles of a 240V breaker are no longer 180 degrees out. Voltage across the L1 and L2 terminals will be zero. That's correct - You cannot run 240V loads with a 120V generator. The point of the bridging cable is to be able to service 120V to both sides of the panel, so all 120V circuits are live. |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 10:58:17 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: That's correct - You cannot run 240V loads with a 120V generator. The point of the bridging cable is to be able to service 120V to both sides of the panel, so all 120V circuits are live. So the same adapter I use for my bus when plugging my 50A service into a 30A outlet. But then my bus has no 240V breakers.... just two separate 120V panels. Anyone tying L1 and L2 together should turn off the 240V breakers. Just saying. |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 11:02:40 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So the same adapter I use for my bus when plugging my 50A service into a 30A outlet. But then my bus has no 240V breakers.... just two separate 120V panels. Anyone tying L1 and L2 together should turn off the 240V breakers. Just saying. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: That's correct - You cannot run 240V loads with a 120V generator. The point of the bridging cable is to be able to service 120V to both sides of the panel, so all 120V circuits are live. So the same adapter I use for my bus when plugging my 50A service into a 30A outlet. But then my bus has no 240V breakers.... just two separate 120V panels. Anyone tying L1 and L2 together should turn off the 240V breakers. Just saying. Yes, this is covered in the links above and discussion. Although - there is no real need to turn off the 240V breakers, it doesn't harm anything. But yes, it is a best practice. The only time I have seen weirdness is from a well pump. Technically, I recommend turning off ALL your individual breakers, and lighting them up one at a time while watching your load on the generator. That way everything doesn't surge at one time. This is a common issue when using a small genny to power the home. Mine will not handle starting both fridges and both gas furnaces and the coffee pot all at once. However, it has no problem running and cycling them all at random startup times. |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 11:36:44 PM EDT
[#34]
If you bridge your plug to power both sides of your panel using a 120V generator, make sure you ensure you don't power any multi-wire branch circuits (MWBC). I did lots of research when I was setting up my 120v inlet for my Honda EU2200i, and while I was 99% sure I didn't have any MWBC's, I decided better safe than sorry and just moved wires around so my critical appliances/devices were powered by one leg of the panel.
https://www.ahouseonarock.com/what-is-an-mwbc/#:~:text=MWBC%20is%20an%20acronym%20for,conductors%20share%20one%20grounded%20conductor |
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Posted: 2/1/2022 11:58:16 PM EDT
[#35]
As an FYI, I do home remodeling. We use Integrity Electric here in Plano when we need electrical.
Was talking to the owner, he said if you don't have a specific shitty circuit breaker, he can install an interlock the locks out the grid, and allows you access to your whole breaker panel to choose what you want to power. He said it was under $900 to install. Sounded reasonable to me.As |
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Posted: 2/3/2022 7:54:01 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My thread should answer most of your questions. You need pretty much exactly what I did. Buy an OEM interlock. Most of the crap on Ebay I cant stand to work with.... For a 50 foot run, are you talking like a 50' extension cord from the inlet to the genny, or do you mean 50' of romex inside the home from the breaker panel to the inlet location? Either way, you need #10 wire to support a 30amp inlet. You dont have to consider bigger wire to accommodate for voltage drop until you hit 150'. To power both sides of a panel using a 120V generator (with a single hot output), you need a special cable that splits your generator hot output into two hots, as I show in my post. It is the orange cable. I am about to order the parts I need, but I want to confirm. Since I have a Square D panel and I plan to wire mine like yours, is the linked list of parts in the gen prep thread what I need? I am ordering everything from Amazon except the breaker. I will pick that up at Home Depot. I will also buy Romex at HD. |
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Posted: 2/3/2022 11:35:59 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I am about to order the parts I need, but I want to confirm. Since I have a Square D panel and I plan to wire mine like yours, is the linked list of parts in the gen prep thread what I need? I am ordering everything from Amazon except the breaker. I will pick that up at Home Depot. I will also buy Romex at HD. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: My thread should answer most of your questions. You need pretty much exactly what I did. Buy an OEM interlock. Most of the crap on Ebay I cant stand to work with.... For a 50 foot run, are you talking like a 50' extension cord from the inlet to the genny, or do you mean 50' of romex inside the home from the breaker panel to the inlet location? Either way, you need #10 wire to support a 30amp inlet. You dont have to consider bigger wire to accommodate for voltage drop until you hit 150'. To power both sides of a panel using a 120V generator (with a single hot output), you need a special cable that splits your generator hot output into two hots, as I show in my post. It is the orange cable. I am about to order the parts I need, but I want to confirm. Since I have a Square D panel and I plan to wire mine like yours, is the linked list of parts in the gen prep thread what I need? I am ordering everything from Amazon except the breaker. I will pick that up at Home Depot. I will also buy Romex at HD. Yep, pretty much. You say you have a SquareD panel - but is it QO or Homeline? If Homeline there is a slightly different OEM interlock. |
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Posted: 2/3/2022 11:38:36 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yep, pretty much. You say you have a SquareD panel - but is it QO or Homeline? If Homeline there is a slightly different OEM interlock. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: My thread should answer most of your questions. You need pretty much exactly what I did. Buy an OEM interlock. Most of the crap on Ebay I cant stand to work with.... For a 50 foot run, are you talking like a 50' extension cord from the inlet to the genny, or do you mean 50' of romex inside the home from the breaker panel to the inlet location? Either way, you need #10 wire to support a 30amp inlet. You dont have to consider bigger wire to accommodate for voltage drop until you hit 150'. To power both sides of a panel using a 120V generator (with a single hot output), you need a special cable that splits your generator hot output into two hots, as I show in my post. It is the orange cable. I am about to order the parts I need, but I want to confirm. Since I have a Square D panel and I plan to wire mine like yours, is the linked list of parts in the gen prep thread what I need? I am ordering everything from Amazon except the breaker. I will pick that up at Home Depot. I will also buy Romex at HD. Yep, pretty much. You say you have a SquareD panel - but is it QO or Homeline? If Homeline there is a slightly different OEM interlock. Will there be a label? |
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Posted: 2/3/2022 11:47:53 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Will there be a label? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: My thread should answer most of your questions. You need pretty much exactly what I did. Buy an OEM interlock. Most of the crap on Ebay I cant stand to work with.... For a 50 foot run, are you talking like a 50' extension cord from the inlet to the genny, or do you mean 50' of romex inside the home from the breaker panel to the inlet location? Either way, you need #10 wire to support a 30amp inlet. You dont have to consider bigger wire to accommodate for voltage drop until you hit 150'. To power both sides of a panel using a 120V generator (with a single hot output), you need a special cable that splits your generator hot output into two hots, as I show in my post. It is the orange cable. I am about to order the parts I need, but I want to confirm. Since I have a Square D panel and I plan to wire mine like yours, is the linked list of parts in the gen prep thread what I need? I am ordering everything from Amazon except the breaker. I will pick that up at Home Depot. I will also buy Romex at HD. Yep, pretty much. You say you have a SquareD panel - but is it QO or Homeline? If Homeline there is a slightly different OEM interlock. Will there be a label? Yep.  Square D QO, Square D Home Line Difference |
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Posted: 2/4/2022 12:12:29 AM EDT
[#40]
It’s a Homeline.
I had to take a pic with my phone of ghe label to read it. |
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Posted: 2/4/2022 6:39:14 AM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yep, pretty much. You say you have a SquareD panel - but is it QO or Homeline? If Homeline there is a slightly different OEM interlock. |
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Posted: 2/4/2022 2:28:54 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted: there is also a difference between inside and outside and 100 amp and 200 amp Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Yep, pretty much. You say you have a SquareD panel - but is it QO or Homeline? If Homeline there is a slightly different OEM interlock. My panel is in my garage. I don’t remember what amp service I have but I think it’s 200. An electrician friend installed the existing panel. The old one was very small. Oncor replaced the line from the transformer to my house s few years ago when one leg dropped out. How can I tell what amp mine is? |
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Posted: 2/4/2022 3:19:40 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My panel is in my garage. I don’t remember what amp service I have but I think it’s 200. An electrician friend installed the existing panel. The old one was very small. Oncor replaced the line from the transformer to my house s few years ago when one leg dropped out. How can I tell what amp mine is? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Yep, pretty much. You say you have a SquareD panel - but is it QO or Homeline? If Homeline there is a slightly different OEM interlock. My panel is in my garage. I don’t remember what amp service I have but I think it’s 200. An electrician friend installed the existing panel. The old one was very small. Oncor replaced the line from the transformer to my house s few years ago when one leg dropped out. How can I tell what amp mine is? If it is in the garage it is likely an indoor panel. You can tell amps based on the main cutoff - it will be labeled with the amperage. There are 3 Homeline interlocks, two are for outdoor, so you want the indoor one - HOMCGK2C - which works on 150-225amp main breakers. https://www.se.com/us/en/product-range/6030-homeline-load-centers/41993832826-all-homeline-load-centers/?parent-subcategory-id=6405&N=2580474934+2003252923&filter=business-4-low-voltage-products-and-systems |
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Posted: 2/4/2022 4:49:15 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If it is in the garage it is likely an indoor panel. You can tell amps based on the main cutoff - it will be labeled with the amperage. There are 3 Homeline interlocks, two are for outdoor, so you want the indoor one - HOMCGK2C - which works on 150-225amp main breakers. https://www.se.com/us/en/product-range/6030-homeline-load-centers/41993832826-all-homeline-load-centers/?parent-subcategory-id=6405&N=2580474934+2003252923&filter=business-4-low-voltage-products-and-systems www.amazon.com/dp/B08K2GMP51 Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Yep, pretty much. You say you have a SquareD panel - but is it QO or Homeline? If Homeline there is a slightly different OEM interlock. My panel is in my garage. I don’t remember what amp service I have but I think it’s 200. An electrician friend installed the existing panel. The old one was very small. Oncor replaced the line from the transformer to my house s few years ago when one leg dropped out. How can I tell what amp mine is? If it is in the garage it is likely an indoor panel. You can tell amps based on the main cutoff - it will be labeled with the amperage. There are 3 Homeline interlocks, two are for outdoor, so you want the indoor one - HOMCGK2C - which works on 150-225amp main breakers. https://www.se.com/us/en/product-range/6030-homeline-load-centers/41993832826-all-homeline-load-centers/?parent-subcategory-id=6405&N=2580474934+2003252923&filter=business-4-low-voltage-products-and-systems www.amazon.com/dp/B08K2GMP51 Thanks. I had a different interlock in my cart. |
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Posted: 2/4/2022 4:52:30 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Thanks. I had a different interlock in my cart. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Yep, pretty much. You say you have a SquareD panel - but is it QO or Homeline? If Homeline there is a slightly different OEM interlock. My panel is in my garage. I don’t remember what amp service I have but I think it’s 200. An electrician friend installed the existing panel. The old one was very small. Oncor replaced the line from the transformer to my house s few years ago when one leg dropped out. How can I tell what amp mine is? If it is in the garage it is likely an indoor panel. You can tell amps based on the main cutoff - it will be labeled with the amperage. There are 3 Homeline interlocks, two are for outdoor, so you want the indoor one - HOMCGK2C - which works on 150-225amp main breakers. https://www.se.com/us/en/product-range/6030-homeline-load-centers/41993832826-all-homeline-load-centers/?parent-subcategory-id=6405&N=2580474934+2003252923&filter=business-4-low-voltage-products-and-systems www.amazon.com/dp/B08K2GMP51 Thanks. I had a different interlock in my cart. The one I linked above is a non-OEM copy of the SquareD OEM one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CONE4MG?tag=arfcom00-20 However, the Copy has higher ratings than the OEM in this case! |
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Posted: 2/4/2022 4:53:57 PM EDT
[#46]
I just looked at my main breaker. It’s 200 amp.
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Posted: 2/5/2022 3:49:35 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The one I linked above is a non-OEM copy of the SquareD OEM one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CONE4MG?tag=arfcom00-20 However, the Copy has higher ratings than the OEM in this case! Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Yep, pretty much. You say you have a SquareD panel - but is it QO or Homeline? If Homeline there is a slightly different OEM interlock. My panel is in my garage. I don’t remember what amp service I have but I think it’s 200. An electrician friend installed the existing panel. The old one was very small. Oncor replaced the line from the transformer to my house s few years ago when one leg dropped out. How can I tell what amp mine is? If it is in the garage it is likely an indoor panel. You can tell amps based on the main cutoff - it will be labeled with the amperage. There are 3 Homeline interlocks, two are for outdoor, so you want the indoor one - HOMCGK2C - which works on 150-225amp main breakers. https://www.se.com/us/en/product-range/6030-homeline-load-centers/41993832826-all-homeline-load-centers/?parent-subcategory-id=6405&N=2580474934+2003252923&filter=business-4-low-voltage-products-and-systems www.amazon.com/dp/B08K2GMP51 Thanks. I had a different interlock in my cart. The one I linked above is a non-OEM copy of the SquareD OEM one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CONE4MG?tag=arfcom00-20 However, the Copy has higher ratings than the OEM in this case! So which one should I get? This is something I know nothing about. I can’t ecen imagine what the differences are in interlock kits. They just look like stamped metal to me. |
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Posted: 2/5/2022 3:53:35 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So which one should I get? This is something I know nothing about. I can’t ecen imagine what the differences are in interlock kits. They just look like stamped metal to me. Post a picture of your panel and maybe we can help. |
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Posted: 2/5/2022 3:58:00 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Post a picture of your panel and maybe we can help. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: So which one should I get? This is something I know nothing about. I can’t ecen imagine what the differences are in interlock kits. They just look like stamped metal to me. Post a picture of your panel and maybe we can help. I meant between the OEM and the one he linked to. I have a Square D Homeline panel. |
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Posted: 2/5/2022 3:59:09 PM EDT
[#50]
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