PB50 headache

[rclacey]

Has anyone ever installed a PB50? (50 amp rated exterior power inlet)
It is a huge PITA to get a #6 AWG into these things. I know they aren't used very often since most people with manual generator setups have a smaller generator, 30 amp is pretty common around here (NH)
The manufacturer (reliance, I think) uses the same tiny enclosure for the
20 amp, 30 amp, and 50 amp inlets. You pretty much need your sledge hammer to put the cover on a pb50. You know what I mean if you've done one. I've used a 6x6x4 steel W.P. JB and put a 2.5" hole in the cover to accept the 50 amp inlet. I'm sure there's some violation in doing this, but it's so much more user friendly. What have you done for customers larger portable generators?

 

[iwire]

 

[Cold Fusion]

Has anyone ever installed a PB50? (50 amp rated exterior power inlet) ...
... What have you done for customers larger portable generators?

Help me out here, where would one use a 3W receptacle for a gen connection to a house panel? Please be gentle, I don't work this size generators very often.

The last two I put in used 4W receptacles and cords. The receptacles on the gens were 4W.

1. Receptacle fed a 3W, 30A manual transfer switch that fed a subpanel. Other feed to the transfer switch was 4W from the house main panel. Left the N/G bond in the generator.

2. Receptacle fed a 2P, 50A CB in the main panel. 2P, 50A was interlocked with the panel main. Removed the generator N/G bond.

In both cases I used a 4W feed from the gen to the receptacle and a 4W feed from the receptacle to the panel/switch.

 

[Cold Fusion]

whoops.......

 

[augie47]

I may step in it here , but it appears to me that a portable generator requires no ground, so the connection into the resid. system cold be 3 wire.

 

[electricmanscott]

I installed a PB 50 last week. It almost brought me to tears.

 

[augie47]

If it's a conduit system try this:
http://www.southwire.com/products/DLOCable.htm

 

[Cold Fusion]

I may step in it here , but it appears to me that a portable generator requires no ground, so the connection into the resid. system cold be 3 wire.

Please step in - Help.

Believe me I not telling you that you are wrong, I'm apparently just not getting it (yet).

Here's what I'm thinking.

The "G" is the generator frame. And the gen receptacle is 4W.

Even from a portable gen, one would not run 3W to a 120/240V appliance.

If the gen has the N/G bond installed and has a main CB then the feed from the gen is 4W.

If the gen has the N/G bond removed, it's definitely 4W.



cf

 

[cirving]

I installed one on my own house just yesterday. It's a tight fit allright:roll:
It's a four wire receptacle, you can just see the fourth teminal at the top

 

[jes25]

Cold Fusion,

If you have a generator with the N and G bonded then the only way to connect it to your house panel would be run a 3 wire and switch the neutral with a 3 pole transfer switch. The problem is those little generator subpanels only switch the ungrounded conductors and not the neutral. It's probably cheaper to buy a new generator than a 3 pole T switch..................so I don't know why someone would use one either.

 

[wireguru]

Help me out here, where would one use a 3W receptacle for a gen connection to a house panel? Please be gentle, I don't work this size generators very often.

The last two I put in used 4W receptacles and cords. The receptacles on the gens were 4W.

1. Receptacle fed a 3W, 30A manual transfer switch that fed a subpanel. Other feed to the transfer switch was 4W from the house main panel. Left the N/G bond in the generator.

2. Receptacle fed a 2P, 50A CB in the main panel. 2P, 50A was interlocked with the panel main. Removed the generator N/G bond.

In both cases I used a 4W feed from the gen to the receptacle and a 4W feed from the receptacle to the panel/switch.

while it looks like a 3 wire connector, that is a 125/250v CS style 50a 3P4W twistlock. The 3 pins are H-H-N, and a portion of the exterior of the female contacts a metal strip on the inside of the male for the ground connection.

 

[wireguru]

Has anyone ever installed a PB50? (50 amp rated exterior power inlet)
It is a huge PITA to get a #6 AWG into these things. I know they aren't used very often since most people with manual generator setups have a smaller generator, 30 amp is pretty common around here (NH)
The manufacturer (reliance, I think) uses the same tiny enclosure for the
20 amp, 30 amp, and 50 amp inlets. You pretty much need your sledge hammer to put the cover on a pb50. You know what I mean if you've done one. I've used a 6x6x4 steel W.P. JB and put a 2.5" hole in the cover to accept the 50 amp inlet. I'm sure there's some violation in doing this, but it's so much more user friendly. What have you done for customers larger portable generators?

those reliance things are junk. They housing is way too small for a 50amp twistlock, i have no idea how that thing has UL (or does it?)

For 50a inlet, I recommend the midwest electric U50N. Much larger housing, plus the inlet is at a downward facing angle and the cover closes with the cord plugged into it.

 

[Cold Fusion]

while it looks like a 3 wire connector, that is a 125/250v CS style 50a 3P4W twistlock. The 3 pins are H-H-N, and a portion of the exterior of the female contacts a metal strip on the inside of the male for the ground connection.

Ahhhh. Thanks

cf