Back up generator

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Paul G

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Surprise, AZ
Next week I am being sent down state to tow down and hook up a back up diesel generator. It is supposed to be a temporary install. I have not seen the application and don?t have much info on it yet. I am told there is a transfer switch. I think there might already be a small generator there?

I want to make sure that we can NOT parallel generators? I would think there would be no way to synchronize the phasing. Is this correct?

It is a 480 3 phase system powering a 150 horse pump motor and control.
 
Sounds like there may be a manual or automatic switch installed presently just for a portable genset. It will most likely have a connection box or a large pin and sleeve receptacle outside for the temporary connection.
 
hillbilly1 said:
Sounds like there may be a manual or automatic switch installed presently just for a portable genset. It will most likely have a connection box or a large pin and sleeve receptacle outside for the temporary connection.
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I think there is an automatic transfer switch there. I hope they intended to replace the gen set they have with the one they are having me tow down there.

I know that power systems have to be synchronized before two sources can be put online together. I would just imagine the same is true with a small deal like this. I would not want to tie two gen sets together and have them 90 degrees out of phase. Big bang maybe?

I work for a water company, we dont have an engineering department. You guys are kind of my back up when I think something might not be right. I look here for the answer.
 
You can parallel generators, but you have to have special equipment so they close onto together in sync.

There wouldn't really be any reason to parallel two gens together for a load this small. Gens are paralleled together to increase output such as in a generator power plant.
 
Paul G said:
I think there is an automatic transfer switch there. I hope they intended to replace the gen set they have with the one they are having me tow down there.

I know that power systems have to be synchronized before two sources can be put online together. I would just imagine the same is true with a small deal like this. I would not want to tie two gen sets together and have them 90 degrees out of phase. Big bang maybe?

I work for a water company, we dont have an engineering department. You guys are kind of my back up when I think something might not be right. I look here for the answer.
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If there is one there already, I would assume that it would already be large enough for the load, so I don't think they would be connecting them together, A lot of utilities have these set ups to save money and maintaince cost by keeping a couple of portable units for multiple sites, they just roll one up to the site, plug it in, connect the start wires to a terminal block, everything is ready to go if a power outage occurs.
 
A safety not to parallel

A safety not to parallel

You can use a change-over switch of appropiate ampacity to connect both generators to the application so that only one can supply power at the time.
 
Install a double throw switch sized to handle the greater generator. Reroute the cables from the existing generator to the new switch, and then install a pin & sleve connection next to the new switch on exteror of the building for your portable generator. Then run new feed from DT-switch to ATS inside if there is one. That way both generators can not be connected at the same time, and I dought that the want a syncronizing system for both gen sets.
 
JWCELECTRIC said:
Ohm,

Interesting photos, I never seen those Cam-Locks installed looks like a slick idea when you are using larger cables. Thanks
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These are very safe you can only plug in from left to right only!!
Ground first then in the order of neutral then the hots .

And when you unplug its opposite right to left hot first then neutral ground we parallel or can feed with one genset its optional .

The plugs have a internal lock which means the covers dont open unless the plug ahead is secured in place and locked .

When i read the post i thought id help out the op with a picture we do lots of different jobs and this was as close to his post as i could get .
 
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