Can a Packaged Generator be Extended?

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busman

busman

Senior Member
Location
Northern Virginia
Occupation
Master Electrician / Electrical Engineer
I have installed quite a few of the Generac packaged standby generators for residential use. I have a situation where the Gas Meter is on the opposite corner of a large house from the service panel about 80 feet separating. Since these units use an awful lot of NG, they should be mounted close to the meter. The generator unit comes with a 30 foot whip in Greenfield with 2-#6 for ungrounded, 1 #8 grounded and 1 #10 EGC plus four control conductors that appear to be about 18 guage.

The question is: am I violating the code by replacing this whip with appropriately sized conductors in a conduit run. I would think that the generator and the transfer switch are each listed separately and that the whips are provided as a convenience, but are not required to be used. Is this a reasonable interpretation?

Thanks,

Mark
 
Why not run a larger gas pipe from the meter to the generator?
Gas (or any) piping is a lot like electrical wiring in that the bigger the pipe (or wire), the more flow it can handle without losing pressure (or voltage).
steve
 
Steve,

I could extend the Gas pipe, but my calculations show this would have to be a 1-1/4 inch pipe. That is larger than the feed into the house, so it would have to be re-run from the meter. Also, I forgot to mention that the electric service is right under the HO bedroom window and the instructions say not to locate near a window. The Gas meter is on the other end of the house near the chimney on a gable end with no windows.

Thanks,

Mark
 
What do the generator instructions say? If the flex whip and wire were listed w/ the generator then it could not be changed.
 
Last fall, I did a job in WA with a similar situation. I ran the flex as far as I could (under the house) to a junction box, spliced the wires and finished the run in PVC, part of which was underground. I also took off the liquidtite that had the circuit wires to the panel and replaced it with PVC and LBs. It passed inspection by the state. On another job, I removed the flex with the generator wires and replaced it with 6-3 NM and 14-4 NM through the basement/first floor joists to a junction box and then in Liquidtite through the outside wall to the generator.
 
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Additional Information from the Instructions

Additional Information from the Instructions

"Select an area outside of your home nearest your incoming gas service."

"Install the generator as close as possible to the fuel supply, to reduce the length of piping."

"Install the generator as close as possible to the trasfer switch. HOWEVER, REMEMVER THAT LAWS OR CODES MAY REGULATE THE DISTANCE."

It sounds like I can't do both (put it close to the gas supply and the electric service). Has anyone heard of a code or law that limits the distance from the generator to the TS?

My research shows that the TS is only sold with the whips. On the other hand, the whips are just a standard wiring method. I can't see any logical reason that the wiring method cannot be changed. That said, it is probably a "technical" code violation. I'm also 99.9% sure it will pass inspection.

Mark

Thanks,

Mark
 
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