Generator Adapter

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Kopper

Kopper

Member
Location
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
This is the situation:
We installed a 50A Generator inlet (Reliance PBN-50) using 6/3 Romex to a 50A breaker in the panel box with a Generator interlock installed. We supplied the homeowner with a 50A cord with a NEMA 14-50P on one end and a CS6365 on the other to plug into the inlet. The homeowner has a generator with a NEMA6-15R which he wants to use to provide power to run a couple things during a power outage. I found an adapter that goes from NEMA 6-15P to NEMA 14-50R that will allow him to connect the generator to the house.

Problem:
What about neutral since there is no neutral on a NEMA 6-15 configuration?
 
Kopper said:
The homeowner has a generator with a NEMA6-15R which he wants to use to provide power to run a couple things during a power outage.
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If the NEMA 6-15R is only providing 240 volts how does he intend to run 120 volt equipment?
 
infinity said:
If the NEMA 6-15R is only providing 240 volts how does he intend to run 120 volt equipment?
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That is precisely my question. Will 120V loads work with a setup like that or will it create an open neutral situation that could fry 120V loads. I don't know if the generator ground and neutral are bonded at the generator. If they are bonded there would be a neutral path via the ground wire.
 
Kopper said:
That is precisely my question. Will 120V loads work with a setup like that or will it create an open neutral situation that could fry 120V loads. I don't know if the generator ground and neutral are bonded at the generator. If they are bonded there would be a neutral path via the ground wire.
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😕isn’t that illegal?
Just asking…
 
qcroanoke said:
Ive seen them with receptacles with 2 hots and a ground but they were old......
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Yeah now that think of it, I recall an old 240V 'portable' generator on a welder friends truck had a 6-50, 6-30 and a 6-15, if its a old welder generator like that its probably just '240' and they will need a transformer to create a neutral.
 
tortuga said:
Yeah now that think of it, I recall an old 240V 'portable' generator on a welder friends truck had a 6-50, 6-30 and a 6-15, if its a old welder generator like that its probably just '240' and they will need a transformer to create a neutral.
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No such fortune to have a 6-50 on this generator. My best recollection is a duplex 6-15 and a duplex 5-15 or 5-20...
 
Kopper said:
I saw the generator myself - definitely a NEMA 6-15
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I have a 30+ year old 5 kw sitting out back that has that configuration. The neutral is floating on it, the instructions called for a male plug with a jumper between the ground and neutral, in order to get 120/240 from that plug.
 
Part of my generator graveyard!
 

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hillbilly1 said:
I have a 30+ year old 5 kw sitting out back that has that configuration. The neutral is floating on it, the instructions called for a male plug with a jumper between the ground and neutral, in order to get 120/240 from that plug.
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That is quite fascinating! I will need to dig a bit deeper - find the generator model, do a bit of testing on the generator (see if neutral and ground are bonded at the generator), see if I can find instructions for that generator model etc.
 
Kopper said:
I am an electrician and I have the 2020 NEC book but while that might give ideas to work from and is a good minimum standard it doesn't address all situations well - is not all things to every situation.
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When you have a moment edit your profile and add your occupation.
 
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