Generator disconnect

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Jim W in Tampa

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
ok good news is i rebuilt my carb and gen running fine. Is the twist lock plug enough as my disconect out side going to the gen ? I have a mechanical lock inside so main must be off to turn the back fed breaker on inside the house. Gen has breakers on it. We are talking small portable 6500 watt to cover selected loads on residential
 
LarryFine said:
I would think so, but how does the cord get into the panel?
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Romex 8-3 wg from panel to WP box outside. Then cord 3 feet long from wp box to the plug. Seen no reason for a disco but sometime miss things in the code.We had friendly reminder 2 weekends ago at 3:30 in morning when a drunk took out 2 power poles. No electric for 8 hours. With hurricanes coming we must be ready.
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
ok good news is i rebuilt my carb and gen running fine. Is the twist lock plug enough as my disconect out side going to the gen ? I have a mechanical lock inside so main must be off to turn the back fed breaker on inside the house. Gen has breakers on it. We are talking small portable 6500 watt to cover selected loads on residential
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Hey Jim always wondered how 408.36(D) was complied with in this type of setup. Is there some kind of kit to bolt the breaker down?
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
Romex 8-3 wg from panel to WP box outside. Then cord 3 feet long from wp box to the plug. Seen no reason for a disco but sometime miss things in the code.We had friendly reminder 2 weekends ago at 3:30 in morning when a drunk took out 2 power poles. No electric for 8 hours. With hurricanes coming we must be ready.
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Is the box outside a wp recessed Male twist lock. Allowing you to use a standard cord?
 
Twoskinsoneman said:
Hey Jim always wondered how 408.36(D) was complied with in this type of setup. Is there some kind of kit to bolt the breaker down?
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There are many company's selling these. They are brand and model specific. the bolt to the panel cover and a lever interlocks with the main and the main for the generator. you can't turn on the generator without turning off the main and vice versa. UL approved.
 
Cavie said:
There are many company's selling these. They are brand and model specific. the bolt to the panel cover and a lever interlocks with the main and the main for the generator. you can't turn on the generator without turning off the main and vice versa. UL approved.
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That's cool. I did a quick Google but nothing turned up. I think I kinda suck at the internet. Please throw one of the companies links up so I can check it out.
 
We've installed a couple of these setups now for customers. They are really happy to have a cheap system to be able to have this option. It's not dummy proof but it does the trick if you are willing to not live with and/or can't afford something automatic.
 
Cavie said:
There are many company's selling these. They are brand and model specific. the bolt to the panel cover and a lever interlocks with the main and the main for the generator. you can't turn on the generator without turning off the main and vice versa. UL approved.
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The interlock is taken care of. I do not have a male receptacle on the house. My plans are hard wire 8-3 from my panel to outside wall. Mount a wp box and do changeover to 10-4 soow water resistant cord that will have male twist lock to the generator. If there is a violation as planned i would rather know before i install. I want to be to code. In morning i am going thru my selected loads so they are equal on both phases and will type out a green acres type list as to what can be ran at any one time. The biggy is water pump and frig. (got to have cold beer in huricane party) Computer runs on 2 marine batteries. Been in FL since 73 and been lucky. This is first time actually setting up a home generator that is permanent.
 
Your generator breaker should provide the protection required between the generator the the panel breaker your backfeeding.
 
alfiesauce said:
We've installed a couple of these setups now for customers. They are really happy to have a cheap system to be able to have this option. It's not dummy proof but it does the trick if you are willing to not live with and/or can't afford something automatic.
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I can deal with going outside to pull a cord. I cant afford the best
 
Twoskinsoneman said:
My point was for a back-fed breaker the code seems to require a bolt-on. Not a simple friction breaker.

Am I misreading this? Please take a look at the code section.
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What the product kit of the company we've purchased through has provided for that is a large tie-wrap that wraps around the two-pole breaker that is being backfed and two breakers on the opposite side of the panel, thereby locking it into place.
 
Twoskinsoneman said:
Crude but seems to meet code. Rock on
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i like that idea. Will see if i can do it to mine. Really dont see this as big issue on a back fed breaker on a generator of this size. If it came out it would be with cover removed and generator likely turned off. I do see it as problem if it fed from poco. I know i am in violation on this one point. Taking look at it now. Cutler hamer
 
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