Generator Interlock Kits

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roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
The vast majority of EI's in northern NJ are not accepting these interlock kits. IMHO, they are a safety device, they work and their intended use is obvious. It is far safer than back-feeding a house through an AC disconnect. However, the EI's reasons for non-acceptance include :
  • Making holes in the panel cover may weaken the cover
Just out of curiosity, what do your inspectors say about screwing or riveting phenolic labels to the cover? Many specs require making holes in the cover for labels.

Roger
 

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Just out of curiosity, what do your inspectors say about screwing or riveting phenolic labels to the cover? Many specs require making holes in the cover for labels.

Roger
I'm not sure Roger but I don't think they have a gripe with drilling holes in the "meaty" portion of the panel cover but rather the thin rib portion that holds the branch circuit breakers in.
 

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I understand what you are saying but "appliance" maybe was the wrong choice of words.
I disagree. From Webster's Dictionary :
ap-pli-ance (a pli' ans) 1 the act of applying; application; 2 a device or machine for performing a specific task, especially one that is worked mechanically or by electricity. SYN implement.
FYI, I didn't just pull that word out of my limited knowledge of the English language. It was used by an instructor from the State of NJ in describing these devices during a CEU class.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Just out of curiosity, what do your inspectors say about screwing or riveting phenolic labels to the cover? Many specs require making holes in the cover for labels.

You weakened the covers??:jawdrop:


Death and destruction is sure to follow.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
You weakened the covers??:jawdrop:


Death and destruction is sure to follow.


LOL. ;)

I've installed the listed Sq D interlocks and from experience I can say that they work well. Paying $80 for a few pieces of metal and a bag of screws is similar to being mugged. :roll:
 

Strummed

Senior Member
Location
NJ
I'm with you 100%. But if they're not accepted - they're not accepted. You can appeal and yell and scream all you want but it won't pass (in many areas).:rant:
And that right there is why so many people just do it without pulling a permit. And many times, because they are already doing it on the down-low, they also have an unlicensed guy doing the work :thumbsdown:
 

Strummed

Senior Member
Location
NJ
LOL. ;)

I've installed the listed Sq D interlocks and from experience I can say that they work well. Paying $80 for a few pieces of metal and a bag of screws is similar to being mugged. :roll:

The ones from interlockkit.com are $150 plus shipping. But they work well, I have used them on many panels.

And no, I did not have any of them permitted/inspected because I am not going to get involved in this issue with NJ inspectors.
 

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
And that right there is why so many people just do it without pulling a permit. And many times, because they are already doing it on the down-low, they also have an unlicensed guy doing the work :thumbsdown:
Bingo !!! I wish the State would get involved and offer an opinion on this so that we're all on the same page (pro or con).
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
And that right there is why so many people just do it without pulling a permit. And many times, because they are already doing it on the down-low, they also have an unlicensed guy doing the work :thumbsdown:

The ones from interlockkit.com are $150 plus shipping. But they work well, I have used them on many panels.

And no, I did not have any of them permitted/inspected because I am not going to get involved in this issue with NJ inspectors.

Seems kind of odd how you do exactly what you are complaining about.
 

Strummed

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Doing illegal un-permitted work so you can use equipment you seem to know they would turn down.

I fail to see the license making a difference.
What difference are you looking for?

Unlicensed electrical work is bad.

Unpermitted electrical work by a licensed electrician is common, you know that and take part in it.
 

Strummed

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Then stop complaining that guys without licensees break the rules.
No, I will continue to complain when some of the inspectors in a state decide to prohibit the use of a perfectly fine device- which only pushes people to have it installed without a permit and then many times without a licensed electrician. I think that is a perfectly valid complaint, goldstar agreed with it above.

This isn't ET and I am not B4T. Don't tell me what my opinion should be. You may be a mod but you're not the forum mom.
 

Strummed

Senior Member
Location
NJ
If I did, I sure wouldn't write about it on the internet!!:cool:

Saying that you've done unpermitted work on an anonymous Internet forum is no different than saying that you've driven over the speed limit. If you think the electrical board is somehow going to get a warrant and search every house in the state in hopes of finding an interlock that they could somehow link you to installing, then it's time to loosen the tinfoil hat.
 

jwelectric

Senior Member
Location
North Carolina
I fail to see where the debate about these pieces of junk comes into play with inspectors or electricians.

If you live in a state that requires a third party listing on equipment that is connected to the premises wiring system the use of a generator that would be used with this junk is not allowed in the first place.

To say that someone if forcing people to do illegal installations is like saying that I am late for an appointment and that school zone that I have to drive through to get there is forcing me to break the speed limit.

We must remember that convenience does not constitute an emergency.

http://www.pacoa.com/products/elect...aco-8192-4-x-1-1-2-square-box-00192-1900.html

This box has a UL listing so because it has a UL mark I think that I will use it for a junction in the center of a spray paint booth, what do you think about that? One is as bad as the other.
 
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