Pretty sure you just made that up. Code section?
No no I didn’t make it up but I can’t find it in the Code either. CUTLER HAMMER and RELIANCE make a point of mentioning in their literature that their breaker mechanism keeps the generator isolated from the utility at all times even with the dead front panel cover removed. I think that while reading about the back-fed generator breaker tie down fastener I took for granted that the transfer mechanism needed to be separate from the cover. I guess. But I’ll look some more in the Code. CH uses the interlink separation bar bracket to also fasten down the utility and generator breakers. RELIANCE uses a bar connected between the breaker switches to do the interlink separation and tie down fasteners to tie the breakers down.
I must say using the plate on the panel cover looks tempting. And apparently it is UL LISTED. But so was aluminum wire for branch circuits back in the late 1960’s and early 70’s.
I’m wondering if this plate will stand the test of time. It looks sturdy. But it is a retrofit and would need to be put on carefully. Panel covers have a way of getting bent, screws get lost, they get put on a little askew, lapping over the edges of breakers... I’m wondering how it will stand the test of time. It’s a sweet idea, tempting. But with something as critical as back-feed to the utility workers or conductors meeting up between the Utility and generator... Does the manufacturer mention you need the tie down fastener for the generator’s breaker? And in this case it’s a Service Panel. So in the generator the neutral would not be bonded to the grounding conductor and frame. Right? Non Separately Derived System. Floating neutral.
I would use this cover slide plate in my own home. I’m not sure I would feel comfortable letting a customer use it because in the long run it might not wear well.
It’s a neat idea. But a little delicate when compared to CH and Reliance’s mechanisms.
And you’re back to square one with the Separately Derived System issue. This floating neutral issue won’t go away.
That’s what my drawing is trying to solve. The 50 Amp plug separates the Generator Panel neutral from the Service Neutral. The Generator Panel is now a stand alone panel. The #4 copper bond keeps it grounded to the building ground. The branch circuit neutrals in the Generator Panel’s branch circuits are fed directly from the generator. The neutrals are separate from their grounding conductors until they meet in the generator where they are tied together in the generator and also bonded to the frame of the generator. It’s a Separately Derived System. No neutral current can get on the grounding conductors like it can with most residential generator panels because most of the time the Generator Panel is right next to the Service Panel, it’s neutral is floating but connects right away to the bonded Service neutral and all the grounding wires. The equipment grounding wire in the rubber cord from the generator has a connection to the Service neutral too. And it goes back to the generator along with the neutral in the rubber cord. It’s like having 2 neutrals. it’s a parallel path back to the generator including any metal the grounding wire comes in contact with if the generator neutral is bonded at the generator to the equipment ground along with the frame of the generator. The grounding conductor needs to be separated and put on the generator frame. Floating neutral.
You show putting the slide plate on a SERVICE PANEL, so the equipment ground in the rubber cord is going to be a conductor if it’s bonded to the generator neutral, it needs to be separated and put on the frame. Your Service Panel and almost all Optional Standby Generator Panels (sub panel) behave the same because the neutrals are connected to the Service neutral. So is the grounding conductor. Who is going to understand this? The homeowner. Understand that he needs a floating neutral generator? So the neutral and grounding wires don’t parallel back to the generator.
WARNING-FOR CONNECTION OF A NONSEPERATELY DERIVED (FLOATING NEUTRAL) SYSTEM ONLY
This is talking about the generator.
Would the average homeowner know what this means?
Did the slide plate manufacturer mention this? They had to know this slide was going on Service Equipment.
Back to square one. Portable generators feeding the Service Panel you show need the neutral and ground separate, the ground goes to the frame. Floating neutral.
In my plug in scenario they need to be bonded together in the generator and then bonded to the frame of the generator. Bonded neutral.
I think most portable generators are bonded neutral. I think this whole issue about the floating neutral came about because someone pointed out that most residential Optional Standby Generator panels did not switch the neutral over to the generator along with the hot conductors.
That had gone on for a long time. Someone took notice. I don’t know if there were any electrocutions. It would be interesting to know because it has cause a lot of controversy.
