Generator connections and terminology

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Ankhseeker

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I am looking for the safest way with what I have to connect a 5k generac generator to my house so I can run my well pump during power outages. Granted, a transfer switch would be the safest and easiest, but where I live, the outages seem to come infrequently, but are there for hours and sometimes days. That said on to the questions.
The twist lock plug for the 120/240v 20A connection has 4 connections(poles). G,W,X, and Y. Can I presume that x,y are each one leg, W is Neutral and G is ground?
What is the configuration to connect this plug to a dryer plug? (3 wire). That leaves me with 1 extra wire from the generator. Maybe I should just add a 4 wire 220 dryer plug to supply the source to?
i know that I need to kill the main breaker and the breaker for the solar as well, along with most of the others in the service panel.
Advise gladly accepted.
 

Speedy Petey

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You will not get advice here on how to connect to a dryer receptacle. This is an illegal, unsafe and stupid way to do it, but I get the feeling you know this already.

You can get a small Gen-Tran type panel for pretty cheap these days, and they are a snap to install.
Reliance Controls 31406B 6-Circuit Transfer Switch, 125/250-Volt
 
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JWelectric

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First you need to forget the idea of feeding the dryer receptacle to power your home. In a transfer switch the same contact used to energize your home to the utility is used to connect your home to the generator. It would be impossible to have your home connected to both at the same time.

Also with the double male plug on a cord it is possible to have the prongs of the end cap energized and exposed which never ends with good results. There are documented deaths due to the type of installation you are suggesting. Every one of them did not intend for this to be the result of their attempt to connect something they felt important to a generator.

We are human which makes us by nature prone to making mistakes. When dealing with electrical current we must remove as many areas that fatal mistakes can be made as possible. This is the reason the codes are continually being updated. Adherence to them is a bare minimum safe installation that should be free of any dangers.

Install an end cap on the line side of your pressure switch and plug the well into the generator is a safe installation and no need to connect the generator to your home.

This type of generator installation is very dangerous and according to forum rules will not be allowed to be discussed other than the safety issues involved. Any post giving advice will cause this thread to be closed.
 

Reach4

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You can see if there is a "lockout kit" made by the manufacturer of your panel for use on your model of panel.
 

Jadnashua

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Even with a lockout device...someone could open the panel who doesn't understand what's going on and kill someone working on the line...it is not a viable idea. A transfer switch or plugging in the required equipment directly to the generator are the only safe way to do this.
 

Ankhseeker

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ok, you guys win, or maybe I do as well. I did the double ender for years, but it looks like a manual transfer switch will be in the future. It will probably be in the best interest for everyone.
jwelectric...

"Install an end cap on the line side of your pressure switch and plug the well into the generator is a safe installation and no need to connect the generator to your home."

What is an end cap?

I appreciate the wake up call. After seeing the prices of plugs etc, a MTS isn't that much more, and agreed, much safer.
 

Texas Wellman

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Rig up a plug between your pressure switch and the wall. Make the plug a 240 v gen plug. Male ends go on the pump side and the receptacle goes on the wall. When the power goes out unplug the pressure switch from the wall and into the generator. Leave enough slack in the pig tail so that you can reach your genset.
 

hj

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Connect your pump's pressure switch with a "double pole double throw, (with or without a center off), switch", fed with the utility power on one side and the generator on the other. THat will prevent any possible connection between the generator and the utility.
 

Jadnashua

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Connect your pump's pressure switch with a "double pole double throw, (with or without a center off), switch", fed with the utility power on one side and the generator on the other. THat will prevent any possible connection between the generator and the utility.
To be totally safe, you need a switch that specifies 'break before make' switch contacts. Most do, and a center off one would, but not all, at least after they get used awhile.
 
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