Need a solution for portable generator and panel.

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wml52

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I am posting here with the hope that someone can help with a problem I came across. I will try to be as brief as possible.

I recently installed a 30-amp interlock breaker in my breaker panel for my portable generator, which will run essentials if needed. I ran 8-3 NM/B wire from the generator feed to the interlock breaker.

I planned on using 2 Murata Power Solutions ACM20-2-AC1-R-C meters that will measure volts, amps, watts and Hz to monitor L1 and L2 from the generator. The meters use 2-18 awg leads to monitor the power (See attached diagram)

The issue I have is this, I would like to monitor L1 and L2 directly however since I cannot double tap the wire feeding the breaker I need a way to legally and safely tap into L1 and L2 with the 18-awg wire. I could pigtail one of the breakers for a branch circuit but would rather not since turning off that breaker will not allow me to monitor that particular leg of the main.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 

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JWelectric

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A 30 amp generator is not going to give very clean power so the meter is mostly a waste of time. If it is a new generator this setup will not work as the GFCI device on the generator will trip.
 

wml52

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To say that a 30 amp portable generator doesn't produce very clean power without knowing the design or brand is a rather broad statement. There are a few well-designed 30 amp portable gen-sets that produce a THD in the 5%-6% range, which is well within the acceptable range of most if not all-electronic devices most homes have.

Second, the meters I will be using are not there to measure sine waves or distortion; they are there to measure voltage output, amps, watts and Hz which will tell me if the gen-set is turning at the correct RPM’s and how much power I am drawing so I do not push the generator beyond it’s design capabilities, it will also allow me to better balance the loads. I don't believe that information is a waste of time. How clean the power is has nothing to do with what information these meters will be displaying.

With respect to the GFCI breaker on the generator, not all new gen-sets have a GFCI breaker on the 220 v output, on the gen-sets that do and are used strictly for home back-up power and not on a construction site the neutral bonding jumper can easily be disconnected and many manufactures even explain how to do this should you need to use this for emergency back-up power for your home that has GFCI circuits.

I have been using this generator for 19 years and it's been a workhorse it powers all my electronics without any problems. I just decided to do away with the transfer switch which limited my ability to choose which circuits I could run in favor of an interlock set-up.
 

WorthFlorida

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I looked up the product for the other configurations. The L1 & L2 or H/ N connections can be anywhere on the buss. It's the coil that needs to be on the load branch. If you have the room add a breaker and connect a standard duplex outlet to L1. from you meter and make the connection with a lamp cord and plug. If you need to splice a wire from the meter then mount an another small junction box and splice the 18 gauge to the lamp cord wire. Off the shelf lamp cords are usually 18 gauge. However, it looks like the A-B connection is a screw terminal so just bring the lamp cord to these terminals. The picture shows an in line fuse, is this internal in the meter or is it recommended as an external buss fuse? If it is an external fuse to be added, be sure you have a fuse holder and fuse rated for 120v. Not many Radio Shacks around anymore, if any.
 

JWelectric

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UL will not list a generator that does not have the neutral bonded to the frame that has receptacles mounted to the frame. The NEC says that any portable generator that has the receptacles mounted to the frame is to be installed as a SDS meaning that the transfer has to switch the neutral.
Unless the generator has a voltage regulator then as the generator speeds up and lags down so will the voltage and sine wave. The NEC mandates that any generator manufactured or refurbished on or after 1-1-11 must have GFCI protection for all 120/240 volt 15,20, and 30 amp receptacles.
 

Reach4

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The NEC says that any portable generator that has the receptacles mounted to the frame is to be installed as a SDS meaning that the transfer has to switch the neutral.
How would the transfer switch switching the neutral help keep the GFCI from tripping?
 

JWelectric

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If the EGC (equipment grounding conductor) is in parallel with the neutral then the GFCI won’t hold. Neutral and EGC bonded to frame and again in the service equipment is paralleled.
If the neutral is lifted from the frame of the generator then there is no fault clearing path for the GFCI device and makes all the receptacles on the generator very dangerous
 

JWelectric

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A complete solution for a portable generator would be buying a Generlink portable generator which would be really useful for your house and it would be worthwhile. I had an issue with the power failure almost all the time and i got a complete stop to it when i got to purchase one from http://www.theshockdoctors.ca/, I have been using the same for the past 5 years and i have seen nil issues with it. You can also give it a try.
read the last page of this link http://www.generlink.com/generators_main.cfm
 
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