[Chunkn' Charlie]

Does anyone have a wiring diagram for hooking up a (generator) NEMA 240/30 to a breaker box? I am pretty sure I have got it, and I have a volt meter to check it but I have never done this before so I want to make sure i get it right.

1. Hooking up 3/10ga w/ neutral wire to the NEMA 240/30 plug (each side is 120v, ground and neutral)
2. killing the main and calling the power co. to let them know what i'm doing
3. hooking up the 120v legs to each bus on a 30amp 240v breaker
5. hooking up the ground and neutral to the grounding bar of the breaker
6. plugging in the NEMA plug to the 240v outlet on the generator
7. Crank it up

I know that 4600w (5600w surge) will not power everything but it should be plenty for lights and window unit a/c.

 

[Flynm]

I'll look this evening when I get home to determine what the X&Y colors were.

G = Ground
X = one hot
Y = two hot
W = Neutral

if you get x/y reversed the power shouldn't work well (or at all), then just reverse them. I'd try it on a single light just to be sure.

Disclaimer: This is the internet, and I am not an expert and did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Use this advice at your own risk.

 

[Bozo]

That's about the size that I had "southern engineered" by way of the drier plug. It was enough for both my fridges; a freezer; all the lights that were needed as long as folks were diligent about turning them off when the left the room; a TV; cable modem, wireless hub and computer; ceiling fans; dishwasher or clothes washer or garbage disposal.

As you can imagine it wasn't possible to run all that all the time at the same time but, I could leave the breakers turned on and run around "policing" power usage from all the women folk I got in the house. Once they learned that I needed to know when they were going to use the hair dryer or straigtening iron or hot rollers, then life was good.

 

[Cope]

I'll look this evening when I get home to determine what the X&Y colors were.

G = Ground
X = one hot
Y = two hot
W = Neutral

if you get x/y reversed the power shouldn't work well (or at all), then just reverse them. I'd try it on a single light just to be sure.

Disclaimer: This is the internet, and I am not an expert and did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Use this advice at your own risk.

G = Ground Green
X = one hot Black
Y = two hot Red
W = Neutral White

X & Y can be reversed with no problems. Be sure you attach a ground rod to the gen set.

 

[Chunkn' Charlie]

Thanks guys, I was just double checking. I have the highest repect for for electricity.

 

[TooShallow]

Instead of #2 I would turn off main and cut the seal on the meter can and pull the meter out. Then there is no way you can feed power back to the service line or have the reverse occur.