Connecting 110V Generator to Panel with Interlock Kit

[slippers2]

I am planning to purchase a portable generator. I have calculated the starting and running wattage of what I want to be able to use during a power outage ad determined that 3,000 watts is sufficient. I will not be using any 220V circuits. My neighborhood will not allow a 74 dBA generator to be used or storage of more than 5 gallons of gas. So, I am only considering TriFuel generators.
The Champion 201223 Tri-Fuel generator specifications say that on natural gas it can provide up to 4,050 starting watts and can manage 3,240 running watts. That is enough power. And I am OK with only being able to power a small selected set of 110 V circuits. (no 220V circuits.)
I plan to use a power inlet box with plug connected to a 30 Amp Single-Pole breaker in my electrical panel; the breaker will be in the top right position and will be protected with a panel specific interlock switch.
30 Amp generator inlet boxes provide a NEMA L14-30P plug. I see (at least) two ways to connect to the generator:
(Generator’s Female L5-30R) to (Male L5-30P to Female L14-30R adapter) to (7500 Watt UL/ETL listed male to female 10 gauge cord) to (Inlet box’s male L14-30R)
OR
(Generator’s Female TT-30R) to (Champion Cord 100827: male TT-30P to female L5-30R) to (male L5-30P to female to L14-30R adapter)
I don’t know if there is an advantage to one or the other of these methods.
Any comments, thoughts, suggestions, warnings??



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OK - I'm getting closer to enlightenment! I now know that my panel does have MWBC in use.

Q1: When I choose my new 30 A breaker, do I want a single ole, a DP or a banded pair of SPs?

Q2: If the breaker is single pole then I presume I feed that breaker from one of the hot wires in the inlet box, and terminate the other hot. If the breaker is DP or banded, do I attach one hot to each post or do I still attach one hot to one of the screw posts, terminate the second hot, and leave the other screw post with nothing on it?

and finally, Q3: Do all of the (limited and carefully chosen set of ) breakers that I will have the generator power need to be on the same side as the (interlocked) new panel breaker for the generator?

If the answer to 3 is yes, then can someone explain whether 'bridging' could change this and, if so, how that is implemented?

Thanks very much!

 

[mm08822]

Keep the permanent house wiring correct. Use a 2pole 30amp cb in the top righthand cb slots.

Wire out to the power inlet box with 4 wires as though you have a 120/240vac gen.

Make/buy an adapter cord using 5-30P to L14-30R. Both hots to be jumpered in the L14-30R.

This keeps everything wired as expected.....nothing blows up.

 

[sparky 1971]

I'm not reading all of that, it's too much for the end of the day. Use an interlock with a two pole breaker, Square D HOM230 will be sufficient, to a L14-30P inlet. Use an L14-30 generator cord to get to the generator where you will plug the cord into a TT30-L14-30 adapter cord. That is exactly what I am doing tomorrow because the customer decided to be a cheapskate and didn't buy the generator I told him to. You will then have 120 volts to both sides but nothing 240 volt will work. This will also allow you to get a 120/240 volt generator in the future if the HOA ever allows it and the only thing you will have to do is throw the adapter cord in the trash.

Amazon.com

 

[dcg9381]

You need a dual pole breaker 30A breaker. And you need a generator inlet, which will be 4-wire.
If you do a single pole breaker, you power up 1/2 of the panel. Which side is up to you, but is likely going to be determined by your interlock position. Interlock is going to assume dual pole breaker anyway. If you do single pole, you can't "bridge".

1) Adapters, The TT-30R is pretty standard on 120V Champion generators these days. What you need to buy is typically determined by your 120V generator output (3-wire) and your generator inlet (which is likely to be 4-wire). There are adapters that "bridge" the hots, so you get both sides of the panel 120V, but nothing 240V.

2) I'd rather that you step up to a 6500 watt inverter generator that will provide 240V as it's going to solve a lot of problems and will operate at 68 db. It's output is L14-30R. It's an inverter generator so everything will work with it and it's also dual fuel so you can ditch gasoline if you don't want to deal with carb issues.

 

[theoldwizard1]

OK - I'm getting closer to enlightenment! I now know that my panel does have MWBC in use.

It is possible to overload the neutral wire if L1 and L2 are connected on a MWBC.

Q3: Do all of the (limited and carefully chosen set of ) breakers that I will have the generator power need to be on the same side as the (interlocked) new panel breaker for the generator?

Not if L1 and L2 are connected together.

You don't even have to touch the breakers as long as you monitor what loads you turn on.

 

[fitter30]

Using a 65k champion gen have no problems running tv, internet and tablets. Gen sub panel have hw heater, fridge, microwave, some lights ,cook stove, well pump, fridge and a 4k window ac kept in a closet for a bedroom. Don't run everything together. Longest power outage 7 days. Have a 500 gallon lp tank for cook stove ,gen and emergency heat.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

If you have MWBC and you feed them with a 120v gen keep in mind you could, although very unlikely at those low wattages, overload the neutral.

I would wire everything as if you had a 120/240v genset and then make an adapter like sprky suggested. Gives you the option to upgrade later without redoing the wiring

 

[PCustoms]

Using a 65k champion

I'd say that's a champion, it will probably run 10 houses!

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Using a 65k champion gen have no problems running tv, internet and tablets. Gen sub panel have hw heater, fridge, microwave, some lights ,cook stove, well pump, fridge and a 4k window ac kept in a closet for a bedroom. Don't run everything together. Longest power outage 7 days. Have a 500 gallon lp tank for cook stove ,gen and emergency heat.

65KW? good lord what you running over there? a grow house?

 

[Metal-Marc]

65KW? good lord what you running over there? a grow house?

Mining bitcoins AND a grow house.

 

[slippers2]

I'm not reading all of that, it's too much for the end of the day. Use an interlock with a two pole breaker, Square D HOM230 will be sufficient to a L14-30P inlet. Use an L14-30 generator cord to get the generator where you will plug the cord into a TT30-L14-30 adapter cord. That is exactly what I am doing tomorrow because the customer decided to be a cheapskate and didn't buy the generator I told him to. You will then have 120 volts to both sides but nothing 240 volt will work. This will also allow you to get a 120/240 volt generator in the future if the HOA ever allows it and the only thing you will have to do is throw the adapter cord in the trash.

Amazon.com

THANK YOU THANK YOU !! (from a forced 'cheapskate' due to HOA restrictions)

65KW? good lord what you running over there? a grow house?

Well, my wife does have a bunch of orchids .... but I'm staying with a 5000 watt unit that is MUCH quieter.
When the electrical inspector comes to sign off on the permit, any guesses if he/she/they will demand a new exterior outlet in the front of the house as well? There is one in back but none in front - this is in an older (1970) built house.

 

[mike93lx]

When the electrical inspector comes to sign off on the permit, any guesses if he/she/they will demand a new exterior outlet in the front of the house as well? There is one in back but none in front - this is in an older (1970) built house.

No. If you were doing something big like a full rewire, then you would have to meet modern code, but not for just installing a generator inlet

 

[ToolsRCool]

I'm just so not down with the Chinese generators.

I'd get a medium sized Honda inverter genset (variable speed, quiet), and shove a straw into the fuel tank of one of your cars. Would be easy to make a special vapor tight fuel cap/insert specific for such. Some of those gensets even already have and use an impulse pump.

Correct on the single breaker, you'd only power half your panel. I have ran a 120v only genset to both sides of my 240v outlet before to energize all circuits. Maybe not the most compliant thing, but it did work in emergency, main breaker off of course. I don't do it anymore since buying the small used 8kW liquid cooled Kubota light tower diesel genset. THAT thing is the cats cookies.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I'm just so not down with the Chinese generators.

I'd get a medium sized Honda inverter genset (variable speed, quiet), and shove a straw into the fuel tank of one of your cars. Would be easy to make a special vapor tight fuel cap/insert specific for such. Some of those gensets even already have and use an impulse pump.

Not many !

I have ran a 120v only genset to both sides of my 240v outlet before to energize all circuits.

Not good if you have any 240V loads/appliances.

Even with a 2009W (peak) generator, you can connect L1 to L2 and run many lights and small appliances.

 

[ipgenie]

I 'think' he's saying he energized both sides of the panel using one 120v generator. That is fine, 240v loads won't care.

If energizing each side with a separate generator, that would definitely be a bad thing.

 

[ToolsRCool]

Correct. Ran the same 120v power down both sides of the panel, then was careful to not turn any 240v stuff on. No big deal, worked great. No 240v appliances anyway except mini splits and the welder receptacle I was back-feeding.

 

[The Cobbler]

the welder receptacle I was back-feeding

OMG . I'm sure you know that's not very a smart thing to do?...