I have a 220v generator receptacle installed near my panel. I built a cord to hook to my generator and found that my old generator has a 3 prong receptacle on it (no neutral). I believe most of the electrical components in a house need a neutral to work, correct? Any ideas on this, obviously the 110 outlets on the generator have neutrals. thanks, jim
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At the source neutral and ground are tied together. Ignoring code issues, you should be able to tie neutral and ground to the same pin and be safe, mostly. More at issue are things like whether this is a legit cutover switch setup or a "homicide" arrangement, and whether the plug you need to construct is a "suicide" plug.
Thanks Dan, this is a "legit" cutover, the main breaker is locked off when the generator breaker is on and vice versa. My electrician swears that I need a new generator and you cant tie the neutral and ground together. What do you mean by "suicide plug" jim
Your generator supplies the neutral and 2 hot wires. You have to ground the neutral. Generally there is a point on the generator to ground the neutral. Maybe new ones have 4 prong outlets, but old ones don't.
A suicide plug setup is one where you use a male plug on both ends of the connection cord.(Like Mark suggests, rather than tying both neutral and ground to the one pin, it might be better to tie neutral to the pin and ground to the case.)YDNNS new generator.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
" What do you mean by "suicide plug" "A cord with a male connector (plug) on each end.There are 2 differnet 240 volt connectors.2 hots and a neutral, but no ground used 120/240 loads. This is common for older dryers and stoves.2 hots and a ground, used for 240 0nly loads.What is the amperage rating of the recpetacle and is it striaght or twist lock?.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Bill, its a 5000 watt generator, 41.7/20.8 amps (so 20.8 at 240v), single phase. Its a straight receptacle on the generator. There is a notation on the generator saying "ground", with an arrow pointing to a ground clamp.
> There is a notation on the generator saying "ground", with an arrow pointing to a ground clamp.Hmmm. Seems like a "This end up" sticker would have made more sense. ;)
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
Do you have a NEMA 6 or 10 receptacle.http://www.generatorjoe.net/html/web/outlet/quailplug.html.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Bill its the 6-20r listed on the website you sent me. 2 pole 3 wire grounding. jim
Yes, no neutral. Hard to tell from that if the neutral is tied to the ground or not.Most likely you have 2 120 receptacles wires on different legs.You can verify that by measure between the hot of the 2 recpetacles. If so you will have about 240 volts.So you can make up a 4 wire cordset by spliting it at the generator end. With one hot connected to one 120 plug and the other to the other 120 plug. And the neutrals and the grounds are paralleled to both.You migth look around. I think that I ahve seen such a cable made up. Try someplace like Northern Tools..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
> " What do you mean by "suicide plug" "
> A cord with a male connector (plug) on each end.
I've also heard that term used for sticking bare ends of wires directly into a receptacle.
-- J.S.
No, I believe that is a redneck plug.
Hey Jim, I forgot to ask you today...
Does the rack on your truck still howl ?
;o)
"Does the rack on your truck still howl ?"
Luka, I must have forgotten/missed something, I don't get it? I do like to howl at nice racks from my truck, but I didnt think I'd shared that with you ;-)
Sure nice to see you again today. I will be going across the pass in the next couple weeks, maybe I could bring you a load of that wood I was talking about.
The last time we talked in person was at the Index Cafe.One of the subjects we talked about then, was a thread here at BT about people's ladder racks on their trucks, and how some of them make howling noises at highway speeds.;o)~~~You know, when I need a short 4x6 beam, I REALLY need a short 4x6 beam. But like you, if I don't need it, it is probably either in the way, or just going to waste, and eventually, rot.However... I have space to store things now, that I didn't have before. I have a bunch of stuff in what Junkhound, (Art Brockshmidt), calls my compost heap. Stuff I didn't have the means, volition or materials, to get out of the weather, at the time I stacked it. (Actually, much of it was gathered at a time when I was so out of it mentally, that it just didn't even occur to me to get it covered, until it was too late.) Once I had the means, it was less of a priority, because it had already started going bad.But I have improved. I have better means, and I do at least try not to start any more of what would simply become compost heaps. LOL I get things sorted and under cover sooner now, than I used to.We'll have to email back and forth a bit to see what you have, that would be useful here.Good 2x4's of almost any length are good. 2x6x 10 or longer are especially good right now.Sheet goods... Plywood is good for roof and floors, yeah. But thin stuff like luan, door skins, or paneling, is especially needed, for wall coverings inside. (Drywall would be way too heavy if I had to drywall the entire inside, and it looks like every stick of wood, every wall covering, etc... Is eventually going to be replaced.)Metal roofing that is in good shape. I have some old metal, but it used to be the walls of a pole barn. It was literally torn off, when removed. They were nothing like careful with it. So it is ripped, folded, has huge holes in it, etc. I'll eventually use it for the roof, anyway, and just have to patch it all over. Unless I come up with better roofing in the meantime.Paint. Varnish. Nails. Screws. About half a roll of roll roofing.Electrical and plumbing supplies.Duct tape. 6 mil plastic.Insulated stove pipe. (Woodstove.) (6 inch) A cap for the pipe. Etc.Considering how slowly and ecclectically I work, it is usually not easy to figure out what I need at any particular time.It was good to see you again. And really good to talk about things the way we did.
Get your head out of the box.