# Installing dedicated outlet for generator only



## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

For the first case, to prevent mishaps use a weatherproof, probably male, connector on the outside of your house that is mechanically incompatible with commonly available 120/240v sockets and plugs.
It needs to be rated at the voltage and current it will be seeing.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&..."power+connectors"+weatherproof&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

Even just running 12v from a vehicle battery into your house may be useful for emergency lighting. It can run a 12v, 100w incand. bulb for 3 hours.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

You need to install an INLET on the outside of the house. If you used an outlet you would need a cord with two male ends, commonly refereed to as a "suicide cord" for good reason.

Here is an example. There are many other size and styles.


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## Magnettica (Jan 13, 2009)

"Suicide cord" never heard them called that before.

Good one! :thumbup:


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## vsheetz (Sep 28, 2008)

I would suggest to connect the generator at the house main service panel via a manual transfer switch or lockout bracket.


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## iabteri (Oct 11, 2009)

Thank you for the replies. Before I reply here is some background of my situation. I have been living off grid (and will not be tied to the grid in the future) on generators for the past year and am setting up an interim off-grid system in my RV (where I live and work while I am finishing the house) and want to get that power into a couple of rooms of the house. I have 8 golf cart batteries and a 1000 watt 20 amp inverter installed in my RV (with a dedicated outlet inside the RV) in order to run my computer, satellite internet, small fans, etc., and will be installing 800 watts of solar panels on top of the RV early next year. The batteries are now being charged with a 5500 watt generator hardwired to the RV. I run an extension cord from the inverter through a window of the RV and into a window of the house to get electricity inside the house. I want to make this easier by installing dedicated outlets on both the RV and the house. As another interim solution for the house, I also have a 5500 (20 amp) and a 6000 watt (30 amp) portable generator to run the well pump and also run some things in the house such as the clothes washer, etc. I am getting power from the generators into the house by running an extension cord through the dryer exhaust. I recently had propane added to the house, so I want to hook up the clothes dryer next month and will need the exhaust and another way to get the extension cord into the house without having to use a window. I am a woman and have done some basic wiring but am still learning and want to wire this myself. So, in the case of the portable generators, you are saying that an inlet goes on the outside of the house and a regular outlet in the inside of the house, correct? What sort of extension cord would I use for this setup? Regarding the suggestion of connecting the generator to the main service panel, I was planning to get a larger propane (all my generators are gas) generator in a year or so in order to connect it permanently to the service panel, but didn't want to do it with a portable generator as I wheel it around the property to use for other things. Plus, I don't have a way to house the generator yet while it is running. In the case of the RV power, the inverter is set up next to an accessible wall and is not hardwired, and the RV is next to the room I want to power up, so I need to somehow have a set up where I can plug into the inverter inside the RV. So, how can I do this? Sorry for the long dissertation and thanks again for any help.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

My first post still stands. You need an inlet. The inlet can tie directly into the home distribution panel.


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## iabteri (Oct 11, 2009)

Okay, that sounds great, but what sort of extension cord do I use to get to the generator? Or do I need an adaptor of some sort?


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

iabteri said:


> Okay, that sounds great, but what sort of extension cord do I use to get to the generator? Or do I need an adaptor of some sort?


Depends how far you are from the generator.
You need a hard service cord, at least 10 gauge the length needed(sticker shock) 
A female twist lock end to match the inlet Joed posted, and an end to match the generator.


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## iabteri (Oct 11, 2009)

I've been using a regular 50 ft. 12 gauge extension cord. I see I will need an adaptor for the inlet. I like the idea of wiring the inlet directly to the service panel as it is in the laundryroom anyways and convenient to the generator position. Insofar as getting the battery power from the RV into the house, I could also plug the extension cord into this same inlet. Any suggestions on what I can do to plug into the inverter inside the RV from the outside of the RV?


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

Generally you want load connectors to have male pins [because shorting them doesn't do anything] and source connectors to have female sockets [because it's hard to short them].

You want a 5% or less voltage drop on wiring. #12 is 1.6 milliohms/foot so 50' would be 160 milliohms for two conductors. 
5% of 120 is 6v and 6/0.16 = 38A. This current will probably overheat the wire insulation unless it's Teflon, but it does meet the voltage drop req'mt. 
Ampacity is a separate issue. For your cord's insulation and where the cord is routed it might be 20A.

Bolted connections are better than plug-and-socket because the contact resistance is almost zero.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Inlets come in all different configurations. You should not need a new cord end if you buy the inlet to match the cord.


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## iabteri (Oct 11, 2009)

Okay on the inlet configuration. I think I will invest in a new #10 extension cord and use #10 wire for the inlet to the service panel, so I can utilize the 30Amp generator. I am careful not to overload anything as I've been running on limited power for so long, but it would be great to have the higher capacity in the house, especially if I'm hooked up to the service panel.

Insofar as my other wiring project, what sort of configuration would I set up to plug into the inverter (which has a GFCI outlet) inside the RV from the outside of the RV and then into this new inlet (via extension cord) hooked up to the service panel? Also, is there a conflict if there are GFCI outlets inside the house?


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

iabteri said:


> is there a conflict if there are GFCI outlets inside the house?


More than one GFCI in the same string of outlets makes for difficult troubleshooting when one of them trips.


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

www.interlockkit.com Time and work saver. Check this out.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

J. V. said:


> www.interlockkit.com Time and work saver. Check this out.


The OP is living off grid. There is no need for an interlock kit. The generator will be the only source of power.


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

joed said:


> The OP is living off grid. There is no need for an interlock kit. The generator will be the only source of power.


I did not see the off grid post. No need for any interlock here. Thanks joed. :thumbsup:


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

iabteri said:


> I have 8 golf cart batteries
> will be installing 800 watts of solar panels on top of the RV early next year.
> get a larger propane (all my generators are gas)


How many amp-hours and volts, each? 
You know, lead-acid batteries give off hydrogen while being charged so there is a danger of an explosion unless they are well ventilated.

At 100% efficiency, the energy in 0.77 gal of gasoline = 1.1 gal of propane.


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## iabteri (Oct 11, 2009)

Yoyizit, the batteries are 6V 220 AH each and wired serial and parallel for 12V with a total of 880 AH. They are situated in one of the basement compartments under the RV, which was ventilated for this purpose.

I had them installed by professionals because I needed a set up where I could put a dedicated outlet in the slide area of the RV where my office is and I couldn't figure out how to do it. They rigged a very clever system of a smaller rod of PVC going into a larger rod with a coiled electrical cord inside which goes in and out with the slide and up through the floor of the RV to the outlet. It is pretty cool so thought I'd share that!

Insofar as the propane, I can appreciate what you are saying, but I've been lugging 6 gas cans around with me for the last year to feed my generators. It is no fun manually filling generators when it is your only source of energy! The propane tank holds 175 gallons and would last quite a while for the amount of energy I use. I would also still use the two gas generators, plus the one I have in the RV, but propane is much more convenient hardwired to the house.


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

So, ~11 kwh from the batteries can run the average house for 11 hours and you need about 18 kwh of energy to recharge them.
Or not. Here's a link on how to squeeze the most energy out of your batteries for a setup possibly similar to yours.
http://photovoltaics.sandia.gov/docs/PDF/batpapsteve.pdf
This gets complicated. . .

And with batteries in parallel I'd check with a hydrometer that each battery is doing its share. Series charge/discharge is probably a better arrangement.

175 gals of propane at 100% efficiency gives you 4700 kwh of energy. Maybe you'll get 1000 kwh of elec.

I wouldn't mind going off the grid myself :thumbsup:


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

You need to install an inlet or inlets that match the type of power. Use one or more 15 amp inlets for normal type receptacles.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

The mods moved your OP to another thread.
They prefer that we start new threads with new questions, rather than digging up similar threads from the past.

Look for the *Part 2* thread.


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