General Tips for a home generator?

[rmenergy]

So there are 4 wires heading into this bitch from an on/off switch that powers a chlorinator.

White
Black
Black
Ground

Here are the connections.

I think i'm just going to disconnect the power line from the infeed, then add my frankensteined extension cord to this junction.

I just don't know which black to hook it to - or if it even matters.

My assumption is it is acting like a 3 way switch and when the pump runs the chlorinator kicks on? No idea.

View attachment 121915

Is this what that switch looks like?



if so, that’s a pressure switch. Contractors will close at around 40psi & open around 60psi. Don’t fuck around with it unless you’re adjusting the spring for on/off or open/close pressures.

You should have a separate junction box that contains the starting capacitor & circuit for that motor.

I’m on night shift & just woke up an hour ago. Wtf are you trying to accomplish here anyway?

 

[Hauler]

Is this what that switch looks like?

View attachment 121934

if so, that’s a pressure switch. Contractors will close at around 40psi & open around 60psi. Don’t fuck around with it unless you’re adjusting the spring for on/off or open/close pressures.

You should have a separate junction box that contains the starting capacitor & circuit for that motor.

I’m on night shift & just woke up an hour ago. Wtf are you trying to accomplish here anyway?

Yeah - it's a PSI switch. 40/60.

I have no power and my house has a cistern. No power = no water once pressure drops far enough.

I was trying to power the pump via generator, but it was hardwired in. So I was attempting to rig up an extension cord so I could direct wire it to the pump from the generator.

I wired it up but it never fired up despite the PSI reading 20 PSI.

I reverted to just dropping a bucket down into the cistern to fetch the water like a fucking peasant.

 

[rmenergy]

Yeah - it's a PSI switch. 40/60.

I have no power and my house has a cistern. No power = no water once pressure drops far enough.

I was trying to power the pump via generator, but it was hardwired in. So I was attempting to rig up an extension cord so I could direct wire it to the pump from the generator.

I wired it up but it never fired up despite the PSI reading 20 PSI.

I reverted to just dropping a bucket down into the cistern to fetch the water like a fucking peasant.

This isn’t a “safe” way of operating a portable generator so I’m officially not advising you to do this.

If you’re pump is 120V, find what bus in you panel the pump is drawing from. If it’s a 240V pump it’ll be both buss bars.

Once you’ve determined which bus is supplying your pump, open every other cb on that bus. Locate the largest circuit on the bus (preferably a 240V laundry circuit).

You’ll need to make male/male pigtails for either 120V or 240V depending on your outlets & availability.

If you don’t have a 240V outlet, multiple 120V will work but you’ll be unplugging most everything on those circuits.

when ready, double check every breaker open & start your generator. If using a 240V outlet, after double checking every breaker open, close the 240V cb.

with the 240V breaker closed, close the breaker to your pump. If everything has been wired back correctly, you should hear it start.

This isn’t a safe way to power your home & causes fires when people aren’t paying attention. FYI

 

[rmenergy]

Allegedly, this is what the homemade pigtails look like

 

[NiteProwleR]

I don't think we have a certified licktrician in this forum, do we?

 

[Hauler]

This isn’t a “safe” way of operating a portable generator so I’m officially not advising you to do this.

If you’re pump is 120V, find what bus in you panel the pump is drawing from. If it’s a 240V pump it’ll be both buss bars.

Once you’ve determined which bus is supplying your pump, open every other cb on that bus. Locate the largest circuit on the bus (preferably a 240V laundry circuit).

You’ll need to make male/male pigtails for either 120V or 240V depending on your outlets & availability.

If you don’t have a 240V outlet, multiple 120V will work but you’ll be unplugging most everything on those circuits.

when ready, double check every breaker open & start your generator. If using a 240V outlet, after double checking every breaker open, close the 240V cb.

with the 240V breaker closed, close the breaker to your pump. If everything has been wired back correctly, you should hear it start.

This isn’t a safe way to power your home & causes fires when people aren’t paying attention. FYI

That's the type of cowboy advice I was looking for! Thanks!

It's a 20a breaker to the pump. 120v. So I figured I'd be good to wire it up direct from the generator using an extension cord - and just cut the female end plug off and wire it up direct to the contactor.

But when I did that it didn't pull it closed despite being at 20psi.

My brain won't calculate why it didn't work. It was a long cord I had to run - maybe 50'. So maybe there was a power fade due to that and that's why the contact never closed?

 

[rmenergy]

If you’re pump is 240V, use a 240V outlet & very heavy romex or make your own cable.

One rule to remember is when you double the voltage, the power carrying ability grows 4x. Think about that if trying to supply a higher voltage device from a lower voltage source.

 

[rmenergy]

I don't think we have a certified licktrician in this forum, do we?

I’m NERC certified but that’s for bulk electric system operations.

what I explained is illegal & advised not to do. Properly, he should have a transfer switch & use his generators 240V outlet to that transfer switch.

I’ve also performed the illegal way in a pinch. It works but you have to be very cognizant of your circuit limitations.

 

[Uncle Tom Doug]

If you’re pump is 240V, use a 240V outlet & very heavy romex or make your own cable.

One rule to remember is when you double the voltage, the power carrying ability grows 4x. Think about that if trying to supply a higher voltage device from a lower voltage source.

I appreciate you taking the time to teach folks what you know.

Even though you're a gay.

 

[Hauler]

If you’re pump is 240V, use a 240V outlet & very heavy romex or make your own cable.

One rule to remember is when you double the voltage, the power carrying ability grows 4x. Think about that if trying to supply a higher voltage device from a lower voltage source.

It's 120v

 

[rmenergy]

I appreciate you taking the time to teach folks what you know.

Even though you're a gay.

I’m an operator/dispatcher damnit. It’s the sparkies we call the wire biters!!!!

 

[rmenergy]

It's 120v

It’s still best/safest to use a 240V outlet. Higher voltage = lower amperage through that “cord”.

I’m not fucking joking around when I remind you to make damn sure you have everything stripped/cur off from power before closing in on that feed.

if you’re not confident or comfortable, I strongly advise against proceeding

 

[MountainMedic]

One rule to remember is when you double the voltage, the power carrying ability grows 4x.

Shit like this is why I don't fuck with electricity.

 

[MountainMedic]

I’m NERC certified but that’s for bulk electric system operations.

what I explained is illegal & advised not to do. Properly, he should have a transfer switch & use his generators 240V outlet to that transfer switch.

I’ve also performed the illegal way in a pinch. It works but you have to be very cognizant of your circuit limitations.

Everything I've ever read says don't do this. It's right up my redneck alley (beep) but it's pretty sketchy.

 

[kvr28]

It’s still best/safest to use a 240V outlet. Higher voltage = lower amperage through that “cord”.

I’m not fucking joking around when I remind you to make damn sure you have everything stripped/cur off from power before closing in on that feed.

if you’re not confident or comfortable, I strongly advise against proceeding

No worries, he has a bucket, just needs help using it

 

[Hauler]

It’s still best/safest to use a 240V outlet. Higher voltage = lower amperage through that “cord”.

I’m not fucking joking around when I remind you to make damn sure you have everything stripped/cur off from power before closing in on that feed.

if you’re not confident or comfortable, I strongly advise against proceeding

I have zero power in the house. I killed the main breaker when I was fucking around with it just so I didn't get zapped if the power happened to come back on mid-project.

But I gave up like a bitch when it didn't work the first time. I'm getting my water via bucket like a caveman. Safer.

 

[MountainMedic]

No worries, he has a bucket, just needs help using it

Boom,,fishpond!

 

[rmenergy]

Everything I've ever read says don't do this. It's right up my redneck alley (beep) but it's pretty sketchy.

If you’re not on top of load distribution throughout the involved circuits, you’re going to start a fire.

Im very familiar with my house as I tore it down to the studs & remodeled in 17/18. I paid attention to exactly what circuits would be capable of carrying the load I needed & used multiple 120V circuits to energize both busses in my panel. I only needed about 10A of load for a few hours. Used capacity of 60A circuits to do it so had plenty of headroom. I also used a clamp to verify my current draw.

 

[luchalibre]

Why would you need a seperate NG line and meter for a generator?

 

[CasketCaseZombie]

Shit like this is why I don't fuck with electricity.

My parents met at the funeral of my dad’s older brother who was a city lineman in my hometown. He got electrocuted on a pole in 1955. With that in my history I have the utmost respect for electricity. I don’t want to close that circle.

 

[NiteProwleR]

So there are 4 wires heading into this bitch from an on/off switch that powers a chlorinator.

White
Black
Black
Ground

Here are the connections.

I think i'm just going to disconnect the power line from the infeed, then add my frankensteined extension cord to this junction.

I just don't know which black to hook it to - or if it even matters.

My assumption is it is acting like a 3 way switch and when the pump runs the chlorinator kicks on? No idea.

View attachment 121915

You throw a helluva rigfest.

 

[Thuglife13]

My parents met at the funeral of my dad’s older brother who was a city lineman in my hometown. He got electrocuted on a pole in 1955. With that in my history I have the utmost respect for electricity. I don’t want to close that circle.

These recent stories of people being electrocuted to death after stepping outside their cars have legit spooked me. My dumbass would've never even thought about being killed if a powerline fell on a car I'd be in...

 

[rmenergy]

L

Why would you need a seperate NG line and meter for a generator?

Larger Meter to accurately meter gas flow & separate line post meter for reducing pressure drop allowing usage of other ng appliances.

 

[rmenergy]

These recent stories of people being electrocuted to death after stepping outside their cars have legit spooked me. My dumbass would've never even thought about being killed if a powerline fell on a car I'd be in...

It’s called step potential. I’ve posted about it here before.

 

[rmenergy]

Here’s a simplified video. There’s better but I just parked at work & this was the 1st in the search:


View: https://youtu.be/LdhP-vGaxtc