Wow, you crushed it! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and doing so with great accuracy and clarity. Super impressed and we thank you for using our products in your demonstration.
THANK YOU! I take delivery of a DuroMax 9000ih this week, get my MicroAir soft start tomorrow, have an interlock kit installed and each time I open TH-cam I see a very helpful video from you that answers questions that arise in getting this set up to run my 3 ton A/C. Thanks very much. Really well done without all the useless blabber on SO many sites.
Great video. Explained very clearly. People also need to understand that most portable generators are neutral bonded. Important to remove that bond for feeding a home this way all ground and neutrals are only bonded at the first means of disconnect. I found and removed the bond on mine. I keep a make plug zip tied to the generator with a neutral to ground jumper in case I want to use the generator out in the field for powering lighting, tools, etc. i just plug in the jumper in that situation.
Great advice. I did the same on my generator. Finding the bond can be tricky. On some it is at the power head others in the outlet area. I have a HF 7,000W genie, the bond was at one of the 120V receptacles. The generator is pretty heavy so I don't intend to move it around but figured I'd make the jumper plug just in case the need every arose.
Carefully consider future needs when deciding this. A couple of years back, I had a tiny, cheap little generator but still got a 50 amp transfer switch and cord, because I knew I might eventually want more power. Sure enough, I just bought a bigger generator this week, because now I want to be able to run my new heat pump when the power goes out. The most expensive way to do this is to buy too little the first time, then have to rip it all out and redo it when your needs change. Size all this stuff to whatever the maximum amount of power you can ever see yourself needing, even if it is massive overkill for your current generator.
Thanks for the good info. You have a gift for explaining things. You don't trip all over your sentences looking for the right word to explain something. Keep up the good videos!
Exemplary. I'm much the wiser about matters I had practically no knowledge of and can now discuss intelligently with an electrician. Thank you very much from the U.K.
You are very welcome! Really glad to hear you found so much value it it all! Thanks a lot for the feedback and for the Super Thanks. It is very much appreciated!
Always go bigger just in case. But in my case the 30 was the smart easy fix, all I needed was a 30 amp inlet box. The previous owners had a 30 amp 240 for a suntan bed. So all I had to do was move the breaker up to the top right side for a lockout. Remove the 240 outlet and pull the wires to the crawl space and drill a hole through the block into the garage. All I had in it was 20$ for a new inlet box.
Hi Brother, You are so kindhearted human being, You explain very nicely to understand any person. May god bless you with all abundance and very good health. Thank you
This tutorial is very clear and concise. I watched it a second time as I get closer to ordering parts, and I suggest one more thing to consider when making a decision: Observe your household power consumption over the seasons, and really get a feel for how much power you've used, and how much power you'll need in a grid-down situation.
We have an inverter generator with both a 50 and 30 amp plug. The Generator (Genmax 9000 IED) only puts out a Maximum of 32 amps, but it can be tied together with an additional generator to get the Full 50 amps in the future, so I was thinking that installing the 50 amp would be best. Thanks for the tip of using 6 gauge wire 👍.
In my humble opinion, 50 amp inlet box & interlock switch are the way to go, regardless of the current size of generator(as long as gen has a 50amp receptacle).
If the generator has a less than 50A output breaker then you can still use a 50A inlet to your house panel. The generator breaker will trip instead of the 50A and still protect your generator and wiring. 30A plug for the generator and 50A connection for the house is OK.
Very kind of you. Really glad to hear you are finding value in the channel. God Bless and thanks a lot for taking the time to leave that feedback! Means a lot.
The question should be about what you need during an emergency. It should not be everything in your house unless if you are going with a whole house generator. You can go big, but you also need to have the fuel on site to keep the generator running through the emergency. If you have natural gas, sure go whole house, or have a good sized propane tank, and automatic switching does have its advantages. But for a portable generator, you have to feed something that may need 1 gallon of gas per hour at a 50% load(12 KW). If you have a large load(well pump, electric stove, ground sourced heat pump, resistance heating, big AC unit), then you need big power to start it, but if you don't have that or need that, then keep it basic. My storage is 27 Gal of gas which combined with my planned generator usage should last a week in winter or summer. If I had that 12 kw generator, that would cover 2-3 days with my usage of 4 hr in morning and 4 hr at night.
Yes, it is best to run a #6 wire from inlet box to your breaker (or transfer switch) . If your generator is only 30 amps, when you UPGRADE to a 50 amp generator, you will already have the wire installed.
All of us commenting just run inlet, #6, 50amp inter lock, a quality whip line, and power it up. Customers, gotta put the safety in and idiot proof it.
I'd like to mention an issue I had with my generator during my outage here in Houston recently. I plugged in a portable A/C into the 20 amp outlet. The portable A/C was pulling 9 amps and kept tripping the gfci. It was the only thing on that plug and the cord was rated at 15 amps. Found out later that some newer appliances will trip gfci, regardless of the amps being used. When I moved the portable ac over to the non gfci 30 outlet, everything worked great. This issue happened using the outlets on the generator with extension cords only, and not via the home install.
Houstonian here also.. my fridge would trip my GFCI, so I went out and bought a 3-to-2 prong conversion plug (little over $1) and use that anytime I run it to my generator. Works like a charm. Not sure if this could potentially cause damage if something were to go wrong but I ran it like that for a combined total of 2 weeks (both storms) and had 0 issues with either device.
GFCI's are an absolute joke. They are an additional safety if something shorts and will generally trip faster than a breaker, which is why they are utilized. They go bad CONTINUOUSLY and are expensive!
@@jonathanvigil8526 The point of grounding metal appliances is so that if they have a ground-fault, then electricity will take the ground path instead of going through a person to ground! Grounding is required even if you bypass the GFCI (don’t).
great video, think its fine based on 70 amp example you have but if I have a 30 amp, 9,000 peak watt generator and a 30 amp but 7500 watt receptacle, would that be a problem? given that the generator has more wattage than the inlet box ?
A good rule of thumb is to install the largest sockets and plugs, use crossover cables to interconnect if needed, ie. make a cable with 8Ga wire with a 50 socket to go to the house and 30 amp plug to the generator. When you buy a either a replacement, or buy a larger wattage gen set, simply replace the 30 amp plug with a 50 amp. Or have both cables so you can use the larger gen for the house, gotta keep the wife happy, and the smaller into either a adu or garage to keep pipes from freezing or wnat to simply keep working on a project!
Any store that sells a generator should know this. 2 box stores and not even basic answers to my simplest questions. This clip makes me want to ask more questions…so I’ll watch additional videos.
When I was putting in a generator interlock on my last house, I wanted to have a 50w outlet outside, but the big box stores in my area only stocked the 30w boxes. If you can get a 50w box, go with that and keep a 30w to 50w adapter on hand as most generators only have a 30w outlet at most. Be prepared beforehand because the govt. isn’t going to save you when it really counts.
If I may suggest that you give the names of these connectors because when you are purchasing the power outlet box 30A/50A they have a description on them for each application. For example, the 30A connectors are NEMA14L-30P/L14-30R. Which is the connector that has one of the prongs that is shaped like an "L" facing inward. The 50A connectors are called NEMA14-50P/SS2-50R, the female end on this chord or connector has the "L" shape prong facing out. You have to match the connectors. It took me a while to figure this out. I visited websites to get the low down. Thanks for the content I liked the video!!
Thanks for breaking it down to where I can understand the normal running watts vs the peak watts . The generator I’m hooking up does have the 50 amp outlet built into it but it’s a tri fuel gas being the highest wattage 7500 (normal operation) and 9400 peak by. So I will be using the 30 amp box to connect to my home so I can have some backup power
I have a similar situation, but is there a reason why I couldn't use the 50amp outlet on the generator and connect it to a 50amp input on my panel with a 50amp breaker installed? (thanks for all of your great videos. you have taught me a lot!)@@tomschmidt381
Great videos thank you. I currently have a generator that only has a 240-volt 30-amp outlet I am going to install an inlet box. I was thinking about upgrading my generator in a few years to a larger one with a 50-amp power supply. Can I install a 50-amp inlet and just run my current generator with a 30-50amp adapter until I purchase another. Or could that cause a problem? Thanks again.
Hi. Wonderful videos. You are very clear and understandable. I really appreciate that. Here is my question. I have a 60 AMP Breaker installed because I power my Tesla EV. Do I need a 60 amp breaker for my generator as well? I believe so, but just wanted you to confirm/explain. Again, thanks a million...
Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback Jim! I am originally from Ohio. Visit there from time to time as a lot of my family is still there.
Question - When running Liquid Tight Conduit From the Service Panel to the Generator Box. Do you need some type of Wire Strain Relief or just loose as it comes from the Liquid Tight Conduit Connector to the Boxes? My Setup is using 3/4" Liquid Tight Conduit with 90 degree connecters on each end. Yes, I screwed them into the panel and box properly with the nuts provided.
You should have a video where you break down the draw you may have and how sometimes you have to segment your usage in your average home. Like furnace/AC, fridge and other essentials.
great stuff sir. i learned a LOT from you. one question, could i put the generator on its side for storage or during transportation from one site to another?
Great video! What is the impact or risk of installing a 50 Amp inlet box if the generator doesn't fully support 50 Amps? My tri-fuel generator is 9500/7500 watts (when running on gasoline) and has a 50 Amp receptacle. Since I already had the 6-3 wiring and 50 Amp breaker in my panel (from a hot tub), I ordered a 50 Amp inlet box. Unfortunately, I saw this video after I already ordered the parts.
Excellent overview. I have installed a 30 amp box since my gen is 7000 max. I thought about installing a 50 amp so down the road I could upgrade to a larger gen. Is there a converter plug/adaptor that would allow my generator to hook up to a 50 amp box? Thanks!
Actually as a Licensed CA. Electrician a #8 cable is fine at 6’ with the same connectors shown above. But to go over’ then I would agree with all the above. The same rule for the distance from the Breaker to the Alliance connection box. The actual NEC allowance for #8 wire is much longer than 6’ but the 6’ to 12’ cord is very hard to find. 25’ might be the next standard length, but in my opinion that is too long for #8 on a full load. The main reason I say 6 foot is due to some people wanting to go 25 foot with #8 for an EV charging extension cord. Which have different rules that apply due to the high continuous amperage load.
Generator cords, 50 amp, to connect generator to power inlet box. Is there a difference between a generator cord and a RV cord , to connect from generator to house ? Are they interchangeable? Some cords on female end have a twist lock, others have a threaded female ring ?
Get a cord with the connectors that match your application. The wire gauge should match, too: it’s based on the type of wire, the insulation (heat rating), and the maximum current capacity at a given distance (AMPS or Ampacity).
Question: I currently have a 30amp inlet box, 10 awg wire, and a 30amp transfer switch. I just bought a generator with a 9400 watt peak and 7500 watt running. The generator has both a 30 and a 50 watt outlet. If I only use the 30amp outlet, is that OK to use with my current set up to the electrical panel? Also if the running watts are more, like 12,000 in this video, would it also work on my set up if only the 30amp outlet was used? Basically what I'm asking, using the 30amp outlet regardless of the watts produced, does that outlet limit the watts sent from that outlet to a that of what is safe to be used for a 30amp setup? Thanks for your help.
I would really like for you to do a good video on tri-fuel conversion kits for generators. I really can't find a good one that explains things as well as you.
I have a 30 amp inlet box installed outside and I just got a battery generator so can I just add a new plug inside I have a box already inside ?It goes to a transfer switch .
5:00 What do you mean by backfeeding the laundry outlet? I'm just curious because I had thought about making a cord for my generator to plug my dryer into.
i just went from 30 to 50 amp and let me tell you i love it a lot more before i could run anything but my 220 i could run the stove or the water heater but not both at the same time. but we lost lights and i was out of town and my brother in law came over started it and flipped the switch. but forgot to turn off most of the 220 stuff and when i got home a couple hours later my old lady was drying clothes and the water heater was still on and she was even running the A/C. and it would never do that on the 30 amp. not saying i would do this every time. but its nice to know it will.
I have a question, can the breaker that connects to the transfer switch to the panel be located anywhere on the panel? Or does it need to be installed directly under the main breaker? Thanks
I went with a 30 amp plug and a 50 amp manual Gen transfer switch. I do not need to run everything and with my generator+27 gal of stored gas, I can maintain the house for a week with my planned usage pattern. What I can't do is run the electric stove, electric clothes dryer, or whole house AC unit. In an emergency, I should not need those things. Note: backup cooking is a propane camping stove. If NG for heat runs out, there is 20 gal of Kerosene in storage for a Kerosun heater.
Curious if you have to switch off your solar breaker when running a generator? It has its own separate breaker switch and another box outside the breaker box...just don't understand if running a generator will mess up solar panels.
Hello. Thank you for your helpful videos 👍 My question is, if it's possible to install the 30 Amp power inlet box in conjunction with a manual transfer switch, with the purpose of being able to connect and disconnect the power cord extention cable when generator or power station are not in use? 🤔
@7:20 you reference being able to have both of your generators running at the same time connected to your house. Is this through having 2 backfeed breakers or is it setup another way?
I have a power inlet box with interlock kit which essentially backfeeds my panel and I also have a transfer switch that completely disconnects from the main panel.
After you connect the correct gauge wire from the plug, how do you connect the wire in the transfer panel? Do you use wire nuts on the supply wire to the wires in the transfer panel? Do you use Burndys? I wish there was a bar with better connections than just 2 large wires that need to be connected. I have a reliance transfer panel system.
My generator has a 220v 20 amp receptacle on it. If I were to install a 30 amp inlet box on my house would it be ok to make a cord with a 20 amp male end for the generator and a 30 amp female end for the inlet box? Also, in your opinion would a 4000 watt 20 amp generator be enough to start and run a typical 1/2 hp deep well pump?
Great video! Question: I want to have whole house back up for the rare power outages. The inverter kind is less powerful and far more expensive, but given that I have a gas furnace and refrigerators with control boards, some people seem to think they are necessary. Can I get away with a generator with higher THD or do I really need an inverter to run modern appliances?
I have a 30 amp inverter generator, but decided to go with a 50 amp inlet for greater durability and to expand to a 50 amp generator should I decide to use one of those in the future.
@@BigTone-S10 I have it here on my desk. It's the POWSAF Model: RV5050A-01. It has diagnostic lights on it to tell you the quality of the power and if the circuit is hooked up right.
Excellent explanation between the 30 and 50 amp circuitry. I do have a question about the math why do you use 240v in the denominator and not 120v since mostly all electrical loads operate on 120v ?
Few people will need more than the 30 amp. As the price difference is negligible almost everyone should get the 50 amp. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Is it ok to use the 50 amp output plug on the generator when I am only using 30 amps to the house and using 10 gauge wire. I didn't have a 30 amp plug to hook to the generator!😢
Adam, I really appreciate your videos. I really try to do a good job of researching things that I need to do before starting. Sometimes it’s hard to do the correct research if you don’t know the question to ask. With that being said I don’t blame anyone but myself but I really need your help locating a male 4 prong 50amp receptacle box to replace/install below my breaker box for my generator connection! I bought a suggested 3 prong 50amp box 2 weeks ago from amazon but all of the 50amp cords I’ve found locally have 4 prong connections on both ends. The generator connection for the 50amp is 4 prong and a 30amp on it is 3 prong. This is confusing to me but that doesn’t take much to do. Because of my disabilities and lack of tools and hard to find wire, which caused me to spend at least an hour and a half carefully stripping it from a cable, it took me 4 days sporadic work to complete! Not a lot of money but a lot of fortitude! I’m not sure if I can return this because I already installed it but I need to find a replacement now, if possible please!! GOD bless!
I replied to your first comment but now I’m confused on what you have. Did you install a 50 amp power inlet box or a 30 amp? If it’s 50 then the male end of the cord should have 4 prongs on the male side for the generator and 3 holes on the female side for the power inlet box. If it’s a 30 amp power inlet box then it will be 4 prongs on the male side and 4 holes on the female side.
My house has the four prong so this video tells me it’s 30amp. But the Honda generator 2200i companion that has 30amp but the outlet is three prong for some reason. Any ideas
It is 120 per leg. Most applications in homes will have 2 legs in their panels. When we install a generator hookup we are usually install a double pole breaker which covers both legs so you multiply the 120 by 2 and it’s 240v. But everything is a case by case basis but this is the most common.
What is the out put voltage from an average generator? I thought it should be 120 v - unless it is 2 phase. If so, then why is it 2 phase. Or why do we need 2 legs in our panels if the output at all our output sockets in the house is 120v?
Depends on what receptacle you plug into. One that looks like a regular receptacle will be 120V on a generator but the ones used for hooking up to the house are going to have 4 prongs. One ground, one neutral, and 2 hots. That’s why it’s 240V. Some generators will have a 30 amp option with 3 prongs which are 120V but hooking up to the whole house will generally be 240V. You need 240V to have 120V going to each leg in the panel.
I did just what u said I bought a Generac 15,000 Watts I thought the bigger the better but if needed down the road, I can have the 50 W plug power the house and still use the 30 amp to power something else like an addition or something? I watched the other video and went out and checked my meter to plug it into the bottom like you did, but mine is locked. Can’t open it.??
You probably just have a meter box then. My main shut off it’s outside at that box. Will have to be installed wherever your main disconnect is for the interlock kit to work. 15,000 is a good amount of power for sure!
@@HowToHomeDIY I wish you could post pictures in the comments on TH-cam. There’s another whole box under the meter. It’s almost 15 inches in length and 12 inches across i remember when it was installed it kills the power to the whole house behind that box.
Thanks for the wealth of info you share. Very well explained. I would like to take on the job of installing a power inlet box and an interlock myself. I am new to Florida, and I don't know if I am allowed to do the work myself and have it inspected. Eliectrician wants an awful lot of money. ( what should be an average cost to do such an installation?)
On a 2 wire w ground 220v well pump 8 Amp running , have a 20 Amp 220v 500W generator inlet socket (which. has 3 wire plus ground) how do you connect the two situations ( purpose to test the well integrity) not hooked up to a panel system?
I have a question. The main panel by the meter has a wire FPL seal on it. Can I break that to install the inlet box or do I have to connect at the breaker panel
Question do they make a 100amp generator? And because my New AC unit has a 30amp for the outside unit and a separate 35amp for the inside unit it's a new 3ton unit, 🙏 thanks
First time I have ever had this explained. Thank you.
Wow, you crushed it! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and doing so with great accuracy and clarity. Super impressed and we thank you for using our products in your demonstration.
This is the very best channel for clear, concise & to the point information! No endless blather! Thank you so much!
This is the best video I've ever seen on the power inlet box discussion. It really helped when you did the equation at the end to get the amps.
One of the best channels on TH-cam.
THANK YOU! I take delivery of a DuroMax 9000ih this week, get my MicroAir soft start tomorrow, have an interlock kit installed and each time I open TH-cam I see a very helpful video from you that answers questions that arise in getting this set up to run my 3 ton A/C. Thanks very much. Really well done without all the useless blabber on SO many sites.
Were you able to get everything set up successfully?
I was! Thanks again
@@cliff9745you went 50?
Great video. Explained very clearly. People also need to understand that most portable generators are neutral bonded. Important to remove that bond for feeding a home this way all ground and neutrals are only bonded at the first means of disconnect. I found and removed the bond on mine. I keep a make plug zip tied to the generator with a neutral to ground jumper in case I want to use the generator out in the field for powering lighting, tools, etc. i just plug in the jumper in that situation.
Great advice. I did the same on my generator. Finding the bond can be tricky. On some it is at the power head others in the outlet area. I have a HF 7,000W genie, the bond was at one of the 120V receptacles.
The generator is pretty heavy so I don't intend to move it around but figured I'd make the jumper plug just in case the need every arose.
me too
Carefully consider future needs when deciding this. A couple of years back, I had a tiny, cheap little generator but still got a 50 amp transfer switch and cord, because I knew I might eventually want more power. Sure enough, I just bought a bigger generator this week, because now I want to be able to run my new heat pump when the power goes out. The most expensive way to do this is to buy too little the first time, then have to rip it all out and redo it when your needs change. Size all this stuff to whatever the maximum amount of power you can ever see yourself needing, even if it is massive overkill for your current generator.
That is why i never got a transfer switch, wasted $$, i just wired the cable direct to the breaker box with 2 breakers.
Thanks for the good info. You have a gift for explaining things. You don't trip all over your sentences looking for the right word to explain something. Keep up the good videos!
Exemplary. I'm much the wiser about matters I had practically no knowledge of and can now discuss intelligently with an electrician. Thank you very much from the U.K.
Thanks!
You are very welcome! Really glad to hear you found so much value it it all! Thanks a lot for the feedback and for the Super Thanks. It is very much appreciated!
Always go bigger just in case. But in my case the 30 was the smart easy fix, all I needed was a 30 amp inlet box. The previous owners had a 30 amp 240 for a suntan bed. So all I had to do was move the breaker up to the top right side for a lockout. Remove the 240 outlet and pull the wires to the crawl space and drill a hole through the block into the garage. All I had in it was 20$ for a new inlet box.
Excellent video! Really appreciate the formula for determining 30 vs 50 amp.❤
Hi Brother, You are so kindhearted human being, You explain very nicely to understand any person. May god bless you with all abundance and very good health. Thank you
This tutorial is very clear and concise. I watched it a second time as I get closer to ordering parts, and I suggest one more thing to consider when making a decision: Observe your household power consumption over the seasons, and really get a feel for how much power you've used, and how much power you'll need in a grid-down situation.
We have an inverter generator with both a 50 and 30 amp plug. The Generator (Genmax 9000 IED) only puts out a Maximum of 32 amps, but it can be tied together with an additional generator to get the Full 50 amps in the future, so I was thinking that installing the 50 amp would be best.
Thanks for the tip of using 6 gauge wire 👍.
In my humble opinion, 50 amp inlet box & interlock switch are the way to go, regardless of the current size of generator(as long as gen has a 50amp receptacle).
If the generator has a less than 50A output breaker then you can still use a 50A inlet to your house panel. The generator breaker will trip instead of the 50A and still protect your generator and wiring. 30A plug for the generator and 50A connection for the house is OK.
yup. Just get the 50.
I have learned a whole lot from you, Sir. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge.
God bless you and yours 🙏 ❤️
Better believe it;
U can say that again!
Very kind of you. Really glad to hear you are finding value in the channel. God Bless and thanks a lot for taking the time to leave that feedback! Means a lot.
SO, can I just go with the 50 amp plug for over kill ?@@HowToHomeDIY
This video just answered my burning question! 😅 Thanks so much!!
Seems like the smart thing would be to install a 50 amp in case you want to upgrade in the future.
The question should be about what you need during an emergency. It should not be everything in your house unless if you are going with a whole house generator. You can go big, but you also need to have the fuel on site to keep the generator running through the emergency. If you have natural gas, sure go whole house, or have a good sized propane tank, and automatic switching does have its advantages. But for a portable generator, you have to feed something that may need 1 gallon of gas per hour at a 50% load(12 KW). If you have a large load(well pump, electric stove, ground sourced heat pump, resistance heating, big AC unit), then you need big power to start it, but if you don't have that or need that, then keep it basic. My storage is 27 Gal of gas which combined with my planned generator usage should last a week in winter or summer. If I had that 12 kw generator, that would cover 2-3 days with my usage of 4 hr in morning and 4 hr at night.
I say most people do not already own a generator!
Yes, it is best to run a #6 wire from inlet box to your breaker (or transfer switch) . If your generator is only 30 amps, when you UPGRADE to a 50 amp generator, you will already have the wire installed.
All of us commenting just run inlet, #6, 50amp inter lock, a quality whip line, and power it up. Customers, gotta put the safety in and idiot proof it.
Will a 30amp O/S plug box accept # 6 CU ,?
Thank you. Very clear. The Amp reading is also in the box.
You’re so knowledgeable and I certainly appreciate you sharing this information.
Very PRO video Bub! You’re good at this and the editing is excellent.
I'd like to mention an issue I had with my generator during my outage here in Houston recently. I plugged in a portable A/C into the 20 amp outlet. The portable A/C was pulling 9 amps and kept tripping the gfci. It was the only thing on that plug and the cord was rated at 15 amps. Found out later that some newer appliances will trip gfci, regardless of the amps being used. When I moved the portable ac over to the non gfci 30 outlet, everything worked great. This issue happened using the outlets on the generator with extension cords only, and not via the home install.
Houstonian here also.. my fridge would trip my GFCI, so I went out and bought a 3-to-2 prong conversion plug (little over $1) and use that anytime I run it to my generator. Works like a charm. Not sure if this could potentially cause damage if something were to go wrong but I ran it like that for a combined total of 2 weeks (both storms) and had 0 issues with either device.
GFCI's are an absolute joke. They are an additional safety if something shorts and will generally trip faster than a breaker, which is why they are utilized. They go bad CONTINUOUSLY and are expensive!
@@jonathanvigil8526 The point of grounding metal appliances is so that if they have a ground-fault, then electricity will take the ground path instead of going through a person to ground! Grounding is required even if you bypass the GFCI (don’t).
Texas resended the 30a 2pole gfci requirement on A/C because the electronics on newer compressors tripped the gfci.
Thank you for this video. I always learn great information on your videos.
I agree with you, 6 gauge wire is rated for 50 amps.
Do you need a 240v generator to do this or will a 120v do?
Another GREAT video.
Now my generator will produce 31.25 AMP so should I go with the 50 AMP?
go with 30amp.
50 Amp
Your videos are always helpful and full of good details.
great video, think its fine based on 70 amp example you have but if I have a 30 amp, 9,000 peak watt generator and a 30 amp but 7500 watt receptacle, would that be a problem? given that the generator has more wattage than the inlet box ?
A good rule of thumb is to install the largest sockets and plugs, use crossover cables to interconnect if needed, ie. make a cable with 8Ga wire with a 50 socket to go to the house and 30 amp plug to the generator. When you buy a either a replacement, or buy a larger wattage gen set, simply replace the 30 amp plug with a 50 amp. Or have both cables so you can use the larger gen for the house, gotta keep the wife happy, and the smaller into either a adu or garage to keep pipes from freezing or wnat to simply keep working on a project!
Any store that sells a generator should know this. 2 box stores and not even basic answers to my simplest questions. This clip makes me want to ask more questions…so I’ll watch additional videos.
When I was putting in a generator interlock on my last house, I wanted to have a 50w outlet outside, but the big box stores in my area only stocked the 30w boxes. If you can get a 50w box, go with that and keep a 30w to 50w adapter on hand as most generators only have a 30w outlet at most. Be prepared beforehand because the
govt. isn’t going to save you when it really counts.
You mean amps smfh 😅
We're talking amps here Not watts
If I may suggest that you give the names of these connectors because when you are purchasing the power outlet box 30A/50A they have a description on them for each application. For example, the 30A connectors are NEMA14L-30P/L14-30R. Which is the connector that has one of the prongs that is shaped like an "L" facing inward. The 50A connectors are called NEMA14-50P/SS2-50R, the female end on this chord or connector has the "L" shape prong facing out. You have to match the connectors. It took me a while to figure this out. I visited websites to get the low down. Thanks for the content I liked the video!!
Thanks for breaking it down to where I can understand the normal running watts vs the peak watts .
The generator I’m hooking up does have the 50 amp outlet built into it but it’s a tri fuel gas being the highest wattage 7500 (normal operation) and 9400 peak by. So I will be using the 30 amp box to connect to my home so I can have some backup power
As long as you have a 30A breaker protecting the inlet that is fine.
@@tomschmidt381 I appreciate your reply thank you
I have a similar situation, but is there a reason why I couldn't use the 50amp outlet on the generator and connect it to a 50amp input on my panel with a 50amp breaker installed? (thanks for all of your great videos. you have taught me a lot!)@@tomschmidt381
How do you run two generators at once like you mentioned?
Very helpful I have a 30 amp kit that I’m going to exchange with a 50 amp kit for the future.
Great videos thank you. I currently have a generator that only has a 240-volt 30-amp outlet I am going to install an inlet box. I was thinking about upgrading my generator in a few years to a larger one with a 50-amp power supply. Can I install a 50-amp inlet and just run my current generator with a 30-50amp adapter until I purchase another. Or could that cause a problem? Thanks again.
Yes, you can.
Hi. Wonderful videos. You are very clear and understandable. I really appreciate that. Here is my question. I have a 60 AMP Breaker installed because I power my Tesla EV. Do I need a 60 amp breaker for my generator as well? I believe so, but just wanted you to confirm/explain. Again, thanks a million...
I guess that the Tesla charger will just go down from a 480 to a 240 charger. Am I right?
Jim from Ohio 🇵🇷
Good information 👍
Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback Jim! I am originally from Ohio. Visit there from time to time as a lot of my family is still there.
Your videos are always amazing
Really glad to hear you are finding value in the channel. Thanks a lot for the feedback Jim. Very kind of you!
Question - When running Liquid Tight Conduit From the Service Panel to the Generator Box. Do you need some type of Wire Strain Relief or just loose as it comes from the Liquid Tight Conduit Connector to the Boxes? My Setup is using 3/4" Liquid Tight Conduit with 90 degree connecters on each end. Yes, I screwed them into the panel and box properly with the nuts provided.
Great video, very informative and easy to understand. Thank you
You should have a video where you break down the draw you may have and how sometimes you have to segment your usage in your average home. Like furnace/AC, fridge and other essentials.
great stuff sir. i learned a LOT from you. one question, could i put the generator on its side for storage or during transportation from one site to another?
Good. Content..what's a good inverter gen for home. I have. 50 amp inlet box outside
Great info on amp capacity for a backflow to the cb box
ALWAYS GOOD SHARED INFORMATION FOR US SIMPLE HARD HEADED OLD SCHOOL SENIORS!! THANK YOU FOR SETTING US STRAIGHT!! KEEP UP YOUR CONTENT SHARING!!
Great informative video! I’ve never been good with electric, so I leave most of it to the pros!
Great video! What is the impact or risk of installing a 50 Amp inlet box if the generator doesn't fully support 50 Amps? My tri-fuel generator is 9500/7500 watts (when running on gasoline) and has a 50 Amp receptacle. Since I already had the 6-3 wiring and 50 Amp breaker in my panel (from a hot tub), I ordered a 50 Amp inlet box. Unfortunately, I saw this video after I already ordered the parts.
Can one generator/one plug be tied into two different transfer switches?
Sure. Why not? As long as, you don't over-load the generator.
Excellent overview. I have installed a 30 amp box since my gen is 7000 max. I thought about installing a 50 amp so down the road I could upgrade to a larger gen. Is there a converter plug/adaptor that would allow my generator to hook up to a 50 amp box? Thanks!
Actually as a Licensed CA. Electrician a #8 cable is fine at 6’ with the same connectors shown above. But to go over’ then I would agree with all the above. The same rule for the distance from the Breaker to the Alliance connection box. The actual NEC allowance for #8 wire is much longer than 6’ but the 6’ to 12’ cord is very hard to find. 25’ might be the next standard length, but in my opinion that is too long for #8 on a full load.
The main reason I say 6 foot is due to some people wanting to go 25 foot with #8 for an EV charging extension cord. Which have different rules that apply due to the high continuous amperage load.
I seen many newer generators only have RV 3 prong. What are the Pro and Con of 3 prong vs 4 prong?
Very clear video, thanks. Do you have any RV electrical videos?
Generator cords, 50 amp, to connect generator to power inlet box. Is there a difference between a generator cord and a RV cord , to connect from generator to house ? Are they interchangeable? Some cords on female end have a twist lock, others have a threaded female ring ?
Get a cord with the connectors that match your application. The wire gauge should match, too: it’s based on the type of wire, the insulation (heat rating), and the maximum current capacity at a given distance (AMPS or Ampacity).
An RV 30 Amp is only 120 Volt. His 30 amp inlet box is split phase. 240 volt.....
Question: I currently have a 30amp inlet box, 10 awg wire, and a 30amp transfer switch. I just bought a generator with a 9400 watt peak and 7500 watt running. The generator has both a 30 and a 50 watt outlet. If I only use the 30amp outlet, is that OK to use with my current set up to the electrical panel? Also if the running watts are more, like 12,000 in this video, would it also work on my set up if only the 30amp outlet was used? Basically what I'm asking, using the 30amp outlet regardless of the watts produced, does that outlet limit the watts sent from that outlet to a that of what is safe to be used for a 30amp setup? Thanks for your help.
Your 50 amp outlet might have a few extra amps in capacity. Maybe.
Yes the 30 amp outlet on the generator will only output 30 amps, so you are safe using the 30 amp inlet box.
I would really like for you to do a good video on tri-fuel conversion kits for generators. I really can't find a good one that explains things as well as you.
Are these boxes inservice capable?
I have a 30 amp inlet box installed outside and I just got a battery generator so can I just add a new plug inside I have a box already inside ?It goes to a transfer switch .
5:00 What do you mean by backfeeding the laundry outlet? I'm just curious because I had thought about making a cord for my generator to plug my dryer into.
He's referring to a SUICIDE cord. and shock hazard to line workers...
Great videos
Can I connect my 30 amp generator output to a 50 amp power inlet? I may want to upgrade my generator to 50 amp output in the future but not now.
Yes with an adapter
Count the cost the adaptor can run into some money. Sometimes but not always the box with the twist plug can be less costly. 73
i just went from 30 to 50 amp and let me tell you i love it a lot more before i could run anything but my 220 i could run the stove or the water heater but not both at the same time. but we lost lights and i was out of town and my brother in law came over started it and flipped the switch. but forgot to turn off most of the 220 stuff and when i got home a couple hours later my old lady was drying clothes and the water heater was still on and she was even running the A/C. and it would never do that on the 30 amp. not saying i would do this every time. but its nice to know it will.
I have a question, can the breaker that connects to the transfer switch to the panel be located anywhere on the panel? Or does it need to be installed directly under the main breaker? Thanks
I went with a 30 amp plug and a 50 amp manual Gen transfer switch. I do not need to run everything and with my generator+27 gal of stored gas, I can maintain the house for a week with my planned usage pattern. What I can't do is run the electric stove, electric clothes dryer, or whole house AC unit. In an emergency, I should not need those things. Note: backup cooking is a propane camping stove. If NG for heat runs out, there is 20 gal of Kerosene in storage for a Kerosun heater.
Good video and explanation
Glad you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
Great follow up vid!!
Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback Thomas!
Curious if you have to switch off your solar breaker when running a generator? It has its own separate breaker switch and another box outside the breaker box...just don't understand if running a generator will mess up solar panels.
Can you do a video on changing out a electric panel?
Great informative video for us uninitiated home owners!
Hello. Thank you for your helpful videos 👍 My question is, if it's possible to install the 30 Amp power inlet box in conjunction with a manual transfer switch, with the purpose of being able to connect and disconnect the power cord extention cable when generator or power station are not in use? 🤔
Solid advice sir!
Thank you for a great video...Really helped me out!!
@7:20 you reference being able to have both of your generators running at the same time connected to your house. Is this through having 2 backfeed breakers or is it setup another way?
I have a power inlet box with interlock kit which essentially backfeeds my panel and I also have a transfer switch that completely disconnects from the main panel.
@@HowToHomeDIY Thank you. That makes sense about load shedding/sharing onto the smaller generator.
After you connect the correct gauge wire from the plug, how do you connect the wire in the transfer panel? Do you use wire nuts on the supply wire to the wires in the transfer panel? Do you use Burndys? I wish there was a bar with better connections than just 2 large wires that need to be connected. I have a reliance transfer panel system.
My generator has a 220v 20 amp receptacle on it. If I were to install a 30 amp inlet box on my house would it be ok to make a cord with a 20 amp male end for the generator and a 30 amp female end for the inlet box?
Also, in your opinion would a 4000 watt 20 amp generator be enough to start and run a typical 1/2 hp deep well pump?
Excellent explanation.
Great job, very instructive
Got a link for an adapter to adapt the 50 amp to my 30 amp gen from the reliance box?
Great video! Question: I want to have whole house back up for the rare power outages. The inverter kind is less powerful and far more expensive, but given that I have a gas furnace and refrigerators with control boards, some people seem to think they are necessary. Can I get away with a generator with higher THD or do I really need an inverter to run modern appliances?
The 50 amp actually is the hole in the center. A pin inserts into it that's attached to the cord.
Thanks these very important information 😇
You are very welcome. Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
I have a 30 amp inverter generator, but decided to go with a 50 amp inlet for greater durability and to expand to a 50 amp generator should I decide to use one of those in the future.
Yeah, I think that is a smart play. I assume you use a 30 to 50 amp adapter then?
@@HowToHomeDIY Yes, I use the 30 to 50 amp adapter with a surge protector to protect sensitive electronics (just in case). Works really well. 👍👍👍
@@audiophileman7047 which surge protector do you use?
@@BigTone-S10 I have it here on my desk. It's the POWSAF Model: RV5050A-01. It has diagnostic lights on it to tell you the quality of the power and if the circuit is hooked up right.
Excellent explanation between the 30 and 50 amp circuitry. I do have a question about the math why do you use 240v in the denominator and not 120v since mostly all electrical loads operate on 120v ?
Because that's the accurate formula the math wouldn't be correct
How can i connect my generator to my sub panel located in my garage and subfeed to my main panel in my basement?
Few people will need more than the 30 amp. As the price difference is negligible almost everyone should get the 50 amp.
Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Is it ok to use the 50 amp output plug on the generator when I am only using 30 amps to the house and using 10 gauge wire. I didn't have a 30 amp plug to hook to the generator!😢
Adam, I really appreciate your videos. I really try to do a good job of researching things that I need to do before starting. Sometimes it’s hard to do the correct research if you don’t know the question to ask. With that being said I don’t blame anyone but myself but I really need your help locating a male 4 prong 50amp receptacle box to replace/install below my breaker box for my generator connection! I bought a suggested 3 prong 50amp box 2 weeks ago from amazon but all of the 50amp cords I’ve found locally have 4 prong connections on both ends. The generator connection for the 50amp is 4 prong and a 30amp on it is 3 prong. This is confusing to me but that doesn’t take much to do. Because of my disabilities and lack of tools and hard to find wire, which caused me to spend at least an hour and a half carefully stripping it from a cable, it took me 4 days sporadic work to complete! Not a lot of money but a lot of fortitude! I’m not sure if I can return this because I already installed it but I need to find a replacement now, if possible please!! GOD bless!
I replied to your first comment but now I’m confused on what you have. Did you install a 50 amp power inlet box or a 30 amp? If it’s 50 then the male end of the cord should have 4 prongs on the male side for the generator and 3 holes on the female side for the power inlet box. If it’s a 30 amp power inlet box then it will be 4 prongs on the male side and 4 holes on the female side.
My house has the four prong so this video tells me it’s 30amp. But the Honda generator 2200i companion that has 30amp but the outlet is three prong for some reason. Any ideas
An RV 30 Amp is only 120 Volt. His 30 amp inlet box is split phase. 240 volt.....
You can use an adapter. It splits the single 120v hot line into two and feeds both sides of your breaker panel. You can't power 240v circuits however.
Hi thank u for the video! My food trailer came with a 50 amp cord, can I hook this up to a 30 amp generator using an adaptor safely ?
Why divide wattage by 240V to determine the amperage? I thought the standard ac voltage is 120V here in the USA.
It is 120 per leg. Most applications in homes will have 2 legs in their panels. When we install a generator hookup we are usually install a double pole breaker which covers both legs so you multiply the 120 by 2 and it’s 240v. But everything is a case by case basis but this is the most common.
What is the out put voltage from an average generator? I thought it should be 120 v - unless it is 2 phase.
If so, then why is it 2 phase. Or why do we need 2 legs in our panels if the output at all our output sockets in the house is 120v?
Depends on what receptacle you plug into. One that looks like a regular receptacle will be 120V on a generator but the ones used for hooking up to the house are going to have 4 prongs. One ground, one neutral, and 2 hots. That’s why it’s 240V. Some generators will have a 30 amp option with 3 prongs which are 120V but hooking up to the whole house will generally be 240V. You need 240V to have 120V going to each leg in the panel.
Great information!!!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I did just what u said I bought a Generac 15,000 Watts I thought the bigger the better but if needed down the road, I can have the 50 W plug power the house and still use the 30 amp to power something else like an addition or something? I watched the other video and went out and checked my meter to plug it into the bottom like you did, but mine is locked. Can’t open it.??
You probably just have a meter box then. My main shut off it’s outside at that box. Will have to be installed wherever your main disconnect is for the interlock kit to work. 15,000 is a good amount of power for sure!
@@HowToHomeDIY I wish you could post pictures in the comments on TH-cam. There’s another whole box under the meter. It’s almost 15 inches in length and 12 inches across i remember when it was installed it kills the power to the whole house behind that box.
Thanks for the wealth of info you share. Very well explained.
I would like to take on the job of installing a power inlet box and an interlock myself. I am new to Florida, and I don't know if I am allowed to do the work myself and have it inspected.
Eliectrician wants an awful lot of money. ( what should be an average cost to do such an installation?)
On a 2 wire w ground 220v well pump 8 Amp running , have a 20 Amp 220v 500W generator inlet socket (which. has 3 wire plus ground) how do you connect the two situations ( purpose to test the well integrity) not hooked up to a panel system?
Error in that generator is 5 K running power
I have a question. The main panel by the meter has a wire FPL seal on it. Can I break that to install the inlet box or do I have to connect at the breaker panel
No. That is their side of the power. You should have a main disconnect at a different panel.
Why the duct tape squares covering printed info on both boxes??? 1:06
Hiding the Answers to His question... the 30Amp and the 50amp was covered up..
Question do they make a 100amp generator?
And because my New AC unit has a 30amp for the outside unit and a separate 35amp for the inside unit it's a new 3ton unit, 🙏 thanks