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Alarian
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# Posted: 6 May 2012 05:16pm
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Spent the last day or so on the forums and boy is there a ton of great information here! Although I've had a few of my initial generator questions already answered by what I've read so far, I have one more I hope someone can help with. I have a cabin in Northern MN thats off the grid and has been since we built it back in the late 1960's. Well with people getting older and whatnot, we've finally decided to take the plunge and add a little electricity to the place. I found a nice hardly used DeWalt 4300 generator that I was able to pick up for $300 and it works and runs great, we've used it a few times up there but as you can guess, it's really loud. I've seen the posts on making it quiet and am working on building a shed to keep it in so that's all looking great.
Currently we've just been using extension cords run all over the place to power the few things we want (Lightbulbs mainly so far) but we would really like to do something a bit more permanent.
My question is what do I need to do to connect the generator into the future "powergrid" of the cabin. The generator has 2 GFCI Duplex Receptacles (120v), a 120v twist-lock receptacle and a 120v/240v Twist-Lock receptacle.
After the reading I've done, I'm thinking I need to connect to the 120v/240v receptacle and run it into a panel inside the cabin and from there, I would just run my wires as normal. I'm fairly comfortable doing all the inside wiring on the project, but I've never really done anything from the power side before so I'm a bit clueless on this. The generator shed I'm building will sit about 40' away from the cabin and I plan on having a fan like this one URL putting air in as well as another opening to let exhaust and heat out.
My current plan is to put a receptacle box in the shed that the generator will plug into so the connection from the generator to the box would probably be in the 3-5 foot range. From what I understand, I want to get a box with a male receiver end correct? From there I will bury the wire and run it from the shed into the cabin were I plan on installing a small fuse panel with perhaps 2 or 3 breakers.
I know the generator is really overkill for the little bit we plan on using it for, but the deal was just too good to pass up and my budget doesn't allow for a Honda or Yamaha generator currently (although the DeWalt generator does have a Honda engine).
Any suggestions and pointers anyone could give would be really appreciated.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 6 May 2012 05:41pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Just run a 220V circuit from your cabin panel to the generator house and install your generator "inlet", find those from "Marinco". Use the wire and breaker in accordance with the outlet rating or heavier. I'd use 10AWG and a 30A breaker. Build a cord to fit your generators twist lock, other end to fit the Marinco inlet. Use rubber flexible cord for this, also 10AWG. Get it in 3 wire with ground (4 wires total) and the red and black wires, hook to the gold screws on the plug, white wire, hook to the silver screw on the plug and green wire to the green screw on the plug. Wire the circuit at the panel normally as if you are wiring in a 220V plug.
To start, first turn off breaker to gennie shack.
Go to gennie shack, plug in pigtail cord.
Start gennie. Get warmed up, idle stable etc.
Go to cabin breaker panel, flip breaker, all will be powered up.
http://www.marinco.com/product/32a-220v-power-inlet-without-rear-safety-enclosure
Plastic/cheaper version of the above:
http://www.marinco.com/product/50-amp-125250-volt-non-metallic-inlet
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sparky1
Member
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# Posted: 6 May 2012 10:11pm
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it's Illegal & unsafe to Bury rubber flexible cord for this,
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justincasei812
Member
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# Posted: 7 May 2012 11:54am
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Alarian
This is what I did (in short). I needed a bigger generator (5000w) due to having a well pump that needed 220v. Which ultimately makes my system way too big for what I really need for daily use other than water. Anyway, I put in a small panel with a main lug with enough room for 8 circuits (for expansion if ever needed). The panels are not real expensive and it is easier just to put it in once. Put in my outlets/ lights as needed throughout the cabin and wired to the panel. I used wire that is rated for underground use and for the proper feet needed (10 gauge/ 4wire underground rated for my system). Then basically brought the wire out of the cabin buried the wire to the shed and keep the generator in the shed to help reduce noise. Make sure the wire you are using from the cabin to the genny is properly rated otherwise you can melt it down and short out the system. This is actually a lot easier to do than I thought. Then again I have a good friend that is an electrician and walked me through a lot of this so it was done right!!
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Alarian
Member
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# Posted: 7 May 2012 03:21pm
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Thanks for all the info. I think I have everything figured out now. I picked up a box the local fleet farm with a mail 4 prong outlet to connect to the 120/240 outlet on the generator. From there I'm going to run 8/3 wire underground (the wire is rated for underground) to the cabin and into a fuse panel. From there it should be easy.
Have mixed feelings though to be honest. It's going to nice having lightbulbs vs. the propane lights we've had for the past 40 years and perhaps a small fridge vs coolers but I'm worried with the kids we might start getting electronics creep. One of the truly great things about being out in the middle of nowhere is being able to get away from all that.
At least the project to do it so far has been fun.
Thanks again for the info, I really appreciate it.
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dfosson
Member
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# Posted: 7 May 2012 08:15pm
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Alarian,
I hardwired my generator using rated, grounded wire in buried conduit. It just seemed cleaner and easier to avoid inadvertently cutting it. The generator is grounded with an 8'copper rod that I pounded into the ground before I built the house over the platform. The whole electrical system is grounded through the generator.
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