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Monte
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# Posted: 11 Nov 2012 10:29am - Edited by: Monte
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On our ranch, we had a cabin trucked in that is wired. But, I refuse to pay several thousands of dollars to the electric company for one measly pole and all the physical and financial hoops they expect of us.
SO....we bought a honda 8000/6500 generator to run both the 300' water well pump and the small cabin. I also bought a power inlet box. What else do I need to know to allow the generator to supply power to the receptacles in the house?? I am pretty clueless on how to do all this.
We're having little propane space heaters, can use propane lights, but will have an electric small refrigerator, ceiling fans, and next summer, a room AC. We may use a lamp or two. We'll occasionally cook on an electric, two-burner tabletop stove.
And by the way, the generator is going to be about 50' from the house--building a box to protect it now (even though the owners manual says not to do this--weird).
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 11 Nov 2012 11:16am - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Well, they dont want you to enclose the generator in a box because of heat. It needs to expel heat, not hold it in.
When you mention inlet box, do you mean a Gen Tran type set up??
Being as you are not hooked to service, just run your service panel inlet terminals to an externally mounted (outside wall) to an inlet. Marinco makes nice inlets, rated to 50 amps (use 6AWG wire size min)
Or build a small generator house instead of a box with vents, then run your lines from the panel underground to your gennie house (use UF rated stuff plus house it in plastic conduit). Install an interrupter box (lock out type, bus bar etc like you would a spa or hot tub to interrupt power. Have this next to the gennie itself. You want to shut it off at the interrupter, then shut down the generator. This is especially important if you dont have an inverter type, but if you do, its still a good idea anyway. Just shutting down will send a low voltage and low cycle (Hz) to your electronics which can be destroyed by low voltage/cycles. Same goes for starting it up., Disconnect, start generator, wait till its warm and speeds have stabilized, then flip the interrupt on. I'd use the PVC conduit (gray stuff) and run it right up the side of the cabin and through the wall using the right angle (see link, but use larger size, probably 1" to 1.5")
http://www.menards.com/main/electrical/rough-electrical/pvc-conduit-fittings/3-4-pvc- universal-conduit-body/p-1470750-c-6424.htm
buy UF rated wire (underground feeder) in the single rolls. Get it in red, black, white and green (4 rolls, each a different color, size to match you load that the gennie is rated for, but go bigger because of the 50 foot run). Use the multi strand stuff.
If I was you and this was my set up, the above is the way I'd do it.
To do it right will still cost a little bit. I'd guess $400-$500ish
I suspect you will need a ground rod to complete it at the cabin and another at the generator box. Tie that in with your green wire.
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Monte
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2012 11:07am
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Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech When you mention inlet box, do you mean a Gen Tran type set up?? Being as you are not hooked to service, just run your service panel inlet terminals to an externally mounted (outside wall) to an inlet. Marinco makes nice inlets, rated to 50 amps (use 6AWG wire size min)
I bought this big receptacle that you hook to the side of the cabin and then you plug the generator into it. You then wire the house power into that...but I have NO idea how to do that. (I need to go up to the cabin and see if it's 2-wire, 3-wire, or 4-wire.) I think that's what you are referring to?
Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech Or build a small generator house instead of a box with vents, then run your lines from the panel underground to your gennie house (use UF rated stuff plus house it in plastic conduit).
I'm building a small generator house. Wasn't clear on that. By panel, do you mean the breaker box in the house?
Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech Install an interrupter box (lock out type, bus bar etc like you would a spa or hot tub to interrupt power.
I have no idea what that is??
Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech You want to shut it off at the interrupter, then shut down the generator. This is especially important if you dont have an inverter type, but if you do, its still a good idea anyway. Just shutting down will send a low voltage and low cycle (Hz) to your electronics which can be destroyed by low voltage/cycles. Same goes for starting it up., Disconnect, start generator, wait till its warm and speeds have stabilized, then flip the interrupt on. I'd use the PVC conduit (gray stuff) and run it right up the side of the cabin and through the wall using the right angle (see link, but use larger size, probably 1" to 1.5")
I don't understand what an interrupter is.
Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech buy UF rated wire (underground feeder) in the single rolls. Get it in red, black, white and green (4 rolls, each a different color, size to match you load that the gennie is rated for, but go bigger because of the 50 foot run). Use the multi strand stuff.
I have a gray flat wire that runs from the breaker box in the house and looks like it used to go to a telephone pole. What is that? Would that substitute for the wires?
Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech I suspect you will need a ground rod to complete it at the cabin and another at the generator box. Tie that in with your green wire.
We will have ground rods for both generator and house, but guess I need to know about gray wire first.
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Anonymous
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# Posted: 1 Jan 2013 06:32pm
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I think you are far too inexperienced for this project, get some help else you can get killed or burn down the cabin.
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Anonymous
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# Posted: 2 Jan 2013 09:07am
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Gray wire is usually the UF rated (underground feeder) it will have it on the sheath. What size wire is it, ie gauge and how long is your run. How big is your gennie? (amps at the 220V plug)
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