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tyocum22
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# Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:52am
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I am building a little 12x24 off-grid shed/cabin and have a 3000 w 120v (no 240!) generator permanently housed 50 feet from it. I want to put in a main 100 amp panel and wire it for future grid hookup when we build a real house on the property in the future. The Gen has a 30 amp 120v outlet that I want to run to 1 bus in the panel, bypassing the main 100 amp switch and directly wiring to a 30 amp breaker making one bus hot, but still one day making it useful for grid tie after removing it and going directly to the main with the grid. I would like to take the standard 120v 20 amp plug on the genny to the other bus in the panel the same way to just run some basic led lights. My question is: can I combine the neutrals onto the one buss bar, or should I install a second neutral bus bar for the 20 amp leg?
(the 30 amp line from the Gen will be 10/2 wire and the 20 amp will be 12/2) I will NOT have any 240 double pole breakers in the panel at this time. I also have an automatic switch to a sub panel that will offer backup lighting and fridge power off a 2000w pure sine wave inverter/battery bank (solar panels coming soon!) when the Gen isn't running
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 13 Feb 2017 12:53pm
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Putting two separate power sources into one subpanel, on different bars, sounds risky at best. No matter where you combine the neutrals, you run a possibility of a floating neutral, maybe, not sure.
I'm hesitant to offer any suggestions for such a 'unique' setup.
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morock
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# Posted: 13 Feb 2017 01:36pm
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I think if you look closely at your genny, both the 30amp and the 20amp outputs come from the same source and that the total output from the genny is 30amp max. The 20 amp is just an alternative hookup since 30amp cable and 20 amp cable are very different. The math says if it a 3000W genny then 30 amps x 120 Volts. Worth a look, I maybe wrong.
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creeky
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# Posted: 13 Feb 2017 04:43pm
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If this is off grid I would wire to the ATS (automatic transfer switch).
Wire the 20 amp into the ATS. Wire the ATS to the 120v panel.
Then when you get the solar you can wire the inverter into the ATS. Save a lot of fiddle faddlin'.
Quoting: morock The 20 amp is just an alternative hookup
Like morock says. 20 amps x 120 = 2400w. Which is probably the limit of "3000w" genny.
And yes. Both neutrals are wired to the common busbar. If you were to do that. Just there's no reason to. You won't get more power out of the genny.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 13 Feb 2017 07:26pm
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You dont need to combine neutrals. Just wire the inlet to a breaker and jump across the 2 terminals (L1 and L2) with no less than a 10AWG wire.
You really have no neutral on your generator and the ground isnt hooked to anything except the generator chassis. So if you run a ground rod in, this will be your ground. I would remove the bonding screw inside the panel and add a separate bar for grounds.
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