Odd generator plugin


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Old 08-28-10, 08:26 AM
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Odd generator plugin

There is a plugin site in the metal box where my main power meter is. I was told by the home inspector that this is where I can hook up a backup generator when power is out. There is also a switch I am supposed to turn off to prevent the power from escaping to the grid. I have not been able to find a generator cord that would actually fit in this plugin. Is this perhaps of some old standard? Where could I find a generator cable like this. My generator has just a basic 120/240 4-prong outlet, which seems to be pretty much standard for newer generators.

The picture of the plugin should be behind this link:
Picture 004 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
 
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Old 08-28-10, 10:21 AM
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It is a twist lock inlet. It may be wired for 120v. Your generator is 120/240v grounded. Look in the main panel and tell us how the transfer switch is wired in.
 
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Old 08-28-10, 11:05 AM
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Originally Posted by ray2047
It is a twist lock inlet. It may be wired for 120v. Your generator is 120/240v grounded. Look in the main panel and tell us how the transfer switch is wired in.
Unfortunately the box has been sealed by the power COOP.
I looked around in a couple of big box stores just to see if they even sell a separate 3-prong plug that would match this one, but could not find one. All 3-prong plugs had the "bent" prong bent inwards, not outwards like this one. The switch is not wired into the main panel at all. It is in my main meter box in a pole 100 feet from my house. I was told that if I use a generator I just need to go around my panels and manually switch off all but just a couple of essential circuits I can run with the generator.
 

Last edited by Pete Q; 08-28-10 at 11:37 AM.
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Old 08-28-10, 11:42 AM
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Rules will vary by different power companies and COOPs, but I have never heard of one sealing the customer's panel. I'd question the legality of it unless it contains unmetered connections or metering equipment such as CTs. How big is the service? 200 amp, 400 amp or bigger?
 
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Old 08-28-10, 11:44 AM
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It looks like a 3 pole 4 wire 125/250vac marine receptable. Take a picture to your located electrical supply business and they should be able to help you.

Jim
 
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Old 08-28-10, 11:49 AM
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Originally Posted by CasualJoe
Rules will vary by different power companies and COOPs, but I have never heard of one sealing the customer's panel. I'd question the legality of it unless it contains unmetered connections or metering equipment such as CTs. How big is the service? 200 amp, 400 amp or bigger?
The meter in this box is my main meter. I have two 200 amp service panels, one in house and one in barn. I am not sure what is the incoming amperage. I have a unmetered security light from COOP in the same pole where this meter box is.
 
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Old 08-28-10, 11:49 AM
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Unfortunately the box has been sealed by the power COOP.
Not the inlet box the main breaker box.
 
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Old 08-28-10, 11:50 AM
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Looks more to me like a 3 wire device and one point is marked ground. I think it's a 125 volt device, maybe 50 amp.
 
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Old 08-28-10, 11:57 AM
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NEMA Configurations

Scroll down to the 50A connection.

The ones at the Box are all 30A I guess.
 
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Old 08-28-10, 12:05 PM
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I don't see it in the chart. I suppose it could be a non-NEMA configuration or even possibly an incomplete chart. Anyone else see it on the chart?
 
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Old 08-28-10, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by CasualJoe
I don't see it in the chart. I suppose it could be a non-NEMA configuration or even possibly an incomplete chart. Anyone else see it on the chart?
The closest one would be the L6-15R. Would it make sense that it is only 15A/250V?
 
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Old 08-28-10, 12:22 PM
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Not a CS6364? I thought I was just missing something in the cobwebs in the pic. It's pretty clearly marked 50 in the center.

No electrician of course....but aren't boat and RV plugs also subject to codes?
 
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Old 08-28-10, 12:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Gunguy45
Not a CS6364? I thought I was just missing something in the cobwebs in the pic. It's pretty clearly marked 50 in the center.

No electrician of course....but aren't boat and RV plugs also subject to codes?
Darn you are right!. I went back outside and removed the cobwebs. The right side prong is just like the top one. Sorry for the unclear pic. So it pretty much is a match to the CS6364/65.

So, if this is the case, can i find a generator cord with this kind of female end somewhere, or do I need to build one myself?
 
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Old 08-28-10, 12:46 PM
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I'll let the electricians answer for sure...but you'll probably have to build one or replace the inlet. Since you have a 4 wire out...I don't know how you'd connect to a 3 wire in.

And as was said..you'd need to verify the wiring as it may be for 120 not 240.
 
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Old 08-28-10, 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Gunguy45
I'll let the electricians answer for sure...but you'll probably have to build one or replace the inlet. Since you have a 4 wire out...I don't know how you'd connect to a 3 wire in.

And as was said..you'd need to verify the wiring as it may be for 120 not 240.
This one actually has ground too, in addition to the X, Y and Z prongs. You can see the ground plate in the pic as well as in the NEMA Chart you provided. So this is actually a 4-wire setup.
 
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Old 08-28-10, 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Pete Q
So, if this is the case, can i find a generator cord with this kind of female end somewhere, or do I need to build one myself?
Looks like I found an answer for this one. I can buy a 50 amp generator cord and 30 amp to 50 amp generator adapter from a RV supply store.
 
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Old 08-28-10, 01:14 PM
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Ahh duh...I missed the ground in the pic...as well as the chart...

Like I said...no Electrician.
 
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Old 08-28-10, 04:24 PM
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Look at footnote #3, it's a non-NEMA twistlock. You might be able to order it, but you'll have to locate it in a catalog at a supply house most likely. I think I'd change it to a 20 or 30 amp inlet to match the output of your generator.

Before you do anything, refer back to ray2047's post and tell us about your transfer switch and how it's wired to this inlet.
 
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Old 08-28-10, 05:45 PM
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Originally Posted by CasualJoe
Look at footnote #3, it's a non-NEMA twistlock. You might be able to order it, but you'll have to locate it in a catalog at a supply house most likely. I think I'd change it to a 20 or 30 amp inlet to match the output of your generator.

Before you do anything, refer back to ray2047's post and tell us about your transfer switch and how it's wired to this inlet.
Hmm that's interesting. Now when I know what to look for, I have found out that 50A RV power cables that use these plugs can easily be found in the internet.

I finally figured out how to open the lower part of my meter box where the receptacle and the switch are, without breaking the COOP seal. Here are the pictures:

The receptacle side:
Picture 006 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

The switch side:
Picture 007 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

The guts:
Picture 008 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
 
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Old 08-29-10, 09:25 AM
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I have to admit, I've never seen one of those, but it appears that the transfer switch is built into the meter socket. If so, that's a pretty slick piece of equipment.
 
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Old 08-30-10, 12:30 AM
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I have see that all the time in Farm area so it is common but the way it set the transfer switch it will be at lower location as OP show the photo and I think that is a class 320 meter socket { aka 400 amp service } but some case it will be just a plain jane 200 amp service as well.

Most farm transfer switch I have ran into normally are pole toppers.

So I am pretty sure that is a legit 50 amp twist lock CS type { Californine Specail }

However there is one warning in that area it is unfused area and only way you can kill the power in that area is turn the transfer switch to off setting { the handle will be in Horzontal postion }

The handle in down postion will be on generator mode but you have to make a judgement call to see how much load you can use without tripping the generator breaker.

But the 50 amp twist lock receptale is good up to about 12 KW unit or so any larger generator you will have to change the recetale to larger one.

Merci.
Marc
 
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Old 08-30-10, 10:39 AM
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Originally Posted by french277V
I have see that all the time in Farm area so it is common
The electric co-ops probably started putting them in to discourage farmers from using suicide cords on their PTO generators.
 
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Old 09-04-10, 03:34 PM
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This is a "farm style" transfer switch.. just about every farm has them if they have a generator...the panel usually is wired with a 3 wire 4awg octopus cord that plugs into the PTO generator..yours is wired with a 50 amp twistlock

your pretty much always going to run into having a bonded neutral at your generator when dealing with the 4 prong receptacle and obviously the neutral is also bonded in the service switch so you either need to install a 4 prong inlet running both to the bonding bar ..or bond the ground and neutral in the cord IF the generator neutral is NOT bonded

If you have access to a tractor used pto gennys are very affordable and you already have the most expensive part..the 200 amp transfer switch
 
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Old 09-04-10, 06:17 PM
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Originally Posted by braether3

your pretty much always going to run into having a bonded neutral at your generator when dealing with the 4 prong receptacle and obviously the neutral is also bonded in the service switch so you either need to install a 4 prong inlet running both to the bonding bar ..or bond the ground and neutral in the cord IF the generator neutral is NOT bonded


The inlet is already mounted to the side the enclosure. From the pictures of the switch it appears that the grounded conductor is not switched. If that is the case, then the neutral sould not be grounded in the generator or cord.
 
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Old 09-04-10, 08:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Auger01
The inlet is already mounted to the side the enclosure. From the pictures of the switch it appears that the grounded conductor is not switched. If that is the case, then the neutral sould not be grounded in the generator or cord.
This is correct. The "neutral" (grounded conductor) needs to be bonded to the equipment ground in one place only to avoid parallel currents on the neutral and equipment ground conductors. The generator should NOT have a neutral-to-equipment ground bond at the generator or the inlet connector, only at the neutral/equipment ground buss in the transfer switch.
 
 

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