how do you hook up a generator

[furby2009]

hi,
can anybody explain how i connect a generator to a house.

we have bought a house (in the sticks)that is not connected the th
national grid.power had prev been supplied by a generator that go
nicked we have now bought a replacement generator.not too sure of th
size as it was sold to me as a 13kva (thats whats on the engine)but iv
looked in the cover and the part that connects to the engine says 10kv
which is still big enough for our needs.it has a yanmar 3TNE68 wate
cooled diesel generator with 3x240v (blue)outlet sockets
3x110v (yellow)outlet sockets

my problem is how would i connect this to the feed cable for the house.

all the armoured cable is still there (connected to a fuse box in th
house)from the last generator but they took what looks like
distribution box of the generator shed wall leaving the other end of th
cable hanging loose.

we will be building a new shed to house the generator

i have photos of the generator and the old room if these would help bu
i dont know how to post them on this site.

any help would be greatly appreiated

chears ro


--
furby2009

 

[Adrian C]

On 17/01/2012 06:22, furby2009 wrote:

hi,
can anybody explain how i connect a generator to a house.

we have bought a house (in the sticks)that is not connected the the
national grid.power had prev been supplied by a generator that got
nicked we have now bought a replacement generator.not too sure of the
size as it was sold to me as a 13kva (thats whats on the engine)but ive
looked in the cover and the part that connects to the engine says 10kva
which is still big enough for our needs.it has a yanmar 3TNE68 water
cooled diesel generator with 3x240v (blue)outlet sockets
3x110v (yellow)outlet sockets

my problem is how would i connect this to the feed cable for the house.

all the armoured cable is still there (connected to a fuse box in the
house)from the last generator but they took what looks like a
distribution box of the generator shed wall leaving the other end of the
cable hanging loose.

we will be building a new shed to house the generator

i have photos of the generator and the old room if these would help but
i dont know how to post them on this site.

any help would be greatly appreiated

chears rob

Which country is this? There are different electrical standards and
codes about. If I suspect in the UK, suggest a post to uk.d-i-y where a
lot of helpful folks hang out with experience of this sort of thing.

But before you do, try to get a proper usenet client, and away from
diybanter. It's free to join http://www.eternal-september.org/ and easy
to configure thunderbird, Xnews or other choices of newsreader. By
posting from diybanter or google groups you limit the number of helpful
folks who might be able to see your post. Most block on the service name
because of spam.

--
Adrian C

 

On Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:22:45 +0000, furby2009
<furby2009.95ae308@diybanter.com> wrote:

hi,
can anybody explain how i connect a generator to a house.

we have bought a house (in the sticks)that is not connected the the
national grid.power had prev been supplied by a generator that got
nicked we have now bought a replacement generator.not too sure of the
size as it was sold to me as a 13kva (thats whats on the engine)but ive
looked in the cover and the part that connects to the engine says 10kva
which is still big enough for our needs.it has a yanmar 3TNE68 water
cooled diesel generator with 3x240v (blue)outlet sockets
3x110v (yellow)outlet sockets

my problem is how would i connect this to the feed cable for the house.

all the armoured cable is still there (connected to a fuse box in the
house)from the last generator but they took what looks like a
distribution box of the generator shed wall leaving the other end of the
cable hanging loose.

we will be building a new shed to house the generator

i have photos of the generator and the old room if these would help but
i dont know how to post them on this site.

any help would be greatly appreiated

chears rob
As Adrian C said, the country you are in makes a great deal of

difference. Each country and municipality has codes regulating proper
wiring practices. In most cases those codes are designed to ensure
that any installation is safe.

In theory all you would have to do is trace back from the outlet
sockets to the generator's distribution panel and connect to the house
distribution box using 4 or 6 gauge wire, and properly ground the
neutral line

Of course, in theory all you have to do to fly an airplane is maintain
sufficient airspeed so the lift provided by the wings will exceed the
force of gravity. As we say, 'The devil is in the details.'

I've done enough wiring that I am confident I would be able to do an
installation like this in a safe manner. I'm also confident that I
would have to do some research to be certain it was done according to
all codes. I am not confident that I would be able to instruct you
adequately. Frankly, I would suggest that this is important enough
that you hire someone with verifiable experience (NOT 'Joe the
Handyman' who can fix most things eventually) to do the work. And
don't be upset if they spend a significant amount of time verifying
the previous wiring was done properly.

PlainBill

 

On Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:06:29 -0700, PlainBill@yawhoo.com wrote:

Frankly, I would suggest that this is important enough
that you hire someone with verifiable experience (NOT 'Joe the
Handyman' who can fix most things eventually) to do the work. And
don't be upset if they spend a significant amount of time verifying
the previous wiring was done properly.

PlainBill

I couldn't agree more. I have knowledge and experience in my locale
(Georgia, USA) and have done inspected and approved wiring (some areas
allow you to do your own wiring, subject to getting the standard
permits and having the standard inspections). If I were on site at
your cabin, I would expect to spend time looking at the existing
wiring and making notes/sketches to ensure that it was safe/legal.
Then I'd consider how the generator should be connected to the
existing wiring.

My expectation on the quality of electrical work is that I should feel
comfortable sleeping in that space.

John

 

[bw]

<news@jecarter.us> wrote in message
news:44pbh79bt45cp3c0hj491humhr8k1r7ctn@4ax.com...

On Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:06:29 -0700, PlainBill@yawhoo.com wrote:

Frankly, I would suggest that this is important enough
that you hire someone with verifiable experience (NOT 'Joe the
Handyman' who can fix most things eventually) to do the work. And
don't be upset if they spend a significant amount of time verifying
the previous wiring was done properly.

PlainBill

I couldn't agree more. I have knowledge and experience in my locale
(Georgia, USA) and have done inspected and approved wiring (some areas
allow you to do your own wiring, subject to getting the standard
permits and having the standard inspections). If I were on site at
your cabin, I would expect to spend time looking at the existing
wiring and making notes/sketches to ensure that it was safe/legal.
Then I'd consider how the generator should be connected to the
existing wiring.

My expectation on the quality of electrical work is that I should feel
comfortable sleeping in that space.

John

I would not tie the generator into the existing wiring at all. Just install
an independent single new outlet wired directly to the generator. Put the
new outlet near the refrigerator. When you have grid outage, start the
generator. Then unplug the fridge from the regular outlet and plug into the
"generator only" outlet.
When the grid comes back, unplug the load from the "generator" outlet, and
return to the grid powered outlets.

 

[Dave Platt]

In article <jf56sa$rc7$1@dont-email.me>, bw <bwegher@hotmail.com> wrote:

I would not tie the generator into the existing wiring at all. Just install
an independent single new outlet wired directly to the generator. Put the
new outlet near the refrigerator. When you have grid outage, start the
generator. Then unplug the fridge from the regular outlet and plug into the
"generator only" outlet.
When the grid comes back, unplug the load from the "generator" outlet, and
return to the grid powered outlets.

If I recall correctly, the OP stated that this home is entirely "off
grid". No mains power to worry about.

--
Dave Platt <dplatt@radagast.org> AE6EO
Friends of Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

 

[bw]

"Dave Platt" <dplatt@radagast.org> wrote in message
news:gumhu8-is8.ln1@radagast.org...

In article <jf56sa$rc7$1@dont-email.me>, bw <bwegher@hotmail.com> wrote:

I would not tie the generator into the existing wiring at all. Just
install
an independent single new outlet wired directly to the generator. Put the
new outlet near the refrigerator. When you have grid outage, start the
generator. Then unplug the fridge from the regular outlet and plug into
the
"generator only" outlet.
When the grid comes back, unplug the load from the "generator" outlet, and
return to the grid powered outlets.

If I recall correctly, the OP stated that this home is entirely "off
grid". No mains power to worry about.

Ok, my reader cut off the OP. He should find a local professional
electrician anyway.

 

[starrin]

On Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:22:45 +0000, furby2009
<furby2009.95ae308@diybanter.com> wrote:

hi,
can anybody explain how i connect a generator to a house.
I'm sorry, but the fact that yout bought a generator without

considering this, and from the questions you ask, I would recommend
that you hire a competent licensed electrician.
And I am not one, nor did I use one in my installaton. But I did my
research and completed my plan, decided what I need to do, before I
sought out a generator and ancillary gear to get it done.

 

[spamtrap1888]

On Jan 16, 10:22 pm, furby2009 <furby2009.95ae...@diybanter.com>
wrote:

hi,
can anybody explain how i connect a generator to a house.

This is a Usenet newsgroup (discussion group) on the topic of
repairing electronics. House wiring is discussed elsewhere.

we have bought a house (in the sticks)that is not connected the the
national grid.power had prev been supplied by a generator that got
nicked we have now bought a replacement generator.not too sure of the
size as it was sold to me as a 13kva (thats whats on the engine)but ive
looked in the cover and the part that connects to the engine says 10kva
which is still big enough for our needs.it has a yanmar 3TNE68 water
cooled diesel generator with 3x240v (blue)outlet sockets
3x110v (yellow)outlet sockets

my problem is how would i connect this to the feed cable for the house.

I'd talk to whoever did the previous installation. Get in touch with
the previous homeowner, or ask your real estate agent. If the previous
homeowner is no more, ask your neighbors who they used, or how they
installed it.

all the armoured cable is still there (connected to a fuse box in the
house)from the last generator but they took what looks like a
distribution box of the generator shed wall leaving the other end of the
cable hanging loose.

we will be building a new shed to house the generator

i have photos of the generator and the old room if these would help but
i dont know how to post them on this site.

Find a site to host your images, and include the links in your post.

any help would be greatly appreiated

Try finding some groups for people living off the grid. Most such
people use solar and/or wind power to generate electricity. The cost
of hauling Diesel, plus the noise of the generator, will be annoying
after a while. One supplier is www.realgoods.com