# Help please, wiring a Yamaha generator plug



## aquasplash (Jan 19, 2015)

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post  I have been frequenting your forum for some time now.

I am from South Africa and have just purchased a Yamaha EF2600 FW generator for standby power purposes as our National country grid is under threat at the moment. It is a 2000w, brushless machine.

In SA, our electrical system works off: Ground, Neutral and Live - 3 wires.

When I came to wire the three prong twist plug that fits into generator receptacle this weekend, there is no guidance on the plug except Earth, 1 and 2. Manual does not give any detail either .

So, how do I wire the points 1 and 2 marked on the plug and how do I know which is Live and Neutral?

Please can someone assist me with this? 

Many thanks Charles (From Sunny South Africa)


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## aandpdan (Oct 8, 2012)

Try this aquasplash: 

Wiring a Plug

Hope it helps!


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## aquasplash (Jan 19, 2015)

aandpdan said:


> Try this aquasplash:
> 
> Wiring a Plug
> 
> Hope it helps!


 Hi Aandpdan,

Thanks - My appliances are wired in accordance with the electricity as governed by South African Bureau of Standards - In compliance with Eskom link your sent me.

My problem is that the generator has a twist type NEMA type of plug (3 prong) which plugs into the generator receptacle. No mention is made of Live or Neutral on the 'unwired and standalone' NEMA plug that came with the generator.

I am trying to work out what is 'Live' and 'Neutral' on the generator output receptacle so I can connect the generator to my SA wired appliances (which need Live, Ground and Neutral) via an extension cable. 

How can I test which is live and neutral on the generator receptacle with a multimeter? I tried but had no luck yesterday. I get 220v but I cannot determine which one is live as they are 'both' giving me a live reading - very strange, I would have thought that one would be neutral .

Appreciate your help so far.

Cheers Charles


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## aandpdan (Oct 8, 2012)

What type of NEMA plug do you have?


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## aquasplash (Jan 19, 2015)

aandpdan said:


> What type of NEMA plug do you have?


NEMA L6 20P Twist lock

Cheers Charles


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## aandpdan (Oct 8, 2012)

From what I can find you don't have a neutral - which makes sense.

Your power supply is 220v. In the US we're "oddballs" and do have the neutral but, on a strictly 240v supply here, we don't need a neutral either - like to power a welder or air compressor.

It shouldn't matter which of the wires you put under X or Y.


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## aquasplash (Jan 19, 2015)

aandpdan said:


> From what I can find you don't have a neutral - which makes sense.
> 
> Your power supply is 220v. In the US we're "oddballs" and do have the neutral but, on a strictly 240v supply here, we don't need a neutral either - like to power a welder or air compressor.
> 
> It shouldn't matter which of the wires you put under X or Y.


 Hi Aandpdan, just wanted to thank you for efforts, I also did some additional research and came to the same conclusion. I eventually wired the X as live as it goes directly into the switch on the wiring diagram

All the best, Cheers C


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