# Ex-cell 5000 watt generator transfer switch hook up



## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

I have an older Ex-Cell 5000 watt generator I want to hook up to my transfer switch for power outages.

I am looking how to connect it to my Reliance Transfer switch with 4 prong twist lock 30 amp receptacle. Transfer switch has 10-3 wired to inlet. 1 single 240v circuit and other 4 are 120v circuits. Thank you.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

You probably don't have a schematic, so take the end bell off and show some photos of the wiring to the outlets.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Found this but it's from a slightly different model. But I'll bet a bottle of beer that they share the same schematic. Suffice to say, it is possible to hack and rewire this to an L14-30R but it can be a little involved if you're not an electrician. 











Here is the modified version. You may need to un-bond the Neutral from Ground as indicated below. 

The usual caveats apply: I took sufficient care in understanding and modifying the circuit as shown but I am not responsible for any damages or injury arising from this mod.


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

Thank you, I did see that schematic in my search. I will open the back cover and verify. I know it is neutral bonded, this modification creates a floating neutral? No ground faults are used in my transfer switch.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Snot81 said:


> Thank you, I did see that schematic in my search. I will open the back cover and verify. I know it is neutral bonded, this modification creates a floating neutral? No ground faults are used in my transfer switch.


The assumption is, your electrical panel already has the N-G bond. By code, there should only be one N-G bond in your home.

Looking forward to that photo with the end cover off.


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

I will get a few photos later tonight. Thank you very much for your help.


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

Okay I’ve got a decent photo. Looks like I would need remove 240v recept. (Right). Then pig tail red wires for 1 hot and reconnect 2 hot (black wire). Reconnect green ground. Then pigtail orange for neutral? Is the green wire with yellow terminal the jumper wire that is bonding the neutral?


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

I always want to visualize things so here's my attempt at it.

Just connect the L14-30R to the two Hots, Neutral, and Ground, as indicated. Keep all wires where they are together (ie. the two Red wires on the right) even after removing the right receptacle... except for the three green wires on the left. Remove them from the receptacle so you'll end up with a floating Neutral (but validate first that your electrical panel does have bonded Neutral).


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

Inspection on service entrance and panel, panel does not seem to be bonded! But service entrance may be?


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

I can't make a determination from those pictures if there's a central N-G bond. However, I see that the wiring to the Yard is bonded, which is.... inconsistent, I think.

Either that or this is already way out of my depth. Not that familiar with SquareD.


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

OrlyP said:


> I can't make a determination from those pictures if there's a central N-G bond. However, I see that the wiring to the Yard is bonded, which is.... inconsistent, I think.
> 
> Either that or this is already way out of my depth. Not that familiar with SquareD.


I really appreciate your help👍🏻. I will probably have to have the electrician who installed this panel come and take a look. As for the generator I will get a plug for that wire and meter test. Thank you again.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Would be interesting to know your progress on this. Do revert back. We could all learn a lesson or two.


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

I will keep this updated


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

Snot81 said:


> View attachment 11596


i see a couple of fails in the box pix...
hint:
and there are 3 gfci / arc fault breakers in that panel.
the white wires locations.

and it maybe bonded at the left side neutral upper left


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

If the service entrance has a N-G bond, then the breaker panel should be wired like a subpanel (no N-G bond). I see some white wires going to the ground bar that should be going to the neutral bar. For example, the "sunroom" Romex should have the white wire going to the neutral bar at the top of the panel...not the ground bar.

For clarity, this is the N-G bond at the gen...


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

GenKnot said:


> For clarity, this is the N-G bond at the gen...
> View attachment 11600


Nope. That's the receptacle ground terminal. That should be in there.

The way to disconnect neutral and ground is to remove all three green wires from the Neutral (orange) terminal, then bound all three green wires together with a wire nut or wago.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

Yes, I am just saying that the jumper I noted is what connects the neutral to the frame since the neutral is also connected at the receptacle. The green wires need to be separated from the neutral as you noted.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

GenKnot said:


> Yes, I am just saying that the jumper I noted is what connects the neutral to the frame since the neutral is also connected at the receptacle. The green wires need to be separated from the neutral as you noted.


Frame ground is the green wire next to Neutral. So yeah, all three wires need to come out of the Neutral terminal then tied together. That way, both receptacles will still have ground connection going to the frame.... but no bond to Neutral.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

OrlyP said:


> Frame ground is the green wire next to Neutral.


The OP needs to check that out. I don't think that blue wire goes to frame...it is a winding. The windings are Black, Red, Orange, and Blue.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

GenKnot said:


> The OP needs to check that out. I don't think that blue wire goes to frame...it is a winding. The windings are Black, White, Orange, and Blue.


My eyes might be deceiving me but I'm sure it's green. lol

Anyway, the schematic in post #3 shows that it definitely goes to frame ground.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Here's the correlation between the schematic and the actual picture:


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

Okay I have confirmed with the Electrician. Neutral bond need to occur at first point of disconnect which since I have a breaker at the meter stack. This is my neutral bond. I am also made aware that the GFCI breakers are connected to the ground bus bar and not neutral bar.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

Snot81 said:


> GCFI breakers are connected to the ground bus bar and not neutral bar.


Correct for the GFCI breakers. However, no other white neutrals should go the ground bar.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

If you want to eliminate the existing receptacles and replace with a 30A twist lock receptacle, it would be wired like this...









I am not showing the breakers in the drawing, but they need to be in the Black and Red wires. Also, I may have the Orange & Blue wires labeled reversed because I don't know which is which. An ohmmeter could quickly sort that out. The N-G bond for the gen would be made when connected to house.

Edit: I named the Orange wire White. It should be Orange! I corrected the drawing. What's the matter with me?


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

GenKnot said:


> Correct for the GFCI breakers. However, no other white neutrals should go the ground bar.


All are moved, the only white I have in ground bar is a 240v water heater and white would be designated ground in this instance (dingy white wire), that wiring pre dates 1996


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## sdowney717 (12 mo ago)

OrlyP said:


> Found this but it's from a slightly different model. But I'll bet a bottle of beer that they share the same schematic. Suffice to say, it is possible to hack and rewire this to an L14-30R but it can be a little involved if you're not an electrician.
> 
> View attachment 11585
> 
> ...





OrlyP said:


> Found this but it's from a slightly different model. But I'll bet a bottle of beer that they share the same schematic. Suffice to say, it is possible to hack and rewire this to an L14-30R but it can be a little involved if you're not an electrician.
> 
> View attachment 11585
> 
> ...











Leviton 5822-W Straight Blade Single Receptacle, 250 Vac, 20 A, 2 Pole, 3 Wire, White - Electric Plugs - Amazon.com


Leviton 5822-W Straight Blade Single Receptacle, 250 Vac, 20 A, 2 Pole, 3 Wire, White - Electric Plugs - Amazon.com



www.amazon.com




He has a 240vac 20 amp outlet on the right side like the Amazon link above, so he can get his 2 hot legs off just the one outlet to run to an L1420p or an L1430p socket. And neutral jump to the new socket and ground wire also of course. It is real simple, wire it up and test run and check for the proper voltages on each part of the new socket. Especially easy if he can just jumper off the other sockets, like if there is unused space available on them at their screw connections.

Mount it in a separate box and bolt to the gen frame is what I would think of doing.
And just disconnect the neutral ground bond wire on the other outlet.

And he only has 20 amps for each hot leg to neutral. He has two 20 amp breakers.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

sdowney717 said:


> He has a 240vac 20 amp outlet on the right side like the Amazon link above, so he can get his 2 hot legs off just the one outlet to run to an L1420p or an L1430p socket.


No. That receptacle only has 3 wires. He needs 4 wires for a NEMA L14-30R.


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## sdowney717 (12 mo ago)

GenKnot said:


> No. That receptacle only has 3 wires. He needs 4 wires for a NEMA L14-30R.


He can get the neutral from the other receptacle.
That must be a 240vac socket on his gen, from looking at his picture.
No way any 120v plug will fit in that I can see.

One side is 120 on the left, other side is 240 on the right, each side is 'hot' on it.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

sdowney717 said:


> No way any 120v plug will fits in that I can see.


That receptacle is for 240V loads with a ground and no neutral.


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## sdowney717 (12 mo ago)

GenKnot said:


> That receptacle is for 240V loads with a ground and no neutral.


Yes it is , that is what I am saying, he can get his 2 hots for the new L1420P or L1430P from that one socket, and the neutral from the other one.
Been saying it all along.

AND, the ground on that 240v socket needs to be taken off the neutral of the other socket, so 2 connections need breaking for the ground neutral on this thing. I suppose either the blue- green or the orange wire is ground or neutral, that needs to determined too. I bet orange is neutral.
Red and black are the 2 hot legs

And ground wires needs to be only on the ground connections on all sockets setup here.
I can see the blue-green wire is jumped to ground on both sockets. It is still very easy to do this.


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## sdowney717 (12 mo ago)

If It were me, I would first test for neutral and ground, we know black and red are hot as they are breakered.
Disconnect the orange wire, check for ohms to ground, using the gen frame, if open then orange is neutral wire.
Disconnect the blue-green wire, check for ohms to ground of gen frame, if zero ohms, then it is ground.

To wire this up, disconnect all blue-green wires off the LEFT socket.
Now jumper for the new 1430P socket from red and black wires on the 240v socket on the right side to each hot terminal on the L1430P socket, does not matter which one goes to which hot on the new L1430P socket

The LEFT 120v socket looks like it also has 2 hot legs attached, (I see red and black on the hot side of it) so the thing has had the brass connecting ridge between screws removed, that allows each 120v plug to have 20 amps which is ok and good. And it is a 20 amp socket, the socket is ok for 20 amps.


Then take a new neutral wire from orange wire on the left socket and connect to the L1430P socket neutral.

All grounds those blue-green wires should join in only 3 connections, to each and every ground lug on all sockets. Including the new L1430P socket.
And not connect to the orange, red or black wires.


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## sdowney717 (12 mo ago)

And lots of smaller generators do not have a neutral bond to ground, it will be fine to run as a standalone.
IF you really want a neutral to ground bond, like when not connected to the house, you can get a 20 amp switch like this,








Amazon.com: Gardner Bender GSW-110 Electrical Toggle Switch, SPST, ON-OFF, 20 A/125V AC, O Ring/Screw Terminal : Industrial & Scientific


Amazon.com: Gardner Bender GSW-110 Electrical Toggle Switch, SPST, ON-OFF, 20 A/125V AC, O Ring/Screw Terminal : Industrial & Scientific



www.amazon.com




Cheap and is sealed from water, And connect one lug of switch to ground wire from a socket, and other lug of switch to the neutral orange wire.
When switch is on, it is neutral bonded to ground, and when switch is off, it is not neutral bonded.

I really don't think you gain anything having a neutral-ground bond, and lots are sold that way. Lots of things must go wrong to get electrocuted on a portable gen.
And your better off using a GFCI socket.

My 8000w Troy-Bilt does not have the neutral bond, and it also has no GFCI from the factory.


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## sdowney717 (12 mo ago)

Now lets say you want to add GFCI on the 120v left outlet. To do that and keep same functionality will need 2 20 amp GFCI outlets.
(since the current 120v outlet on left is powered by both hot legs and each socket plug gets 20 amps), advantage is you then have 4 plugs to connect to.
Otherwise, you have to abandon or jumper off the existing 120v outlet.

Get a plastic box for 2 outlets and a weather resistant outlet cover
Get 2 20 amp 120v male plugs, and some 20 amp 12 gauge wire and some heat shrink tubing, like from Harbor Freight.
Or maybe you can get some extension cord wire by the foot at a hardware store.
Bolt on the plastic outlet box somewhere on the gen frame.
wire up both plugs, they will plug into the existing 120v receptacle
Heat shrink wires into bundles, like 2 bundles one for each GFCI outlet, long enough to reach the box.
bolt on the plastic outlet box somewhere on the gen frame.
Run wires into the plastic box
Connect up the GFCI
Attach the cover plate.
And you are done. The GFCI will FUNCTION correctly (and new ones self test constantly) even with no neutral to ground bond, but they may or may not test with the test button. Interestingly, I have 2 Hubbell GFC model GF20, and they test with the test button fine with no ground wire on my Generac Mega Force 6500.
Electricians install GFCI outlets into older homes with no ground all the time.








GF20 | Wiring Device - Kellems


HUBBELLPRO, GFCI, 20A, Brown




www.hubbell.com





And here is a cheap but nice metal cover plate, I used this on my Generac.








Commercial Electric 2-Gang Weatherproof Universal Device Cover, Gray WCF2G - The Home Depot


Commercial Electric metallic flat device covers provide weatherproof protection for an outlet. Flat covers are made from metal construction providing maximum durability. An attached gasket, mounting hardware



www.homedepot.com





Metal 2 gang box








Commercial Electric 1/2 in. Gray 2-Gang 5-Holes Weatherproof Box WDB550G - The Home Depot


Commercial Electric weatherproof boxes are designed for use in branch circuit wiring in wet, damp or dry locations. Boxes house receptacles, switches and GFCI's. Boxes may also be used as a weatherproof



www.homedepot.com


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

I am just playing "what if" now. Suppose you cut out the sheet metal and install a L14-30R in place of the existing 240V outlet? I think it should fit okay. Part of the L14-30R that is normally hidden by the cover plate would show, but that shouldn't be an issue.








Leave the 120V outlet wired in place just in case you need it if the gen is used as a portable unit (not connected to the house). The 120V outlet is split and connected to both the black and red wires (one top, and one bottom).


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## sdowney717 (12 mo ago)

That could work seeing very unlikely anyone has a 240v plug cord to plug into that outlet. In decades, I have not seen such a cord.
Well I take it back, I do have a 240vac table saw and 3HP electric motor with a 240v plug like this, only thing I ever owned like it. 240v really gives much greater start up torque to electric motors. When I wired same motor for 120v, it was very sluggish to get up to speed, with 240v, it is almost instant. So maybe high powered motors, or electric heaters use that kinda plug. So keeping it as is, does give you that option.

If you wanted, could take a sheet steel piece and cut it fit and screw it over any hole you make to get an exact fit.\

Another Idea, if OP wanted, they could get a 3 gang weatherproof box. Have 2 GFIC and the round L1430R all in a single box.

Just for examples, like these.








BELL N3R Aluminum Gray 3-Gang Weatherproof Deep Outdoor Electrical Box, 7 Outlets at 3/4-in., With 2 Closure Plugs 5390-0 - The Home Depot


Weatherproof boxes are designed for use in branch circuit wiring in wet, damp, or dry locations. Boxes house receptacles, switches, and GFCI's. Boxes may also be used as a weatherproof junction box. Closure



www.homedepot.com




cover








BELL N3R Aluminum Gray 3-Gang Weatherproof Electrical Outlet Cover for Outdoor Outlet, UFAST 125-in-1, 3 Lockable Flip Covers MX3050S - The Home Depot


BELL Weatherproof device covers provide weatherproof protection to an outdoor receptacle or switch. The covers are made from superior commercial quality die cast metal. The premium powder coat finish provides corrosion resistance. A gasket, mounting hardware and instructions are included.



www.homedepot.com


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

GenKnot said:


> I am just playing "what if" now. Suppose you cut out the sheet metal and install a L14-30R in place of the existing 240V outlet? I think it should fit okay. Part of the L14-30R that is normally hidden by the cover plate would show, but that shouldn't be an issue.
> View attachment 11611
> 
> Leave the 120V outlet wired in place just in case you need it if the gen is used as a portable unit (not connected to the house). The 120V outlet would have to share the 120V 20A breaker, but it is unlikely that you would need the two receptacles at the same time. Better yet, split the 120V receptacle and feed from both black and red wires (one top, and one bottom).


This is what I am planning on doing. I will post some photos when I get this done. There is a lot of good information that was given and much thanks.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Yeah, replacing the 240V duplex receptacle with an L14-30R would be the elegant method. A little Dremel here and there and it should fit quite nicely as Genknot proposed.

As for N-G bonding, once you've removed the internal bond, it will be easy to restore the functionality again using a bonding plug. That's just in case the generator needs to be used at a temporary site to run tools and whatnots, or connected to an older electrical panel without the N-G bond present.









Amazon.com: Southwire Company LLC Neutral-Ground Bonding Plug : Tools & Home Improvement


Buy Southwire Company LLC Neutral-Ground Bonding Plug: Grounding Bars - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases



www.amazon.com


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

OrlyP said:


> Here's the correlation between the schematic and the actual picture:
> 
> View attachment 11603
> 
> ...


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

"Just to clarify, I’ll removed A, B and C and wire nut or Wago. Then I should be able to plug in a wire at A to bring over to my new L14-30 receptacle as neutral? "

Not exactly. The wire labeled Neutral (the orange one) should stay, and the green wire labeled "A" should stay. Remove the "C" wire completely as that is the N-G bond. Take the "B" wire and go over to the L14-30 as neutral (it is currently connected to ground). Yeah, the wire color (green vs orange) won't be technically correct, but electricity doesn't know the difference. Or, if the wire color bothers you then replace it with an orange wire.


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

GenKnot said:


> "Just to clarify, I’ll removed A, B and C and wire nut or Wago. Then I should be able to plug in a wire at A to bring over to my new L14-30 receptacle as neutral? "
> 
> Not exactly. The wire labeled Neutral (the orange one) should stay, and the green wire labeled "A" should stay. Remove the "C" wire completely as that is the N-G bond. Take the "B" wire and go over to the L14-30 as neutral (it is currently connected to ground). Yeah, the wire color (green vs orange) won't be technically correct, but electricity doesn't know the difference. Or, if the wire color bothers you then replace it with an orange wire.


Okay, but isn’t C wire ground for the receptacle. Remove it completely?


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Just so we're all on the same page, remove A and B from the Neutral terminal block and screw both of them on the receptacle ground terminal. There'll be no more use for wire C, so it can be safely set aside or discarded.

That will help simplify things.

Kudos for making the call to do this instead of the wire nut approach.


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

Alright I got it now. The help here is greatly appreciated. It’s amazing how I can look at this picture with all the wires and get confused, but when I can look at it in person and move around the receptacles seeing the wires it comes together and makes sense. I will wire this up this weekend, test and report.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Is the genset in working condition right now? We got off chasing a solution to your situation but never really addressed whether or not the genset itself is still healthy. Talk about putting the carriage in front of the horse. 😄


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

Lol….yeah good point. But yes generator works great, puts out stated voltage. Rebuilt carburetor last year, new oil ,air filter & plug. Gas tank has a crack where it mounts, but found out in my wiring schematics search, there is a recall on that and a new tank is on the way. My father bought this new in 1999.🍻


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Wow! 23 years old and they're still honoring recalls? That's outstanding!


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

Snot81 said:


> isn’t C wire ground for the receptacle.


No. The ground pin socket on the receptacle is connected to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket is connected to the end bell via the mounting screws. The end bell is connected to the alternator housing via its two screws. There should also be a wire somewhere on the unit that connects the alternator housing/engine to the frame. Complete grounding of the unit is achieved with no wires connected to the receptacle for that purpose.
Notice that I said "grounding". Bonding is different. The "C" wire is the N-G bond which needs to be removed as you are going to connect up to your house with a bond there.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

OrlyP said:


> remove A and B from the Neutral terminal block and screw both of them on the receptacle ground terminal


Don't do that as it will create a dead short from neutral to ground! The blue winding wire transitions to green at the connector. That was the correct way to do it from the factory because this was a bonded neutral generator.

What I said in post #39 is correct.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

GenKnot said:


> Don't do that as it will create a dead short from neutral to ground! The blue winding wire transitions to green at the connector. That was the correct way to do it from the factory because this was a bonded neutral generator.
> 
> What I said in post #39 is correct.


I don't see how that would create a short.

Wire A is THE ground.
Wire B connects to the 240V receptacle, giving it a path to ground (wire A)
Wire C connects to the 120V receptacle, giving it a path to ground (wire A)

The 'blue' wire (which is also wire A) goes to the frame. And the fact that it is also common to Neutral, is what makes this generator bonded.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

OrlyP said:


> The 'blue' wire (which is also wire A) goes to the frame.


Where do you see that?
The windings are Black, Red, Orange, and Blue.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

GenKnot said:


> Where do you see that?
> The windings are Black, Red, Orange, and Blue.


Two reasons::

The schematic clearly shows where the 'blue' (which I really see as green) wire goes.... chassis/frame ground.

And 2nd, what would the purpose of a 4th wire from a stator do, mashed together with ground and Neutral? It doesn't make any sense.


EDIT: Ok, you may be right on that. I guess a multimeter would be able to validate where that wire came from. I just realized that it may be the Neutral for the other leg. But again, it's not visible in the pic to make a proper assessment.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

The schematic doesn't match this unit, but it is a good guide.

There are two windings and four wires. This gen can have the two windings wired in parallel to provide 40A 120V to an appropriate receptacle. This is done for RVs as an example.

The OP can prove the blue wire is not ground by simply unplugging the connector at the blue/green connection and checking for continuity to the frame. It will be open circuit.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

You know what, you're right. I totally missed that one!

But yes, the schematic is pretty accurate. I'm sure you'll be able to spot it. The wire color, being green, threw me off.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

OrlyP said:


> the schematic is pretty accurate


Yes it is, but the winding wire is shown as green as you noted. If the schematic had that winding as blue it would make a lot more sense and not caused this confusion.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Apologies on the confusion there. 

Now that we've established that the Orange wire and Wire A are Neutrals of the respective legs, where is frame ground?


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

OrlyP said:


> where is frame ground?


Post #46


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

@Snot81


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

Wire looks blue in photos, but is definitely GREEN.


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

No continuity between Any wires here (red, green, orange and black) and frame


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

GenKnot said:


> @Snot81
> View attachment 11620


Engine to frame ground.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

Snot81 said:


> Wire looks blue in photos, but is definitely GREEN.


Awesome! Mystery solved. So the schematic does actually match up to the gen.

You can use some heat shrink to help make the wiring look more conventional. For example, a short length of white heat shrink on the green wires would do that.



Snot81 said:


> No continuity between Any wires here (red, green, orange and black) and frame


Perfect!



Snot81 said:


> Engine to frame ground.


Again, perfect on that too.

Everything is as it should be.


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

Okay, so been a lot of back and forth. I’m not sure how it’s to be wired. Can I see exactly how is should be connected or look. Thanks


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

So I’m confused now, since it’s been back and forth a lot. Can we see exactly how it should be wired from the schematics or the photo. Thanks a ton.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

Snot81 said:


> Can we see exactly how it should be wired from the schematics or the photo.


It should look like this. Keep in mind that the green wires are NOT ground wires as would normally be the case. They are neutral wires.









When you get everything wired up and the housing has been reattached to the generator, then you should be able to read continuity from both receptacle ground sockets to the frame. No ground wires are needed because the receptacle brackets provide the ground connection. However, if you wish to run a wire between the receptacle grounds and the alternator case, that will not hurt a thing. Personally, I like to see the ground wires there and not rely upon the possibility of a bad ground due to a loose screw, paint, rust, etc.

As I mentioned earlier, the N-G bond will be established when you connect to the house. Otherwise, this is now a floating neutral generator when wired this way.


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

That’s great thank you


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

Housing ready to accept L14-30 receptacle.


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## sdowney717 (12 mo ago)

Once you have it wired and gen running, check for the proper voltages, like hot to hot 240v, and each hot to the neutral 120v.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Just finished eating my hat for giving out bad advice. 😕 

Anyway, just noticed that the end cover does not have a solid ground connection to the rest of the frame. Though I can see that it is screwed on the end bell, however, the surface of the cover is mostly painted. As a result, there might not be a good metal-to-metal surface between the cover and the bell to make a good connection.

On the other hand, I guess this is only relevant if the generator is used as a standalone with a grounding rod. But for connection to the home, the panel will have the ground and the N-G bond so it would be fine as it is.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

OrlyP said:


> Anyway, just noticed that the end cover does not have a solid ground connection to the rest of the frame. Though I can see that it is screwed on the end bell, however, the surface of the cover is mostly painted. As a result, there might not be a good metal-to-metal surface between the cover and the bell to make a good connection.


Agree 100%. That is why I don't like to see the ground wires missing. However, it seems to be a trend with many of the manufacturers to rely on the panel and other painted surfaces to make contact. They save a few cents, but I don't think that is a good idea at all. The gen I have now came with all the ground wires. If my next does not have them, that will be the first mod I make to it.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Snot81 said:


> Housing ready to accept L14-30 receptacle.
> View attachment 11633
> 
> View attachment 11634


I'll say... you sure have steady hands. I can't even cut a hole as smooth as that on plastic, let alone metal. 

As one of the Youtube channel, Northridgefix, catchphrase would say, "Better than factory."


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

I think I see a threaded hole for a bolt in post #57 on the left just above the orange wire. If so, that was probably intended to be a grounding point.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

GenKnot said:


> I think I see a threaded hole for a bolt in post #57 on the left just above the orange wire. If so, that was probably intended to be a grounding point.


I see it. That can be used to electrically tie up the end cover to the rest of the frame. Thinking forward, I'd put bullet connectors on it so it can be easily disconnected like the stator wires.

I also notice in the same picture that the cap is a little worse for wear. Since the OP has the cover already off, might as well check its value.


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

OrlyP said:


> I see it. That can be used to electrically tie up the end cover to the rest of the frame. Thinking forward, I'd put bullet connectors on it so it can be easily disconnected like the stator wires.
> 
> I also notice in the same picture that the cap is a little worse for wear. Since the OP has the cover already off, might as well check its value.


I assume it’s a disconnected ohm reading? What should it read?


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Snot81 said:


> I assume it’s a disconnected ohm reading? What should it read?


A multimeter that can measure capacitance (F, uF, nF) is what you need. Or bring the cap to the parts store as they will likely have the tool to get a reading on it.

Not saying it needs to be replaced. But due diligence pays off if that part turns out to be showing signs of imminent failure.


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

Think I got it right. Ha. I will connect grounds from the receptacles to generator housing.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

Looks great! Who would know that it didn't come from the factory that way?

And +1 on the ground wires too.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

That is excellent work. Clean and professional.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

good idea on the plate mod for the opening conversion!


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## Snot81 (9 mo ago)

All finished! I’ve got about 125v from each hot leg and 250v at both. At transfer switch, with a fridge, freezer, sump pump and well pump I’m pulling about 2000 watts. Thank you everyone for the wisdom and helpfulness.🍻


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

That's great. Good to hear you're up and running. 

125/250V is typical of an unloaded generator without an AVR. But as you put appliances on it, the voltage will normalize to 120/240V... and pobably down to 110/220V when fully loaded.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

Its alive! 🧟 

Good work!


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