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MEP-803A getting it to work,,,my first one!

WWRD99

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Make sure to never, never, never switch from 1ph to 3ph (single phase to three phase or vise versa) with the set running. From your comments it seems you just need 1 ph. Bad things can happen if you do. Do you have several tractors or pieces of equipment? We used to farm full time and just had the one 150 gal tank.

Robert
I've read that changing phase while running is bad...I think it says by the switch to turn it off to change what voltage and phase is output....yes I plan on using the 52 amp 240 volt setup...I think it will work best going into my box in the house...but not exactly sure...I'm assuming since the 240 comes into the house in 2 120 legs that everything 110 will work but it will have the 240 for the big stuff like the ac system...I may be in la la land with that but have to look into if that's how it works...if not I can go without ac if need be and my heat is all low volt 110...my biggest need for 220 is the well pump as I need that to work...so off into research land to find out...I also want to use the 240 because I can use a higher gauge wire that doesn't cost as much...which again I have to figure out which size to get! I don't have a farm but this spring a few people were selling their heating oil tanks so I snatched up 2 of them and set them up behind the garage to use for heat or power...I have a filter on each one then ran a copper line to hook them both together...I'll need a line to the genset from there to finish the hook up...how long did you run on 150 gallons?
 

robertsears1

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When I built and wired my house, I put in a 400 amp service entrance with two 200 amp sub panels (sub panels since they are not back to back to the service entrance) plus a 125 sub panel in the far end of the house to save on wire. I wanted plenty of slots. Just in the room above the garage, I have 18 outlets on three circuits. I also wired in a welder outlet to the garage on a 50 amp breaker. This is how I feed my house when the power is off. Some folks use a 50 amp RV hookup that you can get at Lowe’s. The correct way is with a transfer panel or a on-off-on arrangement that you can get to fit most breaker panels. You MUST GET OFF THE GRID before you use a generator to power your house. You can kill a lineman or let all of the magic smoke out of your genset if you do it wrong. Rex Cauldwell wrote an excellent book called Wiring a House. In the latest revision, he has a section on generators. In my county, the homeowner can wire his own house. I passed my electrical inspection on the first try following his book.CC2D4ADA-5BB0-4665-91DC-376D2E3CF1D2.jpeg60CA4073-F1ED-4295-A752-B02034A5539A.jpeg
 

WWRD99

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wow!!!! that's a ton of wiring!! My plan is to use a hard wire directly to the box with a breaker blocking device so I have to turn off grid power before the genset power fuse can be turned on...gotta do it safe for sure!! my questions that I need to find an answer to is if I run 240 to the box will the 110 stuff work or blow? I can make a small sub box that will run my well.. it is 220...that is not out of scope at all...I have to wait to hear from my township to get the permit to hook it up...they said they'll give me the code for size of wire and distance to figure out what I need to wire it up...I'll check that book out too!!
Thanks!!!
 

robertsears1

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Get the book, it will explain and answer your question. The two hots of a 240v line (120+120) go to the A and B side of a breaker box. That is why a a 240v breaker basically is two 120v breakers tied together with a bar since it gets juice from both the A and B side. A 120 v breaker just gets one hot from one side and a neutral. Read the book and or get some help.

Robert
 

WWRD99

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Get the book, it will explain and answer your question. The two hots of a 240v line (120+120) go to the A and B side of a breaker box. That is why a a 240v breaker basically is two 120v breakers tied together with a bar since it gets juice from both the A and B side. A 120 v breaker just gets one hot from one side and a neutral. Read the book and or get some help.

Robert
Thanks so much!! That makes perfect sense...I over think stuff...I know it's 2 legs but couldn't separate the 2 in one thing...ok off to find the book on how to do this correctly and get the permit...it takes forever for that but at least I can have a solid start!
Thanks again!
Rich
 

Daybreak

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Howdy,
For your knowledge.

US Standard electrical 1 Phase 120/240
It depends on the year, location, and who is talking.
110v is the same as 115v, which is the same as 120v, which is the same as 125v
A standard duplex outlet is 120v outlet

Larger items use both sides, and that is how you have 220v, which is the same as 230v, which is the same as 240v.

Some twist lock plugs and such might have a label saying 125/250v

Electric at the plug = you want it around 120v and 60Hz
 

Daybreak

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Howdy,

 

WWRD99

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This works
Well....after living in this house for 5 years and adding a few circuits myself you would think I would notice that I don't have a main shut off fuse buss!! I have no words for how I missed it...I even left 2 open spots at the bottom so I can move all the breakers down 2 so I would have space at the top for a double fuse...oh well I'll have the electrician give me ideas at how we can add one or I may have to do a sub box....I have room on the wall to add it just so much easier with it already there!! UGH!
 

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WWRD99

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Howdy,

PERFECT!
 

WWRD99

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Yes there is...right next to the meter...it's not what I wanted to do but it's probably the best option...I may look at doing the connection between the meter and house now as well...I prefer a manual disconnect though...one I know is completely open to the line power...so making this box work will probably be the way I go unless my electrician has another idea.


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robertsears1

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Yes there is...right next to the meter...it's not what I wanted to do but it's probably the best option...I may look at doing the connection between the meter and house now as well...I prefer a manual disconnect though...one I know is completely open to the line power...so making this box work will probably be the way I go unless my electrician has another idea.


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Yes there is...right next to the meter...it's not what I wanted to do but it's probably the best option...I may look at doing the connection between the meter and house now as well...I prefer a manual disconnect though...one I know is completely open to the line power...so making this box work will probably be the way I go unless my electrician has another idea.


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Make sure and get the Cauldwell book with the latest revision anyway. It has lots of excellent knowledge about how to actually wire things up with examples. Talk to an electrican. So many folks now have generators that they should be familiar with the proper way to hook them up. I didn’t get into generators until December of 2002 when we had a terrible ice storm and didn’t have power for 5 days. I said never again. Last year, I believe we lost power 7 times.

Robert
 

WWRD99

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I'll look into that book too!! I have a copy of the local code now...I think I can use this generac smart box to shut power off from the line...kinda more than I'd want to spend...even though I want a manual open lever, flipping power during a storm outside is probably not fun...I'll see what the inspector says and electrician!!


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robertsears1

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I would get a manual switch since you have to start the 803 and get it online unless you get a remote start for it also. The automatic gear can get to be more than the generator.

Robert
 

WWRD99

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Howdy,
You could replace that service breaker panel with a EZ-Connect Transfer Switch. I don't see tons of info on it, but it would accomplish what you need.

200 Amp service panel transfer switch with service disconnect.
That set up looks good! Seems very simple and it can be ordered with the 200 amp breaker in it as well....so the box that has the breaker in it now could be removed and replaced with this switch.
Thanks!
 

WWRD99

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York Pa
That set up looks good! Seems very simple and it can be ordered with the 200 amp breaker in it as well....so the box that has the breaker in it now could be removed and replaced with this switch.
Thanks!
So where I am with Met-Ed power company Pa they don't allow that switch setup here unfortunately...I liked the setup, so the sparky that comes tomorrow is going to see how to do a new setup with a manual switch still...just gotta figure out which one to do.
 

Daybreak

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So where I am with Met-Ed power company Pa they don't allow that switch setup here unfortunately...I liked the setup, so the sparky that comes tomorrow is going to see how to do a new setup with a manual switch still...just gotta figure out which one to do.
Howdy,
I don't think you spoke with someone which knows what you are asking. The switch is service rated isolation switch. It really has nothing to do with Met-Ed Power. It is physically after the meter. So Met-Ed is out of it.
 

Light in the Dark

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I've sold a couple gensets into PA, and each time the buyers have expressed nothing but frustration with the power providers and idiocy of rules about connections. I don't know the exact details, but its been rather consistent.
 
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