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CIVI Gen. thoughts.

Floridianson

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There's no problem at all with running 120v and 240v devices at the same time. You just don't want to exceed the rating of the generator, which is where the breaker comes in.



Are you planning to switch a single plug between 120v and 240v? If so, that could cause a bigger problem if someone comes along and flips the switch, sending 240v to the 120v devices...
Yea got that I could run both at the same time but my well at 240 and 30 amps eats up almost all my watts if I understand. The 240 has a plug installed buy the guy I bought it from. I installed the 30 amp 120 RV outlet for my RV . So two different outlets. The switch I bought will handle 60 amps but looks like it is not to be used to switch live power. That is ok because I have the 35 amp. main I can cut off first before switching from 120 to 240 from reading up on it. That or when I shut down the machine to move the unit back closer to the house to run the RV because my well is 100 feet from the house. Thanks.
 
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Coug

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much better to only switch power with the unit shut off.
As in, don't do it while it's running. Not sure on this unit, but the larger ones all have warnings not to switch while running.
 

DieselAddict

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Its not likely your well takes 30a. I have a good sized well pump here and its running amps is around 6. My MEP831 will start and run the well fine so its not pulling too much juice.

I recommend getting a cheap power meter and see how much your are using. You may find its not as much of a problem as you think.
 

Floridianson

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Yea thanks running amps are lower. Was worried about the starting amp and the well is on a 30 amp house breaker. I did look inside of a box on the Genny and it has a capacitor in line. Like you said should be ok but I am only using it for the well on 240 so guess I covered my azz well on that.
 

Scoobyshep

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Other thing to remember, the breaker rating it the trip point. They are ment to be loaded to 80% maximum umder normal circumstances

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 

Ferroequinologist

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I love my little kohler 6kw light plant. I have a way to backfeed through my welder plug (opening the main panel breaker first of course) and feed 240 to the well and part of the house (i have 2 200amp panels coming in) but I really want to get a transfer switch installed so it is failsafe.
 

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Floridianson

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Yea I thought about a transfer switch installed to the house but think I will just use it for well and RV. I do not want to light up my house and every else in the neighborhood is with out power. They will want to come to my place eat my food and drink all my beer plus party all night long. I like my neighbors but drink all my beer?
 
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Mullaney

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Yea I thought about a transfer switch installed to the house but think I will just use it for well and RV. I do not want to light up my house and every else in the neighborhood is with out power. They will want to come to my place eat my food and drink all my beer plus party all night long. I like my neighbors but drink all my beer?
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You are so right. There will be plenty of extra generators laying around on the ground. That and all the other spoils from the idiots. Same bunch of people who are cooking bacon on a campfire and wonder why all their stuff was taken...

That trailer that you have is the ultimate fall back defensive position.
Especially with the 915 attached so it can be out away from everyone else.
 

Floridianson

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That trailer that you have is the ultimate fall back defensive position.
Especially with the 915 attached so it can be out away from everyone else.
Yea I could hook it to the 373 trailer with the 915 hooked to the 373 and leave town. Truth if it ever came time to worry about it all falling apart I would be best to stay at home. Lake for fish, Canadian Geese, Gator, and water to flush the John plush wash my dirty butt. Then If I took out a couple of trees I could have a garden as there is close one acre of open ground. Problem is I kill everything I try and grow.
 

Mullaney

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Yea I could hook it to the 373 trailer with the 915 hooked to the 373 and leave town. Truth if it ever came time to worry about it all falling apart I would be best to stay at home. Lake for fish, Canadian Geese, Gator, and water to flush the John plush wash my dirty butt. Then If I took out a couple of trees I could have a garden as there is close one acre of open ground. Problem is I kill everything I try and grow.
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Have to just step up and "go carnivor" . Growing vegetables other than potatoes is a waste of time to me anyhow. I eat my vegetables second hand. Critters eat, then I eat them :cool: Yes sir, the only advantage to living here in the big city would be the abundance of targeting material. Not a lot of things other than squirrels around here

Over on the Suwanee back in the woods is about as nice a place as you can find in Florida other than where you are. If the floods come, you could crank up and drive for higher ground.
 

Floridianson

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Ok want to have any extra small parts so I got a spare 35 amp breaker. My question is about the capacitor. I did a google and they are calling it a light ballast capacitor even has the resistor installed. Do I even need it or do I need another one with different values?
The Gen. is running good and good voltage # and Hz. # about where they should be under full load of the RV. Learning all about generators, capacitors and resistors is hurting my little brain. Tanks
 

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Floridianson

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Guess I asked the wrong question. I do not know who put this capacitor in the machine. Since I will only be using it at the well at 240 then disconnect and hook it to my RV 30 amp 120 volts. I will not be using both 240 and 120 at the same time or hooking it to the house. Seems like I would need a different capacitor for the 240 and one for the 120 volt. I tried to do some math from the web. 67 amps x 2650 divided buy 120 is 1479.583333 and 33 amps x 2650 divided buy is 364.375. So what does these numbers tell me. As said I am lost when it comes to stuff like this but trying to learn a little. I did hook it to the RV and when the load came on the LED lights flickered just a tad. Have not tried it on the well yet and do not want to damage the well or Gen. with the wrong capacitor as this one that is in there might be just for the lights when it was a light tower.
 

Scoobyshep

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Ok want to have any extra small parts so I got a spare 35 amp breaker. My question is about the capacitor. I did a google and they are calling it a light ballast capacitor even has the resistor installed. Do I even need it or do I need another one with different values?
The Gen. is running good and good voltage # and Hz. # about where they should be under full load of the RV. Learning all about generators, capacitors and resistors is hurting my little brain. Tanks

It looks like a cap from a metal halide ballast. what is it wired to? if the resistor is paralleled to the cap the resistor is a bleed off it slowly drains the cap when there is no power applied
 

Floridianson

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My well is 100 feet from where the RV sits so I will just move it when I need well water. No I have a 30 amp 10 foot RV extension cord for the 120 hard wired in and the 240 has it's own utility outlet built into the face of the control box. No way to send 240 down 120 line. I just want to be sure I have the right capacitor. Yes I understand now what the resister does. Allen has been schooling me on some of the basic stuff.
 
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