Backup Generators

brk-lnt · 03-04-2013, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty

When the code cop inspected it he said that I did a good job.

It's not against code, it's just (generally) a sign of amateur/DIY work.

SIKSUKR · 03-04-2013, 12:18 PM

Yout wire nuts should never loosen up by just bending wires and stuffing them in the box.Scary stuff.This should tell you that your not installing them properly.First,make sure both(or 3)(no more than 3) of the wires are stripped the same length and will be encased in the nut after tightening.Have them all nice and straight and all standing right next to each other and especially,have all the ends at the same position.Twist your nut while firmly holding all the wires and don't let go of the wires until your have the nut pretty secure.Twist it as hard as you can by hand until the wires actually start to twist.A couple electricians I know will actually finish twisting larger gauge (12,10 and up) with lineman pliers.Lastly,pull on all each wire
to see if it stays connected.I've had a more than a few pull out when I thought they were tight.That loose wire is exactly what you don't want and this is an easy check to see that they are securely fastened.

Rusty · 03-04-2013, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

It's not against code, it's just (generally) a sign of amateur/DIY work.

OK, you win.

KDL · 03-04-2013, 08:18 PM

If you twist enough wire nuts, you can usually feel a bad connection. Either the wire nut will feel tight sooner than it should or it will not tighten. In either case, take the connection apart and remake it. There is really no need to tape a properly made connection.

NoBozo · 03-05-2013, 07:08 PM

The transfer switch came in today from Amazon. The three prong recessed (male) recepticle was seperate and not installed in the transfer switch box. The instructions regarding this were non existant.

Inside the box were three pigtails..stripped on the ends: Black, White and Green that are intended to be wired to the back of the male recessed three prong recepticle which will be installed in the front of the box.

SO: Obviously the Green wire is Ground. and can be inserted into the Green terminal in the back of the three prong recessed recepticle. What about the Black and White pigtails..?? Which color (B or W) goes on "which flat blade" .. of the male (Recessed) three prong recepticle..??

Monkey wants another banana.

NB

wifi · 03-05-2013, 07:17 PM

In AC systems, white is neutral and goes to the wider prong and black is hot and goes to the smaller prong.

Irrigation Guy · 03-05-2013, 08:20 PM

Usually there is a gold terminal and a silver terminal. Black goes to the gold terminal if there is one.

Rusty · 03-05-2013, 09:29 PM

the brass screw is for the hot wire (black) and silver screw is for the neutral wire (white).

NoBozo · 03-05-2013, 09:35 PM

No Silver or Gold terminals on the Leviton connector supplied with the transfer switch. Just the Green.

NB

EDIT: See post #85.

Rusty · 03-05-2013, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoBozo

No Silver or Gold terminals on the Leviton connector supplied with the transfer switch. Just the Green.

NB

The below example will be for your inlet. Your blades are probably the same size and one might be gold and the other silver. If they are then hook the black wire to the gold blade. If not then the white wire goes to the right when the ground terminal is at the top as shown:

Happy Gourmand · 03-06-2013, 08:01 AM

Some good advice here...and some bad advice too. How do you choose?
Best advice....mount all the hardware, run all the wires...then call a licensed electrician to make the final connections. Could end up being the best $100 or so you spend.

NoBozo · 03-06-2013, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty

The below example will be for your inlet. Your blades are probably the same size and one might be gold and the other silver. If they are then hook the black wire to the gold blade. If not then the white wire goes to the right when the ground terminal is at the top as shown:

Looking head on at the prongs....with the ground on the top, my white wire is on the left as shown on your illustration.

NB

Rusty · 03-06-2013, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoBozo

Looking head on at the prongs....with the ground on the top, my white wire is on the left as shown on your illustration.

NB

You are correct.

NoBozo · 03-06-2013, 11:59 AM

Thanks guys for the input. I had a closer look this morning. There ARE Gold and Silver terminals. Everything checks out. It's wired correctly.

NB

Here is the recepticle used.

http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/Produ...minisite=10251

03-04-2013, 12:18 PM	#2
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	Yout wire nuts should never loosen up by just bending wires and stuffing them in the box.Scary stuff.This should tell you that your not installing them properly.First,make sure both(or 3)(no more than 3) of the wires are stripped the same length and will be encased in the nut after tightening.Have them all nice and straight and all standing right next to each other and especially,have all the ends at the same position.Twist your nut while firmly holding all the wires and don't let go of the wires until your have the nut pretty secure.Twist it as hard as you can by hand until the wires actually start to twist.A couple electricians I know will actually finish twisting larger gauge (12,10 and up) with lineman pliers.Lastly,pull on all each wire to see if it stays connected.I've had a more than a few pull out when I thought they were tight.That loose wire is exactly what you don't want and this is an easy check to see that they are securely fastened. __________________ SIKSUKR

03-05-2013, 07:08 PM	#5
NoBozo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Portsmouth. RI Posts: 2,231 Thanks: 400 Thanked 460 Times in 308 Posts	Update The transfer switch came in today from Amazon. The three prong recessed (male) recepticle was seperate and not installed in the transfer switch box. The instructions regarding this were non existant. Inside the box were three pigtails..stripped on the ends: Black, White and Green that are intended to be wired to the back of the male recessed three prong recepticle which will be installed in the front of the box. SO: Obviously the Green wire is Ground. and can be inserted into the Green terminal in the back of the three prong recessed recepticle. What about the Black and White pigtails..?? Which color (B or W) goes on "which flat blade" .. of the male (Recessed) three prong recepticle..?? Monkey wants another banana. NB

03-05-2013, 09:35 PM	#9
NoBozo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Portsmouth. RI Posts: 2,231 Thanks: 400 Thanked 460 Times in 308 Posts	No Silver or Gold terminals on the Leviton connector supplied with the transfer switch. Just the Green. NB EDIT: See post #85. Last edited by NoBozo; 03-06-2013 at 12:06 PM.

03-06-2013, 11:59 AM	#14
NoBozo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Portsmouth. RI Posts: 2,231 Thanks: 400 Thanked 460 Times in 308 Posts	New Update Thanks guys for the input. I had a closer look this morning. There ARE Gold and Silver terminals. Everything checks out. It's wired correctly. NB Here is the recepticle used. http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/Produ...minisite=10251

03-04-2013, 08:18 PM	#4
KDL Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 120 Thanks: 0 Thanked 15 Times in 12 Posts	If you twist enough wire nuts, you can usually feel a bad connection. Either the wire nut will feel tight sooner than it should or it will not tighten. In either case, take the connection apart and remake it. There is really no need to tape a properly made connection.

03-05-2013, 07:17 PM	#6
wifi Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Lakes Region Posts: 1,321 Thanks: 282 Thanked 287 Times in 169 Posts	In AC systems, white is neutral and goes to the wider prong and black is hot and goes to the smaller prong.

03-05-2013, 08:20 PM	#7
Irrigation Guy Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Moultonborough, NH Posts: 484 Thanks: 89 Thanked 138 Times in 72 Posts	Usually there is a gold terminal and a silver terminal. Black goes to the gold terminal if there is one.

03-05-2013, 09:29 PM	#8
Rusty Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 2,028 Thanks: 603 Thanked 687 Times in 425 Posts	the brass screw is for the hot wire (black) and silver screw is for the neutral wire (white). __________________ It's never crowded along the extra mile. Last edited by Rusty; 03-07-2013 at 09:00 PM.

03-06-2013, 08:01 AM	#11
Happy Gourmand Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ruskin FL Posts: 1,027 Thanks: 188 Thanked 322 Times in 179 Posts	Some good advice here...and some bad advice too. How do you choose? Best advice....mount all the hardware, run all the wires...then call a licensed electrician to make the final connections. Could end up being the best $100 or so you spend.