Only have power to half my breaker box.

[duke7595]

Why don't both sides of my panel work when back feeding it through a 30-amp breaker by generator ? Wire used , 10-3/w ground from breaker box, 30 breaker amp. double 240 watt. The wire then runs to a electrical box with a male L 14-30 generator plug, which the generator is plugged to .
I also installed a interlock device which only allows the "feed breaker to be activated only when the Main is is in the off position".
I cant' understand why the entire breaker box is not HOT but only the right half, same side as the feed breaker.
Any ideas what the problem could be ?

 

[Wnc3]

Is it a 2 pole breaker?
Is your generator switch on 240?(this was my oversight, forgot to flip switch on genset)

 

[dave1949]

240 switch, and you could verify that the generator is producing both legs of the 240 if you have a volt meter or tester.

 

[s219]

Which side the breaker is on should have nothing to do with it, since dual pole breakers plug into both legs no matter where they go (as far as I know all modern panels are designed this way now). So I'd suspect you're not really feeding two hot lines in.

 

[camshawn]

240/120volt switch needs to be on 240 v. Had several service calls for that (If there is one).Next you need to use a meter to check from the source out to the plug then to the panel mains.
Be carefully, electricity is invisible and can kill you.
Cam

 

[duke7595]

I forgot to add a picture when I first posted. this is the set up I have, the pulled breaker is for the generator.
s219 I didn't quite get what you said about the 2 legs not being hot, could you explain this ?

 

[Coyote machine]

Bad breaker? Breaker not connecting on both legs, switch feeds to breaker; see if it follows, or is the same. Bad generator output to backfed breaker?

 

[s219]

View attachment 383984 I forgot to add a picture when I first posted. this is the set up I have, the pulled breaker is for the generator.
s219 I didn't quite get what you said about the 2 legs not being hot, could you explain this ?

I'm saying the breaker most certainly will connect to both legs of the circuit panel, so that suggests to me that one of the incoming lines back feeding into the breaker is not hot. Or possibly one pole of the breaker is not making contact. That can happen if a breaker is beginning to fail from age or frequent switching.

 

[Clint S]

I'm saying the breaker most certainly will connect to both legs of the circuit panel, so that suggests to me that one of the incoming lines back feeding into the breaker is not hot. Or possibly one pole of the breaker is not making contact. That can happen if a breaker is beginning to fail from age or frequent switching.

Yep get a tester and see which one it is. Bad breaker or bad leg. My guess is the breaker is bad. Especially if all the outlets in the genny are working

 

[Coyote machine]

View attachment 383984 I forgot to add a picture when I first posted. this is the set up I have, the pulled breaker is for the generator.
s219 I didn't quite get what you said about the 2 legs not being hot, could you explain this ?

I have retracted an incorrect statement made earlier in this post to prevent confusion about the OP's issue.
As was pointed out by poorfarmboy on the next page, the breakers do NOT control the neutral or ground legs of the panel busses, (the flat grey metal strips at the back of the panel, {under the breakers, when installed}. The breaker(s) ONLY control the hot wire(s) fed through the breaker's wire hold-down screw.