Generator breaker vs. regular breaker-is there a difference?

[radioman]

You have the wire which saves you a big bundle. You have the ability to buy a interlock sheetmetal that fits on your panel. I dont see how you really can save money using a 50 amp breaker when a 30 is more suited for the job if your genny is rated for that. nothing can replace the peace of mind with right sized breaker.

To answer your first question , just like everyone else says - a breaker is a breaker. nothing special about a generator breaker for hookup to go in your breaker box. Save your 50 amp for the future or sell.

 

[aczlan]

To answer your first question , just like everyone else says - a breaker is a breaker. nothing special about a generator breaker for hookup to go in your breaker box. Save your 50 amp for the future or sell.

And a SquareD 30 amp breaker is about $10 IIRC, not worth it IMO "Just in case" the generator breaker (which is probably the cheapest one they could get) is bad.

Aaron Z

 

[Coyote machine]

Don't get grumpy, I was just agreeing with your stern warning in your earlier post.

OK, After re-reading your post numerous times I can see how you meant to be agreeing with what I said- it just didn't come across that way, part of the problem with the written word...
I just don't want someone to misunderstand the seriousness of wiring things correctly

 

[Coyote machine]

I think you might want to work on your ability to recognize sarcasm. Just saying.

BTW, a breaker is a breaker, and interlock kits are great.

I went back and re-read the post in reference and can see how he meant, as he later stated in another post, that he agreed with me. I mis-read his meaning. It was not clear to me originally, and I did not want someone to end up taking this issue as if it is not a significant subject. Sometimes hard to discern the meaning one conveys in the written word.

 

[buickanddeere]

As previously stated a couple of times. It's all about the generator breaker and main breaker having a defeat proof interlock to prevent both from being closed at the same time.
Ground wire and neutral wire is a contentious issue and often miss understood.
Don't anybody bother trying to say ground and neutral is the same either. As soon as you do, it's proof you don't know the theory.
The neutral is an insulated load current carrying conductor which is referenced to earth potential voltage.
The ground system is not to conduct load current. It's designed to hold metal equipment in services, buildings and machines to earth potential . In normal operating and during fault conditions.

 

[Lightnsound]

Sometimes hard to discern the meaning one conveys in the written word.

Agreed. I've gotten myself in trouble texting more than once. The lack of inflection makes it difficult. I think that's why people use the smily faces so much.

I also agree that electricity done wrong can have dire consequences.

 

[joshuabardwell]

The 30 amp recepitical is protected by the 30 amp breaker on the generator not by the 50a breaker..
The only time the outlet gets power is when the generator is running

Yes, but doesn't that presume that the generator is the only thing that is ever plugged into that outlet? Is there any other type of appliance that might plug into that 30A outlet that would draw more than 30A, or that wouldn't have its own breaker protection?

 

[Lightnsound]

Yes, but doesn't that presume that the generator is the only thing that is ever plugged into that outlet? Is there any other type of appliance that might plug into that 30A outlet that would draw more than 30A, or that wouldn't have its own breaker protection?

The interlock will keep the plug (its a male connector, not an outlet, more of an inlet) from being hot if the main is closed, so the only thing that will connect there is a generator. And if something is wired incorrectly enough to mate with the connector, no voltage will be present.

The breaker is there to protect the wiring in the house, but it's the breaker on the generator that will trip if something goes awry.

Breakers are installed to protect what is downstream of them, so the backfed breaker would really only be protecting from the buss bars in. If the generator was running, and you drove over the cable coming from it causing a short, it's the generator breaker that would trip. The breaker in the panel would not see the over current condition.

Every one of us has wires that are undersized for the breaker rating they are on, unless your TV and clock radio and everything else you have plugged in has a 12 gauge line cord.

As far as the connector, a standard Edison female receptacle is rated for 15 amps, yet they are usually connected to a 20 amp breaker.

Sorry for jumping around, just a bunch of things I thought of reading this thread.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Breakers are installed to protect what is downstream of them, so the backfed breaker would really only be protecting from the buss bars in.

That's an interesting point. I wasn't thinking about the fact that the interlock will prevent the receptacle from ever being fed by the 50A breaker in the service panel.

Every one of us has wires that are undersized for the breaker rating they are on, unless your TV and clock radio and everything else you have plugged in has a 12 gauge line cord. As far as the connector, a standard Edison female receptacle is rated for 15 amps, yet they are usually connected to a 20 amp breaker.

The appliance cord isn't relevant to my point, since it's not permanently installed, nor inside the wall. My understanding is that NEC is designed to protect against hazards in building wiring, but it's Underwriter's Laboratory and their ilk that certify appliances. But your second point is definitely relevant, and just to be sure, I went and looked at my service panel, and sure enough, it's 20A breakers all over the place, but only 15A receptacles. Of course, a 20 amp plug will have a sideways prong and won't plug into a 15A receptacle, but what would protect the system if a 15A appliance was faulty and drew 20A, overheating the receptacle? I'm surprised the NEC doesn't prevent that situation from arising.

 

[CobyRupert]

So what would protect the 30 amp receptacle from being overloaded? As long as this generator, and future generators, has a 30 amp or less breaker on it, you're good. But why not put in a 50 amp receptacle to match the wire and panel breaker?