Generator problem

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Fredkrueger100

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don't discount the harbor freight generators. i have several and have had no problems with them at all. and if you watch the sale you can get one really cheap. so cheap that i bought more than one so when the first one went bad i could use the other one... still using the first one .
I actually considered the biggest one they had. Have to buy the wheels and battery separately but not that big a deal. I just need one to last about 4-5 more years and then we are getting a stand-alone generator. How many hours of you have on yours?
 

cowadle

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I actually considered the biggest one they had. Have to buy the wheels and battery separately but not that big a deal. I just need one to last about 4-5 more years and then we are getting a stand-alone generator. How many hours of you have on yours?
sorry i don't know how many hours are on mine. it gets abused for the most part because it was so cheap but keeps on going. mine aren't the inverter type. the voltage regulators can be purchased online for cheap and brush sets also if you thought you might need any.
 

KOPBET

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Don't know your setup, but if you connect your generator directly to the main panel on your house, you should use a generator that has, or can be used with an unbonded neutral. Your main panel already has the ground and neutral bonded together and you shouldn't have it also bonded in the generator. You can read why on the web. I say this because looking at the wiring diagram another poster provided, the generator you have now has a bonded neutral. If you are just using an extension cord to power an appliance, keep the neutral bonding in place.
 

cowadle

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Don't know your setup, but if you connect your generator directly to the main panel on your house, you should use a generator that has, or can be used with an unbonded neutral. Your main panel already has the ground and neutral bonded together and you shouldn't have it also bonded in the generator. You can read why on the web. I say this because looking at the wiring diagram another poster provided, the generator you have now has a bonded neutral. If you are just using an extension cord to power an appliance, keep the neutral bonding in place.
that is actually very important. my harbor freight gens can be bonded or unbonded
 

John6185

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I wish I had looked at Harbor Freight generators, I bought a Black Max Honda powered 8500w generator (pricey) and it will run on propane, natural gas or asoline. The problem is, it will use 5 gallons of gasoline per night! Ill run it on natural gas.
 

Firpo

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@KOPBET I appreciate the nudge to read up on bonded vs floating neutrals. If I’m understanding correctly, unless the transfer switch also switches the neutral it’s creating a situation where electricity has two separate paths to travel which is “No Bueno”.
 

KOPBET

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@KOPBET I appreciate the nudge to read up on bonded vs floating neutrals. If I’m understanding correctly, unless the transfer switch also switches the neutral it’s creating a situation where electricity has two separate paths to travel which is “No Bueno”.

I believe most transfer switches do NOT switch the neutral. I have a Generlink and it does not switch either.
 

Firpo

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@KOPBET I’d tend to agree although I really didn’t get into that end of the electrical industry. Spent all my time with factory automation ie drives, sensors and safety systems etc… As to my specific 400A Generac ATS my participation in its installation was writing a big fat check to Mr Electrician. 😉 Which reminds me, I have a question but should probably start my own thread.
 

Fredkrueger100

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Don't know your setup, but if you connect your generator directly to the main panel on your house, you should use a generator that has, or can be used with an unbonded neutral. Your main panel already has the ground and neutral bonded together and you shouldn't have it also bonded in the generator. You can read why on the web. I say this because looking at the wiring diagram another poster provided, the generator you have now has a bonded neutral. If you are just using an extension cord to power an appliance, keep the neutral bonding in place.
An electrician hooked in an interlock switch on my breaker. I run the cable to the generator. I had no idea about this. He never said anything and he made me hook it up and run it with a load on it so he could make sure everything was safe. He is a friend of my family too, not just some random electrician. I am pretty sure the Duromax generator I bought is not neutral bonded. I’m pretty sure I saw that on a video I was watching.

On another note, I had some stuff to do outside today so I got my generator out and set it on my drip pan. I made sure the oil was full and turned it on. I let it run for about 35 minutes and the oil was still leaking out pretty good. I turned it off an checked the oil level and it was at the bottom of the dipstick. So I doubt very seriously I could use it for very long without it shutting off for low oil. Someone mentioned me just running it even though it leaks but I don’t think it’s smart with how much it’s leaking.
 

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