Electrical help

[Sigblitz]

I don't recall anyone bashing electricians in this thread

Correct. Just a joke. In no way related to the thread.
I would go with the 30A twist lock plug. You'll have the protection of the 30A breaker, protecting your generator from an overload if something went wrong with the [STRIKE]generator[/STRIKE] compressor.

 

[Sigblitz]

I don't recall anyone bashing electricians in this thread

Correct. I wasn't bashing anyone in the thread, just joking around.

I think the 30A twist lock plug will give your generator some breaker protection. You're existing plug is a 30A and not a 50A.

 

[phylodog]

I completely understand that. I am very much a DIY kind of guy but much prefer to leave electrical and plumbing projects to the experts. My problem right now is that the experts have more work than they know what to do with and driving clear out to my place for anything less than a new home build isn’t worth their time.

No hate, I’m happy to see those willing to work doing well but I’m coming up on a year without the power I need in my barn.

 

[Sigblitz]

Oops, posted twice. Got my post count up.

 

[edwea]

Correct. I wasn't bashing anyone in the thread, just joking around.

I think the 30A twist lock plug will give your generator some breaker protection. You're existing plug is a 30A and not a 50A.

Not sure about the compressor load, but the plug appears to be a 50 amp. The center blade on a 30 amp is notched whereas the center blade on a 50 amp is straight like the one pictured. Check the listed max fuse size on the compressor to be sure.

 

[churchmouse]

"If" the breaker that was being used is a 30 amp we must assume the wire is good for 30 amp. Long distance trouble -shooting is hit or miss.

How large in diameter it is. It may be too big to fit in the 30A twist lock. I have had this happen. Who knows where the cord came from or if it is the one the compressor came with. Just saying it is a possibility. That is all. I have wired more of these in than I can remember.

 

[churchmouse]

That is the real thing here.....distance. If closer I would roll up and do it for a cheeseburger and the always great conversations.

 

[Trigger Time]

Is that the same as the old dryer plugs? So could he just go to lowes and buy the new 4 prong model and wire it on himself and be good?

 

[JCSR]

How large in diameter it is. It may be too big to fit in the 30A twist lock. I have had this happen. Who knows where the cord came from or if it is the one the compressor came with. Just saying it is a possibility. That is all. I have wired more of these in than I can remember.

True. A 30 amp will be 10 gauge wire and the 50 amp a 6 gauge. More info from the OP is needed so we can stop guessing!

 

[Sigblitz]

Not sure about the compressor load, but the plug appears to be a 50 amp. The center blade on a 30 amp is notched whereas the center blade on a 50 amp is straight like the one pictured. Check the listed max fuse size on the compressor to be sure.

I'll take 50 for $100 Alex.

 

[JettaKnight]

Phylodog, you've got a NEMA 10-50 plug in your hand, and a NEMA 14-50 on the right side of you generator. You'll want to get a NEMA 14-50 plug to replace it. You might just get a new whip instead of just a plug, it'd probably be cheaper and easier to wire.


Wait, wait, wait, this compressor is a 30 amps, but uses a 50 amp plug? That's no good. Check the plate on the compressor, if it can get by with 30 amps (and if that's what you have for the circuit breaker), then use the right plug for it. A NEMA 14-30 would be OK, but you don't have an outlet for that, so you need a NEMA L14-30.

On both generator plugs, the top holes are ground and the bottom holes are neutral. In a generator, ground and neutral are tied together.

Now on your compressor, the top prong is neutral, the other two are hot. If you change the plug, just don't wire the NEUTRAL prong. Appliances used to ground through the neutral but newer codes have asked for a dedicated ground, hence the extra ground prong.

FIFY.


They added a mandate to provide a separate ground and current carrying neutral. That way, a device could use either 120 or 240 VAC without running current on the ground line.

In thins application, the device is strictly 240 VAC and does not required a neutral line, therefore the equipment ground (e.g. the chassis) should be tied to the ground line. Just because the ground and neutral are tied together somewhere up stream does not influence how you wire the plug for a device that moves, gets plugged into to different outlets, gets sold...

 

[Sigblitz]

Phylodog, you've got a NEMA 10-50 plug in your hand, and a NEMA 14-50 on the right side of you generator. You'll want to get a NEMA 14-50 plug to replace it. You might just get a new whip instead of just a plug, it'd probably be cheaper and easier to wire.


Wait, wait, wait, this compressor is a 30 amps, but uses a 50 amp plug? That's no good. Check the plate on the compressor, if it can get by with 30 amps (and if that's what you have for the circuit breaker), then use the right plug for it. A NEMA 14-30 would be OK, but you don't have an outlet for that, so you need a NEMA L14-30.





FIFY.


They added a mandate to provide a separate ground and current carrying neutral. That way, a device could use either 120 or 240 VAC without running current on the ground line.

In thins application, the device is strictly 240 VAC and does not required a neutral line, therefore the equipment ground (e.g. the chassis) should be tied to the ground line. Just because the ground and neutral are tied together somewhere up stream does not influence how you wire the plug for a device that moves, gets plugged into to different outlets, gets sold...

Rep.

 

[churchmouse]

True. A 30 amp will be 10 gauge wire and the 50 amp a 6 gauge. More info from the OP is needed so we can stop guessing!

If that is a true 50A pigtail the wire will be 6G and a 30 amp twist lock will not accept that size wirs.

 

[JettaKnight]

If that is a true 50A pigtail the wire will be 6G and a 30 amp twist lock will not accept that size wirs.

He should split the difference and get a 40 amp plug.

 

[churchmouse]

He should split the difference and get a 40 amp plug.

I like your up thread suggestion of a new pigtail if the RLA rating fits.

 

[JettaKnight]

I like your up thread suggestion of a new pigtail if the RLA rating fits.

If it's 50 amp, you might be able to salvage one from a range.

 

[frenchiectfd2203]

I need an electrician to swap out some outlets in a backsplash that I tiled but didn’t think about extending the boxes out to match the tile... not a word....

 

[Rookie]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CARLON-Blu...FPTLCdoNLZxS9XaiEf47dscrXeCn-7uBoCxYoQAvD_BwE