Mystery plug on Honda Generator

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Brooks James

Brooks James

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I'm aware that it's 220

What are the applications for it

Was told it's for marine application

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You can break that out into two 110 circuits.

Or you can run a welder, etc.

You can even back feed your house panel if you know what you're doing.
 
The receptacle says 30Amp 125 Volt. Get a tester and check it while its running. At 1st glance one would think 220 but I don't think so.
 
The operating instructions should be found on Google. It appears that you have two separate 125 volt circuits based on the reset buttons and that pole plug would be used for 220 volt applications. I agree with YY1 in that there are ways to power your home with a generator if you know what you’re doing. FYI, if you don’t do it right you could electrocute a lineman trying to restore electricity in your area.
 
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Hmm....Those 4 prong single phase twist plugs are usually 120/240v. Houses need both voltages when feeding a transfer switch. (stoves 120/240, water heaters 240, household plugs 120 etc)
 
In most houses, half of the 120v circuits are on one phase, the other half on the other.
 
mcodecuda said:
The operating instructions should be found on Google. It appears that you have two separate 125 volt circuits based on the reset buttons and that pole plug would be used for 220 volt applications. I agree with YY1 in that there are ways to power your home with a generator if you know what you’re doing. FYI, if you don’t do it right you could electrocute a lineman trying to restore electricity in your area.
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Ive had a couple of electrical guys over. It's shocking (pun intended)
What they get $$
 

NEMA L14-30R and L14-20R Outlets​


L14-30R, L14-30P, L14-20R, L14-20P
From the left, NEMA L14-30R outlet, L14-30P plug, L14-20R outlet, and L14-20P plug

NEMA L14-30R and L14-20R are twist-lock equipped 120/240V, 30A and 120/240V, 20A receptacles, respectively. In the same order, they can provide power of up to 7200 W or 4800 W.


NEMA L14-30 connectors are commonly used to power household appliances which require 240 V and to hook up home backup generators to transfer switches. On the other hand, NEMA L14-20 connectors are rarely encountered. Note that both connectors can be interfaced with their non-twist-locked counterparts by an appropriate adapter.

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Thanks for the notes and ideas

I want to rewire my home before I can hook the generator up in line.
My home was built in 1958
2 copper wire original wiring

I rewired my first home. Pulled a permit, the inspector did reviews,
Signed off.

The problem is, at 66, I have no intention of of crawling in, over, and around the house again
 
Might ruffle some feathers here but...

You really don't need a transfer switch.

Simply turn off the main breaker.

Wire the generator to an appropriately sized 2 pole 240 breaker.

Mind your amperage and turn off central AC, range, etc.

Probably OK to cycle the water heater if everything else is off.

Unless you have big draws on the 15 and 20A circuits, you can probably leave those on.

Again, mind your amperage and startup current.

Room light circuits should eb OK to leave on but I wouldn't have all the lights on at the same time.

Probably OK to run a couple fans or a window unit AC.

I've got an "AmProbe" from my days as an electrician's apprentice and I use that to check the draw on each leg of the breaker feeding the panel from the generator.

Balancing the load is a good idea, as well.

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Kinda like above. I shutoff main breaker panel switch and all breakers. Plug generator into my dryer receptacle, turn on dryer breaker to back feed panel then turn on breaker that I need being mindful of amperage used. Only feeds on side of the panel so I had needed breakers on that side if that makes any sense.
 
Kendog 170 said:
Kinda like above. I shutoff main breaker panel switch and all breakers. Plug generator into my dryer receptacle, turn on dryer breaker to back feed panel then turn on breaker that I need being mindful of amperage used. Only feeds on side of the panel so I had needed breakers on that side if that makes any sense.
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How much voltage does your generator put out?
 
It's the amps not the volts.

It's either 120 or 120/240.

My generator is a 5000/6250 watt. (5000 continuous, 6250 startup/surge).

More than enough to run the frige and a window unit AC plus a couple fans and a few rooms of lights.
(frige and window AC should be on different phases)

...the 20 or 30 amp rating of the connector theoretically limits you if using #10 wire, but using #8 wire will help.

Startup draw of compressors is the true limiting factor.
 
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5000 watts/220v is 22.7 amp capacity; which, as to resistance heating or motor capacity, is not much.
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In winter, we'd have to move into the room where the fridge and freezer are, lol.
But yes, it will keep my fridge/freezers cold and a lotta lotta LED bulbs.
I put my freezer out on the deck for the summer. Used to have a fridge out there too, but the neighbor kids kept helping themselves to the popsicles all summer. Then when they had eaten them all, they complained that they were all gone!
I heat with a wood-fired pancake boiler, that has a 4-element, total 80A electric sidearm, that when it gets working full-time, gives the electric-meter a good workout.
80Amp/220v is about 18,000 watts. Needless to say, Ima shoveling firewood. I'd have to run three or four of those 5000 watt generators to be comfortable. Hmm, Ima thinking that's a lotta gasoline.
Thankfully, our community is fed from at least two directions and we are almost never without electric power; and if it does happen, a 30 minute outage would be a long one.
 
Yeah...anything that is basically a short circuit and generates heat is a huge load.
 
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