I have a new water well pump installation at a remote location that runs on 240V. My old portable power generator had a 3-prong receptacle (I just connected the 10ga. 2-wire plus ground lead from the pump to a 3-prong, 30 amp, 240v plug that was supplied with the generator. The pump worked without a problem). Now I have a new portable generator with a 240v receptacle that is 4-prong. I bought a 4-prong plug. Can I just use the White, Black and ground connections and ignore the connection for a Red wire since I don't have a Red wire? Or will that only give me 120v? What do I need to do? Thanks!

White black will normally give you 120. Black and red will normally give 240. Green or bare is ground.

3 conductor are usually black/white/green so white/black takes on different meanings depending on how used.

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Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

White black will normally give you 120. Black and red will normally give 240. Green or bare is ground.

3 conductor are usually black/white/green so white/black takes on different meanings depending on how used.

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Thanks for the quick response! Ok, I get what you are saying but I need some more information. If my 3 wires from the pump are Black/White/Bare, and the plug I bought to match the generator outlet calls for 4wires, Black/White/Green/Red, will I get 240v to the pump if they do not include a Red wire? If not, how do I get 240v to the pump with this new 4-prong outlet when I only have 3 wires coming up out of the ground for the pump? :D

Red (Gen) --> White (pump)
Black (Gen) ---> Black (Pump)
Bare (Gen) -----> Green (Pump)
Wht (Gen) ------> No connection

You will have 240 between Red(Gen) and Black(gen).

Excellent!! Thank you KeepItSimpleStupid!!

I should mention that if you looked at how the 120 outlets are wired if they exist; they should use black, white and bare/green/chassis.

Hope the new pump doesn't need a starter / control unit in which case the L1 and L2 would connect to red and black with the ground passing through to the ground on the pump. Standard 3 wire pump