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    skemcis's Avatar
    skemcis Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Aug 12, 2008, 12:53 PM
    Generator direct to water heater
    I am building new home, and line power won't be installed until November. My question is: can I hook my hot water heater to the 240v plug on my generator without installing a breaker panel.(not ready for electrical yet)? The generator is rated at 6500w. Any help greatly appreciated.
    benaround's Avatar
    benaround Posts: 69, Reputation: 6
    Junior Member
    		  
    #2

    Aug 12, 2008, 04:33 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by skemcis
    I am building new home, and line power wont be installed until November. My question is: can I hook my hot water heater to the 240v plug on my generator without installing a breaker panel.(not ready for electrical yet)? The generator is rated at 6500w. Any help greatly appreciated.
    I don't know how happy the Elec. Inspc. Will be with that, but to answer your Q. yes.
    skemcis's Avatar
    skemcis Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #3

    Aug 12, 2008, 04:43 PM
    Up here, we don't bother the electrical inspectors, and conversly... well... I was just wondering how to accomplish this. Its just a temporary setup till we get line power. How do I hook a 4 pole(at the generator 240v outlet) to a 3 pole 240v at the water heater? I understand that each of the hot wires at the generator is 120v, but how do I combine them to create 240V? There is a floating neutral on the gen, and the gen is grounded to earth as well.
    Do I have to have a breaker panel to do this?
    benaround's Avatar
    benaround Posts: 69, Reputation: 6
    Junior Member
    		  
    #4

    Aug 12, 2008, 06:17 PM
    If the gen has a two pole breaker protecting the 240vac outlet then it won't need any
    More protection. You only need a 3 wire cord, the 4th terminal at the gen is for the
    Neutral conductor, and the WH does not need that. Use the 2 hots and the grounding
    Conductor to wire the WH.
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