Purchased generator for mom’s house for outage use, electrical panel is encased on outer wall with stucco so don’t want to go reliance transfer system. Here is my alternative plan for this issue. There is a covered patio outside the kitchen and dining area, which would be her mainstay during power outage. Thinking of putting a L14-30 plug on the outside wall and two 5-15 receptacles on the inside which would feed off the L14-30 plug on the outside. I would use the 2 hot leads of the L14-30p to power each of the 5-15r’s (one leg of hot for each) and splice ground and neutral. This would be totally off the grid and no danger to any line workers. Also can leave a light on in living room area as indicator of main power being back on. Am I on the right track here? Is there something else I need to do? Any and all input is greatly appreciated.

NO, that sound well thought out, but it isn't right, probably not legal either. A company called Generator Interlock Technology, makes a real nice interlock kit for most panels out there. They cost about $150. Basically you put a 2 pole 30 amp breaker at the top of the panel. Wire that breaker to a 30 inlet box that has an L14-30 inlet in it. The interlock is UL listed, and allows the main OR the 2p 30 breaker, but never both. I highly recommend them.

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This would be totally off the grid and no danger to any line workers

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I don't see any difference, electrical, in this plan and running an extension cord through the window.

Generator should be far enough away from the house to avoid any concerns about carbon monoxide.

Even though generator has 30amp breaker, would it be safer if I go width GFI plugs on the inside?

You cannot use a 30 amp breaker to protect 15 amp receptacles. Using GFI devices does not eliminate the need for 15 amp protection for the 15 amp receptacles.


The genset should have 5-15R devices with 15 amp breakers built in. If all it has is the L14-30 outlet, then the interlock and connect to panel is the best method for several reasons.

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Originally Posted by tkrussell

You cannot use a 30 amp breaker to protect 15 amp receptacles. Using GFI devices does not eliminate the need for 15 amp protection for the 15 amp receptacles.


The genset should have 5-15R devices with 15 amp breakers built in. If all it has is the L14-30 outlet, then the interlock and connect to panel is the best method for several reasons.

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Thanks, that makes perfectly good sense. Genset does have 5-15R's so I would be better off using those to go through the wall. Patio wall has wood siding so that would eliminate having to bust up the stucco @ the elect. Panel. Anything else I should be aware of ?

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Originally Posted by 4th_stooge

Thanks, that makes perfectly good sense. Genset does have 5-15R's so I would be better off using those to go through the wall. Patio wall has wood siding so that would eliminate having to bust up the stucco @ the elect. panel. Anything else I should be aware of ?

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The 5-15R's are standard outletts. They are convience outlets, not inenteded to feed a disribution panel. The only way to wire the panel is using a L14-30 twist lock. If you don't want to ruin the exterior wall, mount the reliance panel inside. Why can't you do that? Then when attaching the cord run it under a garage door, or through a window.

I am trying to get away from wiring to the elect panel if possible. It is mounted outside, encased in stucco at an awkward part of the house, if no safe alternative way is available I will go with transfer switch to elect panel. Outside patio area would be the most easiest way to go being it is just outside kitchen (refrigerator) which her main concern. Don't really want to run extension cord through kitchen window but until I get issue resolved that is the way to go right now. I really do appreciate any and all suggestions, thanks...

There is no safe way to hook it up without wiring a transfer switch or panel interlock. Any other way creates the possibility of creating a backfeed on the line, posing a threat to anyone working to restore power. Even if YOU know what you're doing, and are certain you will shut of the main, ijt only takes forgetting 1 time to kill somebody. Please, for the sake of your lineworkers, wire the tansfer switch or interlock correctly. This isn't something that you can cut corners on.

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Originally Posted by mike 165278

There is no safe way to hook it up without wiring a transfer switch or panel interlock. Any other way creates the possibility of creating a backfeed on the line, posing a threat to anyone working to restore power. Even if YOU know what you're doing, and are certain you will shut of the main, ijt only takes forgetting 1 time to kill somebody. Please, for the sake of your lineworkers, wire the tansfer switch or interlock correctly. This isn't something that you can cut corners on.

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Don't know if you read my original question or not but my initial plan was to put a plug on the outside wall and the immediate inside wall to get power inside the house. Like a mini transfer station totally off the grid. Everything would be encased in proper boxes and wires in proper conduit. I by all means will not use any existing plugs that is wired to the elect panel, that would be insane. Maybe I didn't explain my intentions in the beginning. I would use 5-15R's both inside and outside that would feed from the generator's 5-15R which is surge protected.

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Originally Posted by 4th_stooge

don't know if you read my original question or not but my initial plan was to put a plug on the outside wall and the immediate inside wall to get power inside the house. like a mini transfer station totally off the grid. everything would be encased in proper boxes and wires in proper conduit. I by all means will not use any existing plugs that is wired to the elect panel, that would be insane. maybe I didn't explain my intentions in the beginning. I would use 5-15R's both inside and outside that would feed from the generator's 5-15R which is surge protected.

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That would only give you 15 amps and only power 1 phase. Also how would you prevent the power from flowing back to the street, or stop you generator from cooking when you get street power back. To do it right, the only thing you need to put outside would be an inlet box, it's small roughly a 6" square, 4" deep. If that's too big, you can cut an old work deep box in, or a deep single gang Bell box. Just put a L14-30 male inlet and a outdoor cover and you're all set. If that doesn't solve it then the question isn't clear to me. I thought the issue was not wanting to ruin the stucco. You can put the correct 30A receptacle in the same box you are planning on putting a duplex outlet. Put everything else inside...

Oh, the panel is encased in stucco... Hmmm

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Originally Posted by mike 165278

Oh, the panel is encased in stucco.... Hmmm

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There would be no possible way to get power out into the street or power back to the generator when main power is back on. It would be like running 4 extension cords from the generator's two 5-15r's through a hole in the wall and to the refrig, fan, TV,radio,etc. The only thing is I am replacing the hole in the wall with two 5-15r's on outside wall that will be directly connected to the two 5-15r's on the inside of the wall. All will be encased in proper outlet boxes and wires in proper conduit from outlet box to outlet box. I greatly appreciate and totally understand your safety concerns. So is this something that could possibly work? Keep in mind that there is wood siding in patio area and not stucco, that is why it would be easier for me to go that route.