Question regarding Interlock and Ground

[Centu]

Hello Hive,

I am looking to Install either a Interlock Kit directly to my Main panel or a Transfer Switch. I am looking at my Main and I see that the Ground and Neutral are connected to the Same Bar. Does that mean that I will fault even if the Ground is floating?

Looking for recommendation on correct Setup based on my system.

Thank You in Advance.

Sponsored

 

[Andrewbens]

I believe this is what you need.

https://www.electricgeneratordepot....00-150-200-amp-panels-cutler-hammer-br-series

 

[Centu]

I believe this is what you need.

https://www.electricgeneratordepot....00-150-200-amp-panels-cutler-hammer-br-series

Hi Andrew and thank you for responding.
When I wire the L15-30 Connector. Do I need to leave the Ground going to the Breaker disconnected? I am confused on when it is needed or not needed.

 

[Andrewbens]

Hi Andrew and thank you for responding.
When I wire the L15-30 Connector. Do I need to leave the Ground going to the Breaker disconnected? I am confused on when it is needed or not needed.

grounds and neutrals go to the very far right aluminum bus bar.

 

[flyct]

Your mail panel is wired correctly to code.

You will experience a ground fault and trip the breaker on your truck‘s pro power panel if you connect L1 L2, Neutral and Ground between the truck and the house panel. . If the ground is left disconnected between the truck and the house panel there is no path for the truck to sense a ground fault.

 

[bmwhitetx]

What you have is not unique. Neutral and ground are tied together at the main. Could be a separate ground busbar that is bonded (connected) to a neutral busbar or a single busbar where both neutrals and grounds are connected.
They are the same electrically. So you need to follow the procedure outlined by others wrt the ground.

 

[bmwhitetx]

I am confused why you have white wires going to double pole breakers though. I believe they should be “marked” if they are hots.

 

[Andrewbens]

I am confused why you have white wires going to double pole breakers though. I believe they should be “marked” if they are hots.

It’s just someone using the wrong colored wire. It should have red tape or black tape around those wires to correct that issue. All he needs is 2 hots a red and black and one ground which is geeen and he’s good to go.

 

[The Weatherman]

I am preparing to install the same at home. But I didn’t clear sense of what folks were saying to do. Do we simply not connect the ground at the L15-30 plug or do we?

 

[Formerly]

So while leaving the ground floating (from your truck) would allow you to use the truck as a back up power source (albeit unsafely), there's a better way to do this that doesn't require reworking your panel or creating subpanels and is the best option I've seen that solves all of these issues; by using a meter collar from Generlink. I'm in no way affiliated with this product but it is the cleanest, least obtrusive way to achieve all of these goals together.

https://www.globalpowerproducts.com/transfer-switches/generlink-transfer-switch/

 

[flyct]

I am preparing to install the same at home. But I didn’t clear sense of what folks were saying to do. Do we simply not connect the ground at the L15-30 plug or do we?

Can’t publicly give advice that is contrary to local code. If a ground connection isn’t made between the truck and the house panel the truck won’t trip the truck‘s GFCI.

All house circuits would still be grounded through the house panel and all house GFCI circuits would still sense a ground fault and trip as designed.

 

[Formerly]

I am preparing to install the same at home. But I didn’t clear sense of what folks were saying to do. Do we simply not connect the ground at the L15-30 plug or do we?

The issue you have when you connect the ground from the truck to the house is that the truck outlets are protected by GFCI breakers that will trip when it sees that your ground and your neutral are connected (inside your main panel in your home).

Just to recap what a GFCI is: electrons leave the truck down the hot wire and are supposed to come back on the neutral wire. It monitors the balance of this power, and if there's any power that happens to return on the wrong path (ground wire), then it automatically trips the safety/breaker. Connecting the ground and neutral anywhere in this system will automatically trip it.

 

[flyct]

So while leaving the ground floating (from your truck) would allow you to use the truck as a back up power source (albeit unsafely), there's a better way to do this that doesn't require reworking your panel or creating subpanels and is the best option I've seen that solves all of these issues; by using a meter collar from Generlink. I'm in no way affiliated with this product but it is the cleanest, least obtrusive way to achieve all of these goals together.

https://www.globalpowerproducts.com/transfer-switches/generlink-transfer-switch/

It‘s questionable that this meter installed transfer switch would work with a Lightning that has full GFCI protection. See page below from their web site.

Plus you would need to have the utility approve and install it. My local utility would not install it when I checked with them.

 

[RickLightning]

So while leaving the ground floating (from your truck) would allow you to use the truck as a back up power source (albeit unsafely), there's a better way to do this that doesn't require reworking your panel or creating subpanels and is the best option I've seen that solves all of these issues; by using a meter collar from Generlink. I'm in no way affiliated with this product but it is the cleanest, least obtrusive way to achieve all of these goals together.

https://www.globalpowerproducts.com/transfer-switches/generlink-transfer-switch/

It‘s questionable that this meter installed transfer switch would work with a Lightning that has GFCI protection. See page below from their web site.

Plus you would need to have the utility approve and install it. My local utility would not install it when I checked with them.

I believe that any utility company has to approve that device. You cannot just go buy it in most places.

My utility will NOT let me buy it, they will let me lease it for $22.99 a month plus installation discounted till end of year (extended from end of last year) for $49.99. The add in surge protection coverage (the device does that) up to $5,000 per event for appliances and $1,000 per event to repair / replace electronics.

A FREE 20 foot cable is included.

 

[Formerly]

It‘s questionable that this meter installed transfer switch would work with a Lightning that has full GFCI protection. See page below from their web site.

Plus you would need to have the utility approve and install it. My local utility would not install it when I checked with them.

They had a version that switched both ground and neutrals automatically that worked with the lightning (or other ice variants). This denotation is new, and wasn't there the last time I visited the page. That's interesting enough where it seems like something may have changed...Still worth researching.

EDIT: I believe the company now states that they are NOT COMPATIBLE. I found a post on another forum with someone quoting the company's customer service saying they are not compatible with the ICE versions of the truck (and ours are basically the same "generator" as the ICE version). It's a shame, because it has the ability to do it in this form factor specifically by switching the ground.