MEP-003A hook up question

[ChesapeakeJohnny]

Hah! I got confused about what I was confused about!!

I am clear now, but have learned from this series of comments that I need to remove the earth ground from the main panel and put it on the utility-side neutral of the transfer switch.

Your explanation (and help) are much appreciated. We have an electrician coming to do the install, but I wanted to make sure we were doing it right. Seems like laymen aren't the only ones who mess these installs up.

There you go thinking too much into it again....remember, the switch you are using switches the neutral...so, when you are on utility power, the neutral coming from the generator is not used. It's not connected to anything because of the nature of the switch, so it does nothing...can't have any double neutral-ground bond on a wire that goes nowhere.

 

[AndrewOH]

Ok, following all these posts, I believe if I am using my generator with a temporary power distribution box (not connected to the house at all), I would ground the generator using the split-bolt connector on the frame under the control panel. Since L0 is grounded inside the generator chassis, I would like to confirm that I DO NOT need to ground the outside L0 lug. Is this correct? Thanks!

 

[Speddmon]

You need to confirm this yourself. Use a meter and verify you have continuity (Very LOW ohms) between L0 and the ground lug on the frame. If you do, then you do NOT need to ground L0 separately.

I say confirm it yourself because you never know if someone removed the L0 bond before you got it or if the wire is broken or corroded.

 

[mlucitt]

Generator Connection

I have been waiting since August to get the electric cooperative out to the house to hookup the MEP-003A, they finally sent a contractor - Benfield Electric in Manassas, VA. The technician did not bring any cable so he has to come back to finish the install. This is the 10Kw 50A transfer switch he installed. The generator plugs into the bottom of the transfer panel with a pin and sleeve connector. What do you all think about this? Ever seen this arrangement before?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[vanderwoude]

Looks like you have a special meter or meter pan, is that the case, do you have a website that gives more information?

 

[mlucitt]

There is a meter ring that was supplied with the transfer switch. The website is:
http://www.pspproducts.net/page6.html

Mark

 

[Robbied46]

Hi all! I have read this post a couple of times and finally have a better understanding between a SDS and non- SDS hook up. Since power interruptions don't occur too frequently, I plan to keep my 003 inside my shop out of the weather until needed.

Here's the twist.

I'm wondering if I have the 003 strapped to the back of a truck, sitting on a plastic bedliner and the truck is isolated from ground by virtue of its tires, would this be a safe non SDS arrangement?
My thoughts are that I could leave the bonding strap on the 003 hooked up as normal and just not connect the gen frame to an earth ground.
Connection would be made via L1, L3, and L0 for 240 volt by just using a plug to a transfer switch. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[steelypip]

Hi all! I have read this post a couple of times and finally have a better understanding between a SDS and non- SDS hook up. Since power interruptions don't occur too frequently, I plan to keep my 003 inside my shop out of the weather until needed. Here's the twist. I'm wondering if I have the 003 strapped to the back of a truck, sitting on a plastic bedliner and the truck is isolated from ground by virtue of its tires, would this be a safe non SDS arrangement? My thoughts are that I could leave the bonding strap on the 003 hooked up as normal and just not connect the gen frame to an earth ground. Connection would be made via L1, L3, and L0 for 240 volt by just using a plug to a transfer switch. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

A non-separately derived system always assumes that the generator is bonded to ground by a ground wire coming from the ground at the house meter (which usually means four conductor cable going to the generator from the house). It doesn't matter if it's in the back of a pickup truck or anywhere else. The requirement is specifically that the generator is grounded only by the house ground and nothing else.

That said, I don't like the idea of the truck body potentially being energized if the ground bonding comes undone. You can't expect 1200 lbs of vibrating generator not to work its way through a bedliner. Just undo the ground strap - it's not that big a deal to reverse. If you're really feeling paranoid, put a red tag on it or something to remind you to hook it up if you go a separately derived system at some other time.

 

[jonster]

Oh my god!
I just realized how much I don't know. I have read this thread a few times, and just for my own sense of well being I want to go over this hook up thing one more time.

I have a mep002a. I intend to hook it up to a transfer switch which is very between my meter and my main panel. I plan on using the 120/240 1 phase. My reconnection switch should be all the way over to the right (120/240 1ph).
My ammeter-voltmeter transfer switch should be in the 2 o'clock or 1-L3-L1-L3 setting. I should use L1 and L3 as my hots, and Lo as my neutral. Now here is where I am foggy. My fourth wire or ground should be grounded to the generator frame?

My transfer switch uses the same ground as the entire house, so should one end of the ground be on the generator frame, and the other on the ground at the transfer switch? I just want to be safe.
I have and two electricians come out and quote the transfer switch, and each of them had different views. I know, I know... the thread that never ends.

 

[212sparky]

Your ground wire is green or bare. It is the equipment ground. It will be the same potential as anywhere else in Your house. Neutral is white and your two hots are black and red.

 

[johnray13]

Now here is where I am foggy.

My fourth wire or ground should be grounded to the generator frame? My transfer switch uses the same ground as the entire house, so should one end of the ground be on the generator frame, and the other on the ground at the transfer switch? .

That's correct. You might need to install a separate ground lug in the transfer switch can.
If you are running the neutral unswitched thru the transfer switch and have separated the neutral bond from the ground lug at the generator, you will also will also need to ensure that the ground bonding screw on the neutral lugs is removed (sometimes the ground bonding screw is shipped loose, sometime it's already installed) and be sure that the neutral lugs are isolated from the transfer switch can.

From the transfer switch ground lug to the SE panel you need to run a ground wire and bond it at the SE panel ground (from that point it should already run directly to you SE ground rods)

John

 

[goose321]

HELP! I'm totally confused with my MEP 701a power hook ups and settings. Okay what I planned to do was hook the generator up to a off grid cabin to power lights and small appliances
like radios and maybe a dvd and tv. I just need to know if i go with 120 single phase what should the Voltage selector switch, current selector switch, and voltage reconnection switch
be set at, and what lugs do i use on the load terminals.

 

[212sparky]

HELP! I'm totally confused with my MEP 701a power hook ups and settings. Okay what I planned to do was hook the generator up to a off grid cabin to power lights and small appliances
like radios and maybe a dvd and tv. I just need to know if i go with 120 single phase what should the Voltage selector switch, current selector switch, and voltage reconnection switch
be set at, and what lugs do i use on the load terminals.

You should read the TM. It will show that and much more.

 

[goose321]

Roger will do ... Thanks

 

[Isaac-1]

Careful on the TM it has errors in the voltage diagramd

 

[Milspec33]

Thank You All So Much

 

[wheeler605]

I have a mep-803a. Is all the grounding the same on my unit? I here everybody talking about the split nut on generator, but I don't see one on my unit.

 

[CDR]

Not to beat a dead horse any more but I'm running a interlock on my panel right now I have a 4 wire cord going to generator I have the green wire to the frame. It goes back to my panel and is tied in to the ground on the house. I did not remove the neutral ground on the generator from what im reading I must do this?

 

[212sparky]

Yes as long as you still have the main disconnect bonded and still in the system. You should always only have one bonding point in your system.

 

[CDR]

Yes as long as you still have the main disconnect bonded and still in the system. You should always only have one bonding point in your system.

So my neutral is bonded in my house so it should not be boned on the generator.