How To Install A 50 Amp Generator Power Inlet Box | Connect Generator To House Electrical Panel

In this video I show you how to install a 50 amp generator power inlet box allowing you to connect a portable generator to your house electrical panel. Installing a generator transfer switch is one great way to power your home but you are limited on how many things can be powered. By installing a generator power inlet box, you can wire your generator to your home's breaker box and powering any circuits you choose. However, you will be limited as to what circuits and how many circuits can be on at the same time by your generator size. So make sure to plan accordingly. Also, you will need to get a interlock switch for your main panel so that your electrical panel's main breaker can't be on at the same time as your generator circuit breaker. All this is explained in the video.

Items Installed:
6/3 Wire
50 Amp Circuit Breaker

Tools for the installation:

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Blessings,
Adam

[johnpicard]

Subscribed! This was the second video I found of yours tonight talking about generators and both were very helpful.

[vvelez]

This was exactly what I was looking for. This coupled with the interlock kit gives way more than enough confidence to get it taken care of. I was looking into transfer switches and this is the most affordable and easiest way to handle this. Thank you!

[daneabc]

Subscribed, as well. Your videos are excellent. I have a 3.2 kW solar voltaic grid tie only (no battery) system, plus an interlocked breaker leading to a 50-Amp socket for plugging in my dual fuel generator (which will never see a drop of gasoline, just carburetor clog-free, residue-free, and indefinite shelf life Propane). So, during a power outage my grid tie solar inverter automatically shuts down. This is because a grid tie inverter is actually a high power DC amplifier; the incoming commercial grid AC is sampled thousands of time a second, to allow the inverter to match the incoming AC. That's why a grid tie inverter has to automatically shut down if it senses loss of commercial grid power, because it no longer has a reference for exactly matching the incoming AC voltage, frequency, and phase. So once my generator is connected, up and running, and the interlocked transfer switch thrown, aha!, could I use the generator AC to make the grid tie inverter think that commercial power had been restored, and let me also have the benefit of solar power, if the outage is during the daytime? The answer is NO. Not ever. The reason is because of the power generating characteristic of solar panels: If the solar panels isolation breaker is open, no problem, the voltage at the isolation breaker goes to about 400 volts DC and that's it. But as soon as the solar panels breaker is closed, and if it's daylight, the panels are going to start generating power, that power has to go somewhere. When your house consumes more power than the inverter can provide, additional power flows from the commercial AC grid to your house. And if the solar inverter is generating more power than your house needs, no problem, the excess power flows back to the grid. But if you are disconnected from the grid by your panel interlock, and instead connected to your AC generator, any excess power coming from the solar panels will have to go somewhere, with the "somewhere" being your AC generator, which is only designed to generate power, not sink power. Although the breakers for your solar inverter would likely pop, it would probably destroy your generator's control circuitry in the process. So, if you have solar grid tie only (i.e., no battery bank, which would isolate the solar power from the generator power), you have to ALWAYS first shut off the breaker for your solar panels. Fortunately for me in Northern California, where commercial power is provide by Pacific Gas & Electric, PG&E, aka Pacific Greedy & Explosion, Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS, aka Perfectly Stupid Power Shutoffs) have become far less common as PG&E refined its PSPS system. So it's not a big deal for Step 1 for power loss is to shut off my solar voltaic system, to isolate it, and only then wheel out my portable generator from my garage, use the breaker panel interlock, and plug in my generator.

[phantom]

You saved me so much cash, hiring someone. Where do I send "U" a beer? With watching you, and the electrician that just dropped by, that i knew from when doing our clients home roof, I met this guy, dropped by tonight. He says he's so busy, but could help if I had questions. Thumbs up, brother.... Sam..

[Iamkjones]

Doing this to my house and trying to learn as much as possible. Thanks for the vid.

[thesepretzels]

Been watching a ton of videos about this and yours was the easiest to understand. Thanks

[OzziePara]

Nice video. Only thing I would add is to move each wire a few times then re-tighten each screw. Do that a couple times for each wire. Thicker gauge wire tends to loosen itself any time it's been moved, bent or tugged on. Trust me, you want them connections as tight as possible. Especially when you're carrying a high amount of amperage through them wires.

[SIRBRADDLEY]

I’ve watched MANY of your videos, especially the generator, shed and how-to videos. I had a 50amp power inlet switch and an Interlock Kit installed and built my own generator shed for operation, and storage of a portable generator and also installed an easy start kit on my a/c using your instructions and everything went flawless, so thank I’ve search YouTube far and wide, but can not find a video that shows the proper steps for actually hooking the generator to the house. By that I mean, if I lose power, should I start generator, then hook up 50amp cable to generator, then to power inlet, then flip Interlock? What are the proper and safe steps that need to take place before flipping the Interlock? Whatever the steps are to start the generator and get the house running, I would expect it to be in reverse, when disconnecting. Your channel is AWESOME!!!! Thanks for your help.

[firstandlast]

I Just finished putting together my set up. I would like to thank you
for your post and some great tips. Looking forward to ERCOT dropping
the ball again this winter. 👍😜

[williefufu]

Very good video, I’m sitting in the dark watching your video.

[jeffsmith]

Good video! First one I’ve seen where they are not trying to sell you a Generac system! I’ve got a similar setup except no interlock ! I don’t recommend this setup for a customer Who doesn’t have the knowledge and would maybe install a transfer switch! But still would be cheaper than what these companies want to charge!

[MorCoutureMenswear]

Nice video. after installing my interlock setup with the straight access inlet box I saw the toll of the weight of the heavy 50amp cord on the inlet box. Now I am going to switch to the bottom access inlet box which would have less of a side cord tension of the inlet box and also be more bad weather protected. ty

[rusticfamily]

Is there a certain type of 6/3 wire I should use when going from breaker to plug box?

[Random-rtec]

Excellent video - As much as I love DIY challenges I am not taking any chances and will hire an electrician.

[johnallison]

Thank you for your video on how to safely instal a 50 amp whole house generator backup. I found your suggestion idea of the safety interlock kit to be of great importance. I am preparing to purchase my supplies for my installation. I will be using the Reliance Controls

[israelgriffin]

Great video Brother, keep up the good works and God bless you always and forever.

[texaslookout]

Thank You for your time. Very informative and 100% SAFETY when doing the Attachment to house.

[mooosestang]

Convenient to have your main on the outside. I think i need to run those wires through my cement wall to my breaker box and move my ac breaker so i can use the interlock switch. I'll probably just hire an electrician.

[rocketman]

What’s the pro/cons and difference in this versus installing a transfer switch kit. This seems more simple and cost effective

[phantom]

"U Rock" build those videos.