Help making a generator cord for my home!

Jpaulson12 · Sep 19, 2020

I

[ElectriciansForums.net] Help making a generator cord for my home!

just purchased a generator with a 30 amp twist lock 4 prong outlet. My house has a generator outlet that has 3 prongs, see the attached pictures. It appears as though the outlet was wired using the black as a hot and the white wire also as a hot. I am making a generator cord and I have purchased the two plugs and 10/4 wire. My question is regarding the wiring on the 3 prong side. Would I connect the two hot wires (red and black) and neutral wire (white) and not connect the ground, and just ground the generator through a grounding rod?
Yes I am aware of the dangers of connecting a generator to a homes power grid and do have a transfer switch.

James · Sep 19, 2020

I don’t think that is a generator inlet, it looks like a power outlet.

The whole arrangement looks like a bodge and could easily be dangerous.

A registered electrician is what you need here, not some advice from a forum.

Megawatt · Sep 20, 2020

Jpaulson12 said:
I View attachment 60938 View attachment 60939just purchased a generator with a 30 amp twist lock 4 prong outlet. My house has a generator outlet that has 3 prongs, see the attached pictures. It appears as though the outlet was wired using the black as a hot and the white wire also as a hot. I am making a generator cord and I have purchased the two plugs and 10/4 wire. My question is regarding the wiring on the 3 prong side. Would I connect the two hot wires (red and black) and neutral wire (white) and not connect the ground, and just ground the generator through a grounding rod?
Yes I am aware of the dangers of connecting a generator to a homes power grid and do have a transfer switch.

You need to make that generator cord a 4 wire application. Not a 3 wire