Just finish watching all the old timers working on electrical panels and to my surprise, this kid comes in first place for breaking down the actual procedures for installing breakers, boxes, wires, the whole 9 yards. Hats off buddy for showing us what the future looks like for the next generation.
Well done. I was looking for videos of a thorough process and I did not find any that showed breaker box wire management and having to move breakers up or down. All the others skip that stuff but I found it very helpful that you covered it. Keep up the good work.
Thank you, great educational video. Lessons learn from a 75 years old retired engineer that directed and completed over 100 plus successful refineries/ chemical projects. NEVER blow metal shavings, use vacuum cleaner instead, saw too many eyes injuries to list. NEVER, NEVER work on or near energize equipment without wearing proper PPE. You did not. Short cut leads to accidental events, you did many short cuts on this video. Have a great day. I saw it all in 47 years in engineering and construction businesses.
@40:51 The purpose of that metal plate around the breaker is because code requires a back-fed breaker to be mechanically secured to the panel so it can't just be pulled out. Note: A zip-tie around the body of the breaker is enough to satisfy the code.
Thanks for the info I appreciate it. would that still be required for bolt on breakers? Just curious if that would count as mechanically secured or not if that connection is only for the electrical connection and not actually physically hold it in place.
@@nics-systems-electric The purpose of the code is to prevent having a live breaker dangling off the busbar. A normal breaker would be dead when removed from the bar. So if the bolt-on doesn't prevent the breaker from accidentally being bumped off the busbar, then it wouldn't qualify.
I enjoyed your Video, But i wish you would at least wear some protection on your hands , when working on a live panal. you seem to be a smart young man. stay safe!
I’ll say this, your garage is probably the most ultimate garage ever Generator Fire alarms Exit signs Emergency lights A gate Swings Workbench Backup ups power supply Access control Couch It’s awesome
@@nics-systems-electric well if that’s the case it would probably need like, i dunno?!? That engine from the school generator video you made? just a humongous engine.
Great video explaining how to do this. My main is on the bottom too and turns on and off like yours. My question is how do you know which interlock to get as there are so many types? My main is a square D. Measured about an inch and 3/8 between the main and the breakers above it. Thanks
@@carapungo not in the electrical field lol. none of my coworkers even have a hammer in our tools we don't usually need anything that heavy. Personally I don't see how you remove a knock out also being a faulty knockout "sloppy work"
@nics-systems-electric So you never install cable staples using a hammer? So earlier comment talks about whether your generator which now feeds your panel should have a floating neutral or the neutral bonded to ground at generator. Lots of folks with technical explanations ... my head is spinning. Supposedly only time neutral bonds to ground is in first panel that follows meter can. What are you doing with yours?
I am installing this on my small mountain cabin. I understand the double pole breaker needs to be installed to allow power inflow to go to both sides of the panel. My question, can I hook the 10/3 wire to a standard 3 wire outlet so I can plug it into a small 120 volt generator? If I installed a single pole breaker, would only half of the panel be powered?
Yes it would only power half the panel but you would get 120 V on the other leg as well from the other 240 V loads backfeeding which is not good as he wouldn't get a full voltage on the other leg and would get a strange lower voltage which could be damaging to equipment
Interlock cab be cheaper to install than a Transfer switch and while you might not be able to run everything, you can usually run everything but the A/C in a medium size home with a 5000 watt inverter generator unless the home is all electric, in which case you have to be very careful of what you run or go to an 8KW generator.
Hi, your video has been a great help thank you. I may have a problem. Like yours, my panel has the main breaker at the bottom, and turns on and off in the same orientation as yours, left for ON and right for OFF. However, I have a spear 2 pole 30 amp breaker to the right above the main breaker that I can simply remover and install my 2 pole 50 amp generator breaker. I don't want to move wired breakers around on the left side. So all that said, will this or any interlock switch work with the generator breaker on the right side above the main breaker? Side note, the measurement of the panel surface between the main and other breakers where the interlock is installed is 1 3/8". Thanks in advance.
If I use a L5/30R box (three prong) would I use a single pole 30 amp breaker? Would it power up the whole house provided I use under 25-30 amps with my 4,500 watt generator? Do they sell interlock kits for a single pole 30 amp breaker? I just want to use 120 volt breakers.
You wouldn't be able to power the whole house if it's just a single phase you need both phases to power the whole house which would mean two pole breaker and two pole everything
No...that is not the best way. Wire up everything as if it is going to be 240V, including getting a 240V four-wire power cord for the generator and a 30 amp four prong input box. Purchase a 3 wire to 4 wire conversion cord that plugs into the generator and also plugs into the 240v power cord. You will now feed 120V into both legs of the panel. Everything 120V in the house will work. Just be sure to turn off your 240V breakers.
@spacecoastz4026 watch out for multi wire branch circuits. In normal split phase conditions, the current on the neutral is subtractive. But when both legs are powered by the same 120 volt source, the amperage on the neutral is additive. You can have 15 amps on each hot, but 30 amps on the neutral, which wasn't meant to carry more than 20.
I hope that you are still alive and well. Always turn the main off when working on the main. Get a bright light and have someone with you if you can. Nice video.
We had an electrician install an interlock kit with a 50 amp breaker and mistakingly put a 50 amp "outlet" box on the outside of the house. I did not want to use a male-to-male cord, so called them back and they swapped out that box with a 30 amp inlet instead. But is that a problem having a 30 amp generator inlet box wired to a 50 amp breaker? I have a generator with only 5200 running watts and probably won’t pull more than 30A. But still, shouldn’t the breaker and inlet box match? Thanks
With the current generator there shouldn't be a problem as the generator should have a breaker at 30 A so there shouldn't be any way of overloading the inlet receptacle theoretically it shouldn't ever be able to be overloaded if you were using correct cords that will only plug into a 30 amp receptacle but it wouldn't be a bad idea to have the matching sized breaker at 30 A
@@nics-systems-electric Sounds right but I wonder, since the breaker is already 50A and I assume the wiring is already thicker gauge rated for that, wouldn’t I want a 50A inlet box to match? Could i then just get an adapter to plug in my 30A generator to the 50A inlet? Thanks for your reply
@@nics-systems-electric yeah no this generator does not have a 50A receptacle but maybe someday I might upgrade? Or what if I move and the next homeowner has a 50A receptacle on theirs. I’m just surprised the professionals I hired didn’t set me up right
@@1980sLegoFan might as well have the biggest receptacle as you can since the breaker and wire is already rated for it worst case scenario if the generator gets overloaded but it should have its own over current protection
Incorrect it’s a 10,000 W starting output 8000 continuous 8000÷240 is 33 amps since that is the max output you will get continuous on the 50 amp receptacle it would have to be on a 50 amp breaker as 80% of 40 it’s 32 which is less than the 33 amp continuous output so your next size up would be 50 which is what you would have to do
If you did turn the main and generator power on at the same time, it probably would blow the load buster circuit breaker fuse on the 13,000 volt wire poles on the street if you know what I’m talking about.
@@nics-systems-electric That’s probably more likely. I guess the 13,000 volt primary vs the 120-240 volt secondary the current would be higher. It happened in my local town they forgot to turn off the generator going back on main and both of that happened.
Awesome video. First rule once you remove a panel cover you're the last person in there it's imperative to check all the connections are tight before doing anything! So first bracket you installed not only protects the lugs of the breaker for the generator but it attaches that breaker to the bus bar! as the main breaker in the panel must be bolted to the bus bar. Now the question of the hour as you stated when you first started the panel for which you just connected to a cord connected Generator via the generator input receptacle." It's a sub panel" isolated neutral. What's the status of your generators wiring is the neutral floating? Or has it been bonded at the disconnect of the generator?.. You must remember in your installation the neutral is connected to the utility always in your configuration you've paralleled your generators neutral with the utility. So it's imperative that if y'all feeding the system from the sub as opposed to the main! you need to ensure your generator is bonded correctly. "objectionable currents" can occur if your system is not bonded correctly So don't listen to me do your due diligence ! Peace
From what you said that sounds like it should be bonded neutral but then at the same time I can see it where you could have neutral current going back to the generator and through the ground on the grounding system maybe it wouldn’t work like that I’m not sure I appreciate your comment and bringing attention to this
When I first started watching the first 10 minutes, I was sure thinking this is going to get really sketchy.... and to a degree it was. Just see *NO* reason to work on/in a live panel. The youth in you hasn't realized or has minimized the wisdom of elders.
![ARGENTINA vs. PERÚ [1-0] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 12](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xtI25ENDDSY/mqdefault.jpg)
Just finish watching all the old timers working on electrical panels and to my surprise, this kid comes in first place for breaking down the actual procedures for installing breakers, boxes, wires, the whole 9 yards. Hats off buddy for showing us what the future looks like for the next generation.
Hey I appreciate that thank you.
Well done. I was looking for videos of a thorough process and I did not find any that showed breaker box wire management and having to move breakers up or down. All the others skip that stuff but I found it very helpful that you covered it. Keep up the good work.
Thank you, great educational video. Lessons learn from a 75 years old retired engineer that directed and completed over 100 plus successful refineries/ chemical projects. NEVER blow metal shavings, use vacuum cleaner instead, saw too many eyes injuries to list. NEVER, NEVER work on or near energize equipment without wearing proper PPE. You did not. Short cut leads to accidental events, you did many short cuts on this video. Have a great day. I saw it all in 47 years in engineering and construction businesses.
LOL, engineer says it all, they're always good for a real world laugh.
Your one of my favorite RUclipsrs I love watching your videos it makes my day. Keep up the good work man!
Thanks glad you enjoy
@40:51 The purpose of that metal plate around the breaker is because code requires a back-fed breaker to be mechanically secured to the panel so it can't just be pulled out. Note: A zip-tie around the body of the breaker is enough to satisfy the code.
Thanks for the info I appreciate it. would that still be required for bolt on breakers? Just curious if that would count as mechanically secured or not if that connection is only for the electrical connection and not actually physically hold it in place.
@@nics-systems-electric The purpose of the code is to prevent having a live breaker dangling off the busbar. A normal breaker would be dead when removed from the bar. So if the bolt-on doesn't prevent the breaker from accidentally being bumped off the busbar, then it wouldn't qualify.
Great video, learned a lot
Thanks bro
I enjoyed your Video, But i wish you would at least wear some protection on your hands , when working on a live panal. you seem to be a smart young man. stay safe!
Amazing video! Hope to see a generator test soon.
Good Job. Your Future Is Bright !
thanks for the video, even though it is not pipe in using fishtape , slippery soap on the tip helps a little
I’ll say this, your garage is probably the most ultimate garage ever
Generator
Fire alarms
Exit signs
Emergency lights
A gate
Swings
Workbench
Backup ups power supply
Access control
Couch
It’s awesome
It can’t drive around though
@@nics-systems-electric when was that the point of a garage?
@@Fire-hq3rm Well come on it be better if I could take it everywhere I go drive it around
@@nics-systems-electric well if that’s the case it would probably need like, i dunno?!? That engine from the school generator video you made? just a humongous engine.
@@nics-systems-electricI can just imagine you making it so you can drive your garage around now lol
great video you are realy good at this stuff i like your videos your my fav youtuber for work like this
Thanks I’m glad you enjoy my videos
Great video explaining how to do this. My main is on the bottom too and turns on and off like yours. My question is how do you know which interlock to get as there are so many types? My main is a square D. Measured about an inch and 3/8 between the main and the breakers above it. Thanks
Yes you should be able to go onto their website and find which model number for what size panel And type of panel for inside or outside
Which website ?
@@respiess Schneider electric
@@nics-systems-electric Thanks, but their website doesn't show the interlock device.
You have my dream billding you also inspired me to do anything
Every one of those boxes knockouts are like that.
That metal plate will definitely prevent back feeding into other houses!
Yes
little bit sloppy, but you did it. Thanks for sharing.
What would you do differently?
@@nics-systems-electric .13:10 for starters, I would use a hammer to do this task, just common sense........no?
@@carapungo not in the electrical field lol. none of my coworkers even have a hammer in our tools we don't usually need anything that heavy. Personally I don't see how you remove a knock out also being a faulty knockout "sloppy work"
@@nics-systems-electric don't sweat it my friend, you got it done, and it did help to get a better idea of how to do this.
@nics-systems-electric So you never install cable staples using a hammer? So earlier comment talks about whether your generator which now feeds your panel should have a floating neutral or the neutral bonded to ground at generator.
Lots of folks with technical explanations ... my head is spinning. Supposedly only time neutral bonds to ground is in first panel that follows
meter can.
What are you doing with yours?
I love your channel and this video keep up the good work!!!
Thanks glad you enjoy
Good Vid. Bummer you paid $140 for the interlock kit. They can be purchased for about $20 online.
I looked quite a bit when I purchased it and could not find any for less maybe there's more available now than a couple years ago.
Nice job! Same kit we used on our panels
Thanks
I am installing this on my small mountain cabin. I understand the double pole breaker needs to be installed to allow power inflow to go to both sides of the panel. My question, can I hook the 10/3 wire to a standard 3 wire outlet so I can plug it into a small 120 volt generator? If I installed a single pole breaker, would only half of the panel be powered?
Yes it would only power half the panel but you would get 120 V on the other leg as well from the other 240 V loads backfeeding which is not good as he wouldn't get a full voltage on the other leg and would get a strange lower voltage which could be damaging to equipment
keep the good work up!
Thanks
Nice work!
i second the comment that got deleted
Interlock cab be cheaper to install than a Transfer switch and while you might not be able to run everything, you can usually run everything but the A/C in a medium size home with a 5000 watt inverter generator unless the home is all electric, in which case you have to be very careful of what you run or go to an 8KW generator.
That is what we are doing.
Hi, your video has been a great help thank you. I may have a problem. Like yours, my panel has the main breaker at the bottom, and turns on and off in the same orientation as yours, left for ON and right for OFF. However, I have a spear 2 pole 30 amp breaker to the right above the main breaker that I can simply remover and install my 2 pole 50 amp generator breaker. I don't want to move wired breakers around on the left side. So all that said, will this or any interlock switch work with the generator breaker on the right side above the main breaker? Side note, the measurement of the panel surface between the main and other breakers where the interlock is installed is 1 3/8". Thanks in advance.
Hi, iI this the cable you used ? Romex 25 ft. 10/2 Orange Solid SIMpull CU NM-B W/G Wire ? Great Video easy to follow thanks Dave
10/3 cable not 10/2
Safety first man!
The first plate after the breaker in-feed install prevents a live breaker ( when generator fed ) from being removed.
Nice work Nic
Thank you
Cool video!!
If I use a L5/30R box (three prong) would I use a single pole 30 amp breaker? Would it power up the whole house provided I use under 25-30 amps with my 4,500 watt generator? Do they sell interlock kits for a single pole 30 amp breaker? I just want to use 120 volt breakers.
You wouldn't be able to power the whole house if it's just a single phase you need both phases to power the whole house which would mean two pole breaker and two pole everything
@@nics-systems-electric Thanks for the information. I will check out a two pole 30 amp breaker that will work with the generator.
@@Ojeramup12 as long as the breaker is compatible with the panel should be fine
No...that is not the best way.
Wire up everything as if it is going to be 240V, including getting a 240V four-wire power cord for the generator and a 30 amp four prong input box. Purchase a 3 wire to 4 wire conversion cord that plugs into the generator and also plugs into the 240v power cord. You will now feed 120V into both legs of the panel. Everything 120V in the house will work. Just be sure to turn off your 240V breakers.
@spacecoastz4026 watch out for multi wire branch circuits. In normal split phase conditions, the current on the neutral is subtractive. But when both legs are powered by the same 120 volt source, the amperage on the neutral is additive. You can have 15 amps on each hot, but 30 amps on the neutral, which wasn't meant to carry more than 20.
Just wait until you add an armory and bunker IN the garage. Then it’ll be like the most ultimate zombie hideout
I hope that you are still alive and well. Always turn the main off when working on the main. Get a bright light and have someone with you if you can. Nice video.
We had an electrician install an interlock kit with a 50 amp breaker and mistakingly put a 50 amp "outlet" box on the outside of the house. I did not want to use a male-to-male cord, so called them back and they swapped out that box with a 30 amp inlet instead. But is that a problem having a 30 amp generator inlet box wired to a 50 amp breaker? I have a generator with only 5200 running watts and probably won’t pull more than 30A. But still, shouldn’t the breaker and inlet box match? Thanks
With the current generator there shouldn't be a problem as the generator should have a breaker at 30 A so there shouldn't be any way of overloading the inlet receptacle theoretically it shouldn't ever be able to be overloaded if you were using correct cords that will only plug into a 30 amp receptacle but it wouldn't be a bad idea to have the matching sized breaker at 30 A
@@nics-systems-electric Sounds right but I wonder, since the breaker is already 50A and I assume the wiring is already thicker gauge rated for that, wouldn’t I want a 50A inlet box to match? Could i then just get an adapter to plug in my 30A generator to the 50A inlet? Thanks for your reply
@@1980sLegoFan that would be ideal if the generator doesn't have a 50 amp receptacle you may need an adaptor if it is a different connection
@@nics-systems-electric yeah no this generator does not have a 50A receptacle but maybe someday I might upgrade? Or what if I move and the next homeowner has a 50A receptacle on theirs. I’m just surprised the professionals I hired didn’t set me up right
@@1980sLegoFan might as well have the biggest receptacle as you can since the breaker and wire is already rated for it worst case scenario if the generator gets overloaded but it should have its own over current protection
Are you going to make a video of relabeling your circuit panel?
No I didn’t but I did re-label everything just up two spaces
yo if i wanted to install a 240v mini split, what wire should i use from the panel to the disconnect?
If it’s inside walls just do NMD 90 or bx if it’s outside you could do EMT with single conductor or teck
If I’m right generators Normaly are 20 amp as the plug on them fit 20 amp plugs
Incorrect it’s a 10,000 W starting output 8000 continuous 8000÷240 is 33 amps since that is the max output you will get continuous on the 50 amp receptacle it would have to be on a 50 amp breaker as 80% of 40 it’s 32 which is less than the 33 amp continuous output so your next size up would be 50 which is what you would have to do
@@nics-systems-electric I’m talking about the 110 ac plugs on the generator that you plug standard applicance to it
@@VOLTRONDEFENDER4440 yes the 120 V receptacles are limited to 20 A
@@nics-systems-electric and it makes sense the neutral pin has a extra cutout for 20 amp plugs
If you did turn the main and generator power on at the same time, it probably would blow the load buster circuit breaker fuse on the 13,000 volt wire poles on the street if you know what I’m talking about.
I don’t think it would the current on the secondary side of the transformer would have to be incredibly high to blow the 14,400 vote side
@@nics-systems-electric Oh yeah I see, but if it doesn’t I guess it would wreck your personal equipment it could go ether way.
@@jakeelliott9285 I’m pretty sure a one of your breakers would trip might be damaged to it though
@@nics-systems-electric That’s probably more likely. I guess the 13,000 volt primary vs the 120-240 volt secondary the current would be higher. It happened in my local town they forgot to turn off the generator going back on main and both of that happened.
Watch this as soon as they come out
Watch what?
@@nics-systems-electric I mean like as soon as you upload a video I watch It bc there so good
@@Ukfiresystems I see thanks
Just a random warning. Fire alarm
strobes have a capacitor on them and it will shock you if you touch it
True
@@nics-systems-electric you found out the hard way too?
@@J19_vlogger74 No you’ve just got to always be aware with capacitors and to discharge them
@@nics-systems-electric oh ok. i was working on an alarm, and i touched the capacitor [the alarm was active too. i got the full kick]
Did Anyone else heard the tornado sirens in the background
Awesome video. First rule once you remove a panel cover you're the last person in there it's imperative to check all the connections are tight before doing anything! So first bracket you installed not only protects the lugs of the breaker for the generator but it attaches that breaker to the bus bar! as the main breaker in the panel must be bolted to the bus bar. Now the question of the hour as you stated when you first started the panel for which you just connected to a cord connected Generator via the generator input receptacle." It's a sub panel" isolated neutral. What's the status of your generators wiring is the neutral floating? Or has it been bonded at the disconnect of the generator?.. You must remember in your installation the neutral is connected to the utility always in your configuration you've paralleled your generators neutral with the utility. So it's imperative that if y'all feeding the system from the sub as opposed to the main! you need to ensure your generator is bonded correctly. "objectionable currents" can occur if your system is not bonded correctly So don't listen to me do your due diligence ! Peace
I did just check and the generator is bonded neutral is that a good thing or a bad thing that should get changed?
From what you said that sounds like it should be bonded neutral but then at the same time I can see it where you could have neutral current going back to the generator and through the ground on the grounding system maybe it wouldn’t work like that I’m not sure I appreciate your comment and bringing attention to this
I don't know how you're still alive. Incredibly careless electrical work. A good demonstration of how NOT to do this.
Nothing careless about it. All good don't worry👍
Generator
Had to turn sound OFF
I listen to the video with sound just fine, how strange
@@nics-systems-electric you guy's that work with that beep in your ear are use to it, It sux when you're not.
44:41 what
Noone has scolded him for working in a live box?
Who would and why
I hot swap breakers for convenience.
I think you’re in over your head
Not at all pretty simple with these interlock add-ons
When I first started watching the first 10 minutes, I was sure thinking this is going to get really sketchy.... and to a degree it was. Just see *NO* reason to work on/in a live panel. The youth in you hasn't realized or has minimized the wisdom of elders.
Need light for the video
Nice work!
Thanks