generator AMPs output question - 120v vs 240v

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  • toddrod

    Well-Known Member
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    9   0   0
    Feb 14, 2007
    1,754
    36
    Vacherie, LA
    Bayou Pirate - I plan on running 2-3 window 6-8000 BTU window with everything else in my home except my 5 ton A/C. Right now I am planning on upgrading to a 10K continous portable generator converted to NG.

    From the information I have read here I went and checked on what circuits are where in my box and it turns out that I have an imbalanced load in the box. On 1 pole my 2 freezers, icebox and main living room plugs (TV, window unit, fans) are all on the same pole which makes sense why it seemed my generator was having trouble with the load. Those items combined were over 23 AMPs. It just so happened I shut 1 freezer down and the generator ran better but was still struggling.

    When the electrician comes to wire my 50 AMP plug I will see if he can rewire a couple of circuits to help balance the load in the box. If I would have a balance box my 5.6KW could run a whole bunch of other things alot easier.
     
    Last edited:

    cajun 22

    Shooter
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    40   0   0
    May 22, 2008
    1,497
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    Houma, LA
    Todd, balancing the load is the smart thing to do. I tell this to all the customers I install gen sets for. It is vital to the life of the generator. To answer you original question, all of the plugs are connected to the same output leads on the generator. The generator is capable of pushing 23 amps "per leg" on the 220 rec or 23 amps per leg on the 110v outlets. That's where they are telling you 46 is the total output on the 110v lines. Still it's only 23 amps per leg any way you look at it. You can use the 110v and 220v rec at the same time but it cuts the max output of each as it is drawing from the same lead out of the generator windings. It doesn't matter what size breaker you have the generator wired to because the generator will tell you when it's had enough by tripping the resets near the plug.
     
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