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When wiring a generator directly into your circuit box with a 30 amp breaker is 10 gauge wire big enough?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Generators should not be wired directly into your distribution panel. The generator should be wired through an approved transfer switch by a licenced electrician. To do otherwise would be sheer folly and leave yourself vulnerable to a void insurance policy on your dwelling should any mishaps occur because of the project not getting proper approval.
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The biggest danger to direct wiring a generator is that you can have the breaker feeding from the generator on at the same time that the main breaker for your primary service is also on. This feeds the generator power out of your building, to the utility pole, to any lines still connected to that utility service and possibly other customers or buildings. This supplies power to the utility lines when the repair workers may be under the impression they are not live.
On the other hand, if you direct wire a generator without a transfer switch, and fail to turn off your main breaker, when the primary service is restored you now have 2 sources of electrical power on the same lines and I cannot fathom the dangers involved.
But the direct answer to your question is, Yes, 10 gauge wire is sufficient for any 30 amp breaker provided you aren't running several hundred feet.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
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What is the difference between Air circuit breaker and Vacuum circuiut breaker?
"Air" and "Vacuum" describe how the breaker extinguishes the arcing current. An Air breaker opens far enough that the dielectric strenght of air is enough to extinguish the arc. A vacuum breaker's contacts are in a vacuum. Oil breakers use oil. SF6 breakers use SF6 gas to extinguish the arc.
Function of a breaker?
The purpose of a circuit breaker is to open the circuit in the event of an overload. Wires/conductors are only rated for a specific Amperage. If this amperage is exceeded the conductor/wire begins to heat up and given enough time it becomes a fire hazard. For instance a 15 amp breaker will trip once the Amps drawn through that circuit exceed 15 amps. The short answer is to keep you safe.
An alternator could be severely damaged mechanically in attempting to sychronize it with the power line under what two conditions could this happen?
I'm not sure this qualifies as two different conditions, they are both similar.If the generator is more than a few degrees out of phase.If the generator phase angle is leading at the exact moment it closes to the bus.Explanation for #2: When manually syncing a generator, it is quite difficult to close the breaker at exactly 0 degrees, which is, of course, the desired outcome. If you close the breaker with the generator lagging a few degrees, the bus voltage (utility or other generator) will attempt to speed up the generator as if it were starting a motor.No harm done if the phase difference is just a few degrees. If, on the other hand, you close the breaker while the generator is leading, the bus voltage attempts to 'yank' the generator back to where it belongs, like a brake. If the phase difference is great enough, this can shear driveplates and even break crankshafts!The operator, then, shoots for zero to a couple degrees lagging when the breaker closes.
Does the code permit the ampacity of switch legs to be less than the ampere rating of the branch circuit?
No, and here's why: the rating of the branch, determined by the overcurrent protection, is designed for the ampacity of the branch conductors so that they breaker trips before the conductors heat up enough to start a fire. If you put in smaller wires on the same branch, they will get MUCH hotter before the circuit breaker trips, if it ever does. For example, a 20A branch, protecting 12AWG wiring; add some 14 AWG rated for 15A. Something faults the switched leg at 18A; enough to burn out the wiring but not enough to trip the breaker. House burns down, insurance doesn't pay because of "faulty wiring" installed negligently by a person without proper training and credentials.
Can i use a circuit breaker with 420V nominal voltage in 520V line voltage nominal current of circuit breaker is 1600A if I can how much current can pass from this circuit breaker?
NO! NO! NO! The circuit breaker must be rated for the line voltage used. Exceeding this limit can cause catastrophic failure! If you are really working on a 1600A bus, stop right now, ang go hire a professional! Your question indicates you are not qualified to work on this gear. YOU ARE GOING TO KILL SOMEBODY. I'm not kidding about this. A breaker that is applied beyond its rating can arc over, and the resulting arc-flash can punch right through the panel cover, spraying vaporized metal on anyone unfortunate enough to be standing there. A 1600A bus can have a fault current of 20,000A OR MORE. This is not something to even think about working on unless you are trained and absolutely know what you are doing!
How does a circuit breaker use an electromagnet?
The electromagnet in the circuit breaker is used for instantaneous tripping if short-circuit condition arises. At defined current level the electromagnet develops the force high enough to cause the tripping of the mechanism.
What is the difference between Air circuit breaker and Vacuum circuiut breaker?
"Air" and "Vacuum" describe how the breaker extinguishes the arcing current. An Air breaker opens far enough that the dielectric strenght of air is enough to extinguish the arc. A vacuum breaker's contacts are in a vacuum. Oil breakers use oil. SF6 breakers use SF6 gas to extinguish the arc.
What will be the effect if the d.c motor is directly connected across the supply without starter?
At zero rpm a dc motor draws a current that could be enough to blow the circuit breaker. In that case it is normal to place a resistor in series to limit the current to slightly below the circuit-breaker setting. The resistor is switched out after the motor runs up.
A small appliance circuit will be protected by a circuit breaker rated at?
Yes, it will be protected by a circuit breaker or fuse. The normal rating of the circuit breaker or fuse is 25% more than the maximum current expected, or the maximum current allowed for the cable size, whichever is lower.
What is the Function of circuit breaker?
The purpose of a circuit breaker is to open the circuit in the event of an overload. Wires/conductors are only rated for a specific Amperage. If this amperage is exceeded the conductor/wire begins to heat up and given enough time it becomes a fire hazard. For instance a 15 amp breaker will trip once the Amps drawn through that circuit exceed 15 amps. The short answer is to keep you safe.
Would a 15 kva 380 volt generator be big enough to run a house with a 60 amp breaker 380 volts?
A 15 KVA - Generator operating at 380 Volts can cater to only 22.79 Amps. It cannot cater to a 60 Amps breaker
What is a gfci oulet?
GFCI=Ground Fault Circuit InterrupterIt's an electronic circuit breaker that compares the current on two wires. If the current is NOT equal, the breaker trips and does so quickly enough to prevent electrocution in the event of a "ground fault".
What is a function of a circuit breaker?
The purpose of a circuit breaker is to open the circuit in the event of an overload. Wires/conductors are only rated for a specific Amperage. If this amperage is exceeded the conductor/wire begins to heat up and given enough time it becomes a fire hazard. For instance a 15 amp breaker will trip once the Amps drawn through that circuit exceed 15 amps. The short answer is to keep you safe.
Function of a breaker?
The purpose of a circuit breaker is to open the circuit in the event of an overload. Wires/conductors are only rated for a specific Amperage. If this amperage is exceeded the conductor/wire begins to heat up and given enough time it becomes a fire hazard. For instance a 15 amp breaker will trip once the Amps drawn through that circuit exceed 15 amps. The short answer is to keep you safe.
How does a circuit breaker operate?
A circuit breaker can be magnetic; the higher the current is the stronger the magnetic field will be, if the magnetic field gets strong enough it will pull open the circuit. A circuit breaker can also be thermal; as current travels through the circuit heat is generated (higher current = more heat), in the breaker there is two different kinds of metal bonded together, each will expand and contract at different rates, since they are bonded together they will bend and trip the circuit open. A circuit breaker can be a combination of magnetic and thermal.
Why does a new AC in a new house throw the outside circuit breaker once a week?
If the breaker only trips once a week you may have a bad breaker or the breaker may not be large enough for your A/C unit. You should also have an electrician look for any loose connections from the unit to the breaker panel. (It is not uncommon to have a bad breaker)
What is the function of the breaker?
The purpose of a circuit breaker is to open the circuit in the event of an overload. Wires/conductors are only rated for a specific Amperage. If this amperage is exceeded the conductor/wire begins to heat up and given enough time it becomes a fire hazard. For instance a 15 amp breaker will trip once the Amps drawn through that circuit exceed 15 amps. The short answer is to keep you safe.
