How can you connect a generator to a dryer receptacle?

Answer 1

You are missing a very serious safety issue!

There MUST be a mechanical method to keep the main breaker in the home panel in the off position while the generator "back feed" breaker is on and vice versa.

For some of the newer panels, the manufacturers may make them or you can get these things on line from interlockkit.com.

They are easy to install and most importantly, they will protect utility line men from getting killed if someone were to accidentally turn on your house main while the generator is on. I am sure your local electrical code would require this or something similar like a full blown transfer switch.

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You can but it is very dangerous. If you plan to use it more than once then it would be a good idea to have an electrician install a new 4 prong outlet (including proper electrical wiring) and cord for the dryer. Although another alternative is to ask him to install a new 4 prong 220VAC plug outside the house which could be used for a welder and use this leg for your generator.

220VAC comes in several flavors, in this case the dryer is either a)2-hot 1-ground or b)2-hot 1-neutral with ground to the casing. The generator is 2-hot, 1-neutral and 1-ground. The breaker this is on then becomes the main breaker and if it is only rated at 50 amps then make sure all high draw items are turned off including the house main breaker and all 220V appliances. Usually with a 5000W generator, you can run 2 35" or smaller TVs, 2-3 ceiling fans, 2 refrigerator/freezers or one fridge and one deep freeze all simultaneously. Everything else like the electric water heater, AC unit, heat pump, well pump, stove-top range/oven MUST have their breakers turned off and if possible unplugged from the wall.

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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.

Before you do any work yourself,

on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,

always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

Answer 2

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Answer for USA, Canada and other countries running a 60 Hz supply service.Stop! What...? Don't...!

Don't make a cable to plug a generator into an outlet in your house, it is incredibly dangerous! Power from your generator will back-feed into the power lines, posing a severe unexpected shock hazard to any line-workers who may be fixing the lines - the very same reason you are wanting to use your generator!

Plug your appliances into your generator. If you want to power the outlets in your house from the generator do it right and install a generator transfer switch.

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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

Answer 3

NO! Dont do that! You need to protect people outside your house.You need a transfer switch. If you don't know what a transfer switch is, look at some place like Northern Tool. They sell lots of them and some of the related sites will give you wiring instructions. You might want to try a simple solution of an interlock kit on the front of your panel. (interlockkit.com) The purpose of a transfer switch OR an interlock is to keep power from the generator going back out of the house on to the power lines. the Transformers on the poles work both ways.

While your generator may only put 240 volts out, after this goes backwards through a transformer, it can be more than 10,000 volts; easily enough to kill a lineman working to get your power back on.

Do a little more research and you will find there are several good ways to do this safely and without a bunch of extension cords running through the house

What...? Don't...! Stop!

Don't make a cable to plug a generator into an outlet in your house!

They call a double sided male to male plug a 'suicide plug' for good reason. That is incredibly dangerous!

Power from your generator will backfeed into the power lines, posing a severe hazard to any lineworkers who may be working on the system to repair it - which is why you may be experiencing a power cut and want to use a generator!

Plug your appliances into the socket outlet on your generator. If you want to power the outlets in your house from the generator do it right and install a generator transfer switch.

<><><>

As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.

Before you do any work yourself,

on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,

always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

Answer 4

A 3-prong AC outlet has one live lead, one negative and a ground....

You can't ground into a generator, however, if you have copper pipe supplying water or even a metal stake driven into the ground, you can connect to that. If your house has existing wiring with a ground already connected, just leave it connected.

As far as the generator goes, please consult the manual... chances are it has two sets of identical leads. I also don't know whether your generator supplies 240V (drier voltage) or 120V (all other appliances).... In a circuit breaker you usually have 20amp 120V circuits for your regular power outlets, sometimes 3 outlets at a time running off of one. You also have dedicated 240V circuits for the large built-in appliances, such as a hot water heater (draws ~40amps at 240V), or an electrical oven, and of course the drier, each on its own circuit.

Please check the power draw of the drier (in amps), it might say that on a sticker on the back, and multiply that by 240V, which will give you Watts, like in a light bulb... might just say it in watts.... then check the power output on the generator, in watts, or again multiply volts times amps....... compare the two and see if you have enough power.

So to answer your question, i guess all you can do is combine both live leads into one, and both negatives into a second wire... the black side should be negative in the outlet, the white positive... but Google my friend, this is not a definitive answer, i'm just giving you a clue... you'll figure it out yourself in the end.

P.S. If i had an internal diagram for the generator and it only had one circuit for both sets of leads, you can use just one set... i don't know... you are being very vague...

Answer 5

Dryer plug three to four

The cord that is on the dryer now should be changed to a four wire type cord. This is for safety's sake and it is highly recommended that it be done. Instructions should come with the new cord. Open up the electrical access panel on the back of the dryer. You will see a terminal block with three wires going into it from the plug cord assembly. A red and black and white are now connected to the terminal strip. Look at the position and colours of the existing 3 prong cord and how it is connected. Make a diagram. Coloured wires on the outside terminals, white in the center. From the center wire terminal you will see a jumper strap that goes to the frame of the dryer. When installing the four prong plug this jumper is removed completely. The kit should have with it a grounding lug that connects to where the removed grounding strip attached to the frame of the dryer. This is the attachment point for the fourth green ground wire from the new dryer cord assembly.