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How can I use an adapter to get 120V from my generator to my house?

Home Improvement Asked on March 12, 2021

I have a new 3500 portable generator that has an outlet to accept 4-prong for 240 and 3 prong for 120. The house is set up with a four prong male inlet that goes to two electrical boxes. One is isolated by a switch to run all outlets in the house. My cord is four prong made for generators.

So need to take one end off and convert it to a three prong to plug into the generator.

One Answer

Now I understand your issue! Dumb of me, I apologize. You need 120 and you know those 4-prong plugs are associated with 240V somehow. You know 240 is not 120.

Actually the 4th wire makes it work. In North American residential wiring, a 4-prong outlet of these types (NEMA 14) actually contain both 120V and 240V. The 4th wire is a "midpoint" between 240V, giving you two separate "legs" of 120V each. 120V household circuits tap one or the other. The last pin is a safety ground.

Virtually all houses in North America are supplied this way, so this connection allows powering up your whole house. A 120V generator connection could only power half the circuits.

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I'm guessing you inherited the generator interlock or transfer switch from the last owner. A 4-prong male is correct; that's called an inlet. Sounds like the last people did stuff right.

All you need is a cable to connect the generator's 4-prong outlet to the house's 4-prong inlet. Search both of them for a label like "NEMA 14-20" or "NEMA L14-30", or just compare the pins to an Internet search for those terms. From there, we can figure out which cable or adapters you need.

Answered by Harper - Reinstate Monica on March 12, 2021

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