Electricians??

I'm in the process of setting up a back-up generator. And I have a question.

The 240 volt outlet on the generator, and the corresponding male plug, both have four connectors. The double throw switch in the box on the pole below the meter has three connectors on each side. (One side is now unused, waiting for the generator to be hooked up).

How does this sort out? I'm no novice to wiring. I did the electrical hookup and some other wiring when we built this house 17 years ago and do all of my other wiring, but I'm on shaky ground on this. And when the temp is zero and the power is off is no time to find out you did something wrong.

Can someone enlighten me? I've called a licensed electrician I know, but a 20 minute job of hooking up a generator apparently isn't high on his priorities.

I am sure you will get more educated answers than mine, but I think what you have is 2 hot, a neutral, and a ground. If there is a ground bar in the switch box I would connect it there, otherwise to the case. The generator should also be grounded. This topic has been beat to death in the past and there are different scenarios where you do different things.

Green wire is a ground (I would attach it to the electrical box If that is grounded by the service entry.) the white is neutral, and the other two are 115 to neutral and 230 to each other. Best I have, Jim

Goose, I can tell you the proper way to connect the generator but it gets a bit complicated and you have to read and understand this because not being there to insure everything I have to cover all the bases. BEWARE of opinions that could create a hazard and consult a local trained professional electrician and the NEC and local authority who are there and can verifiy what I cant know sitting here OVER ANYTHING POSTED HERE ME INCLUDED LOL.

1) My best "guess" not being there is if your genny has 4 wires, its a 120/240 volt single phase three wire.
2) Some gennys come from the factory with a BONDED Neutral others come with a FLOATING Neutral AND IT MAKES A
DIFFERENCE AS TO HOW TO WIRE THEM.
3) If theres low to zero ohms from the Neutral to the Gennys steel case/frame (Ground) ITS A BONDED NEUTRAL
GENNY...HOWEVER if theres an open circuit from Neutral to case/frame (Ground) its A FLOATING NEUTRAL
4) The Four wires are Two hots (Red & Black??) Neutral (White) and Green/Bare Ground

HOW YOU WIRE THE GENNY AND TRANSFER SWITCH DEPENDS ON IF YOU SWITCH THE NEUTRALS OR NOT

(A) If you have a two pole (2 hots) Transfer Switch TS and ONLY switch the Hots but NOT the Neutrals (Utility and
Genset Neutrals are bonded in that case) the Genny requires a FLOATING NEUTRAL meaning if theres a N to Ground
BOND you must sever and disconnect it and the utility Green/Bare equipment ground wires to the gennys case/frame
and the Genset does not require connection to a Grounding Electrode IE GENNY IS NOT A SEPARATE DERIVED SOURCE

(B) If you use a 3 pole TS and switch the Neutrals and 2 hots, Genny needs a bonded Neutral,,,,,,,,,Is configured as
a Separate Derived Source,,,,,,,,Requires a Grounding Electrode (such as a driven into earth rod)

If you plug and unplug (poor mans TS) and use 3 pole 4 wire grounding plugs and receptacles that's a 3 pole transfer
and switches the Neutrals, meaning the Genny is wired as a Separate Derived Source with a Bonded Neutral that needs
connected to a Grounding Electrode

YOU MUST USE A PROPER TRANSFER SWITCH/METHOD SUCH THAT YOU CANT BACKFEED THE UTILITY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CAUTION if you use a portable genset on a construction site to feed power tools from onboard receptacles DO AS OSHA AND THE NEC RECOMMENDS AND DO NOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT BOND THE GENNY TO A DRIVEN TO EARTH GROUND ROD AS THAT CAN CREATE A POTENTIAL LIFE SAFETY HAZARD. Billy Bob and Bubba and some lay persons may not understand this so consult OSHA and the NEC and do as they say not me or Billy Bob lol

BEWARE AND DO THIS RIGHT AS IT CAN SAVE YOU OR A LINEMANS LIFE AND DO AS THE NEC SAYS NOT ME OR ANYONE (whos not there to insure and verify what you have) HERE IS MY BEST FREE PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

John T Too long retired and rusty Electrical Engineer and rusty on the NEC so NO WARRANTY

Thanks for the responses, but I think I'll play it safe and let a licensed electrician do it. Then the onus will be on him to do it right. I'll call him again Monday.

This is one project I hope I never have to use for real.

Good idea. Not being there looking at it makes advice difficult. Pros on site with a license. is good. Jim