Craftsman D20346 Generator Capacity, Obtaining Electricity from Generator, Extension Cord

GENERATOR CAPACITY

Exceeding the rated capacity of your generator can result in serious damage to your generator and connected electrical devices. You should observe the following to prevent overloading the unit:

•Starting and running wattage requirements should always be calculated when matching a generators wattage capacity to the appliance or tool.

•There are two types of electrical appliances that can be powered by your generator:

A.Items such as radios, light bulbs, television sets, and microwaves have a "resistive load". Starting wattage and running wattage are the same.

B.Items such as refrigerators, air compressors, washer, dryer, and hand tools that use an electrical motor have an "inductive load". Inductive load appliances and tools require approximately 2 to 4 times the listed wattage for starting the equipment. This initial load only lasts for a few seconds on start-up but is very important when figuring your total wattage to be used.

NOTE: Some inductive appliances and tools will list on the motor name plate, the starting and running voltage and amperage requirements. Use the follow- ing formula to convert voltage and amperage to wattage: (Volts X Amp = Watts)

•Always start your largest electric motor first, and then plug in other items, one at a time.

The guide is provided to assist you in determining the appliances and tools that can be ran with the wattage capacity of your generator.

OBTAINING ELECTRICITY FROM GENERATOR

There are basically two ways to obtain electricity from a generator:

•Use of extension cords directly from the genera- tor to the appliance, lights, tools, etc.

•Use of a double-throw transfer switch installed directly to the main electrical supply outside of the house.

Extension Cord

When using an appliance or tool at a considerable distance from the generator, a 3-wire extension cord that has a 3-blade grounding plug and 3-slot recep- tacle that accepts the tool's plug MUST be used in order to reduce the risk of electrical shock. A cord of adequate size must be used. A minimum of 12 gauge wire size with at least a 20 amp draw can be used. When amperage exceeds 20 amps a 10 gauge wire size should be used.

An extension cord that is hot to the touch is overloaded.

Repair or replace damaged extension cords immediately.

Connecting Generator To Main Electrical Supply

Potential hazards exist when a electrical generator is connected to the main electrical supply coming into the house. It is at that point that the generator could feed back into the utility company’s system causing possible electrocution of workers who are repairing electrical lines. To avoid back feeding of electricity into utility systems, a double-throw transfer switch should be installed between the generator and utility power. This device should be installed by a licensed electrician and in compliance with all local electrical codes.

NOTE: When installing a Double-Throw Transfer Switch, a minimum of 10 gauge wiring must be used.

11 — ENG

D20346 Rev. 0 2/28/00