[u3b3rg33k]

Possibly. Unless he's plugging into that outlet that he tried to install a gfci, it is just speculation, and doesn't match the thread.

Cheers!

he said he is right here:

Yeas....but the generator supplies other circuits in the upstairs house as well. I have a male pigtail that plugs into an interior wall outlet that backfeeds the inside breaker panel. This allows me to energize single circuits as desired an leaving the main feed breaker closed to prevent backfeeding the power pole. If I hooked a switch, I would still need that switch to be connected to a receptacle somewhere outside underneath the house or leave a permanent extension cord wired up to the switch for when the power goes out. Seems like a lot of trouble...
I may simply install a GFI and see if it trips with the harmonics generated by the inverter. I have been using Google and it seems like my chances are not that good though. Here is a sample thread about a guy using a water cooled grinder powered by an inverter that trips a GFI..
https://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=92263

 

[RockyMtBeerMan]

Me, I'm just worried about the next owner of the house not understanding what the heck is going on with the wiring. :surprise:

 

[mpoulton]

There are so many better ways to have handled this. This is the least safe, least code compliant solution and very disappointing.

- Could have used a 3-way switch at the AC disconnect as a single-circuit transfer switch, with an inlet mounted right there at the disconnect. Cheap, easy, and safe. Use extension cords (not suicide cords) separately for other generator loads.

- Could have installed a branch-circuit transfer switch panel for the house, with the AC on one of the circuits and the rest of the stuff that needs generator power on other transfer circuits.

- Could have put an interlock on the main panel with an inlet outside for the generator, allowing him to power the whole house safely.

 

[RockyMtBeerMan]

me, i say get a standby generator with an automatic transfer switch (ATS).

it will exercise automatically every week and power the house automatically and you can monitor it wirelessly via your phone/tablet/computer.

you can add load-shedding devices for the air conditioner and other heavy loads. since the house is in hurricane-prone area, securely put the generator up high, like the AC is.

if you have guests/renters at the beach house, everything will take care of itself automatically.

and the best part about it? peace of mind, which is invaluable.

 

[homeby5]

There are so many better ways to have handled this. This is the least safe, least code compliant solution and very disappointing.

- Could have used a 3-way switch at the AC disconnect as a single-circuit transfer switch, with an inlet mounted right there at the disconnect. Cheap, easy, and safe. Use extension cords (not suicide cords) separately for other generator loads.

- Could have installed a branch-circuit transfer switch panel for the house, with the AC on one of the circuits and the rest of the stuff that needs generator power on other transfer circuits.

- Could have put an interlock on the main panel with an inlet outside for the generator, allowing him to power the whole house safely.

Easy to spend others people money.
Yes...I could have installed a automatic transfer switch with safety interlocks, or could have installed a $10 knife disconnect, or could have installed a freaking PLC and wrote a program to send an alarm playing "Flight of the BumbleBee" whenever the A/C condenser cuts on, or whatever else would make some here feel intelligent. But I chose to install the easiest and code compliant method that allows for a safe power supply as well as as easy way to connect a generator if I so chose to. Is that OK?

 

[homeby5]

Me, I'm just worried about the next owner of the house not understanding what the heck is going on with the wiring. :surprise:

Please explain what confuses you so?
As I explained earlier, there is a straight feed from the meter main breaker panel (you do know what that is....right?) From there it's a single circuit run to a waterproof box with a receptacle that supplies power to the AC condenser. The receptacle is 11 feet off of the ground and cannot be confusing for anyone with any amount of common sense. The only possible code violation was the lack of a GFCI used to supply the A/C condenser power but I have since found out a GFCI is not only not required for this (according to the A/C contractor) but not allowed. My question was a simple one....which was if anyone tried running an A/C condenser powered by a GFCI. I mentioned way back that I believe the GFCI would trip and guess what...it did.
The only confusion is coming from those who think they know it all or assume others are not as smart as them. I just finished building the entire home and I personally installed all of the electrical for both the main home and the apartment without a single violation.

 

[COLDIRON]

Please explain what confuses you so?
As I explained earlier, there is a straight feed from the meter main breaker panel (you do know what that is....right?) From there it's a single circuit run to a waterproof box with a receptacle that supplies power to the AC condenser. The receptacle is 11 feet off of the ground and cannot be confusing for anyone with any amount of common sense. The only possible code violation was the lack of a GFCI used to supply the A/C condenser power but I have since found out a GFCI is not only not required for this (according to the A/C contractor) but not allowed. My question was a simple one....which was if anyone tried running an A/C condenser powered by a GFCI. I mentioned way back that I believe the GFCI would trip and guess what...it did.
The only confusion is coming from those who think they know it all or assume others are not as smart as them. I just finished building the entire home and I personally installed all of the electrical for both the main home and the apartment without a single violation.

" That last paragraph is scary, fire insurance"?

 

[supers05]

The only confusion is coming from those who think they know it all or assume others are not as smart as them. I just finished building the entire home and I personally installed all of the electrical for both the main home and the apartment without a single violation.

That really isn't the case with this forum. There's always some trolling, but it's at the absolute minimum, especially compared to other sites. (Often the only replies are trolls on some places.)

Your electrical for the AC is not code compliant, unless you're jurisdiction simply doesn't have codes. The suicide cord isn't code or safe either. (I didn't see that originally.)

Cheers!

 

[curiousB]

Please explain what confuses you so?
As I explained earlier, there is a straight feed from the meter main breaker panel (you do know what that is....right?) From there it's a single circuit run to a waterproof box with a receptacle that supplies power to the AC condenser. The receptacle is 11 feet off of the ground and cannot be confusing for anyone with any amount of common sense. The only possible code violation was the lack of a GFCI used to supply the A/C condenser power but I have since found out a GFCI is not only not required for this (according to the A/C contractor) but not allowed. My question was a simple one....which was if anyone tried running an A/C condenser powered by a GFCI. I mentioned way back that I believe the GFCI would trip and guess what...it did.
The only confusion is coming from those who think they know it all or assume others are not as smart as them. I just finished building the entire home and I personally installed all of the electrical for both the main home and the apartment without a single violation.

Your indignation does not erase the fact you have an outdoor receptacle not protected by gfci. Code violation.

And you intend to backfeed a panel without a failsafe lockout mechanism. Code violation.

And you plan to backfeed it with a suicide cord. Code violation.


Three strikes. Your out!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Richardse]

This all sounds very risky and I wouldn't do it if I were you. Let's say you understand a little bit about this and think that you can do it. Do not forget that this is a street outlet and this is electricity. Jokes with electricity end badly. I would recommend that you call the service center of the store where you bought the air conditioner or electrician. They will be able to solve your problem without incident. I am not a risk-taker, so I call professionals in every case like this and think that it is good. Besides, you don't need any problems with the law.

_
https://www.airconservicingsingapore.com/installation/

 

[Jim Port]

Even a hardwired 240 air conditioner will require gfi protection under the 2020 code.

 

[hornetd]

Please explain what confuses you so?
As I explained earlier, there is a straight feed from the meter main breaker panel (you do know what that is....right?) From there it's a single circuit run to a waterproof box with a receptacle that supplies power to the AC condenser. The receptacle is 11 feet off of the ground and cannot be confusing for anyone with any amount of common sense. The only possible code violation was the lack of a GFCI used to supply the A/C condenser power but I have since found out a GFCI is not only not required for this (according to the A/C contractor) but not allowed. My question was a simple one....which was if anyone tried running an A/C condenser powered by a GFCI. I mentioned way back that I believe the GFCI would trip and guess what...it did.
The only confusion is coming from those who think they know it all or assume others are not as smart as them. I just finished building the entire home and I personally installed all of the electrical for both the main home and the apartment without a single violation.

You seem to be trying to get a blessing on your use of a receptacle to supply equipment fastened in place which violates the US National Electric Code (NEC). You also want a blessing for the installation of an outdoor receptacle outlet that is not protected by a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). which also violates the US NEC. Why you feel you need to convince us that we should support you in making a non code compliant installation I don't know.

If you later want to stop accusing people of arrogance because they will not say that what you are doing is the right way to do it then you may want to see pictures of the minor amount of parts that it would take to do this right.

The box that you have already installed up on the wall by the Condenser unit is a fine place to start. Remove the receptacle and install a short length of Liquid Tight conduit from that box to the wiring port of the condenser unit.
The photograph is just representative of how the liquid tight flexible conduit would be used. Yes I know that your box is just a single gang weather proof box and your condenser is wall mounted ~ 11 feet up.

Run four insulated conductors which will carry current, 2 white or grey; the smart move would be to use one of each; and 2 of different colors; other than white, grey, or green; and one insulated green conductor down to a box at a convenient height above ground. As to how you run the wires down to the lower box that does not make any difference as long as you use cable or raceway, such as 1 UF 2 wire cable and one UF 3 wire cable, EMT assembled with rain tight fittings, Non Metallic Rigid Conduit, or whatever other wire means suits you and is code permitted in wet locations. I suggest non metallic rigid conduit for it's lighter weight and the readily available manufactured bends.

In the lower box or boxes you will install a double pole, double throw switch.

In the other half of the same box or in another box right next to it you will installed a flush flanged inlet and cover both with an in use cover.

If the switch and the flanged inlet are in different boxes; I can never find one cover that will fit both devices; then install a weather proof switch cover or weather proof switch operating cover. Now you wire the white and one of the other wires, say black, to one set of selectable contacts to use as the supply to the switch from your upper box. You wire the gray and the other color insulation, say red, to the common terminals of the switch. The grey and red will supply the condenser unit. The other pair of selectable terminals are wired to the flanged inlet. The green wire gets connected to the green grounding terminal of both devices and to the box if it is metal. The switch includes a center off position so it can serve as the code required disconnect for the condenser unit.

When the power goes out you run an extension cord to the flanged inlet which is now located conveniently close to the ground. You turn the disconnect to it's center off position, insert the receptacle cord cap into the flanged inlet. You throw the switch to the Flanged inlet contacts and you are back in the cool.

--
Tom Horne

 

[RockyMtBeerMan]

If there is one thing where there is absolutely no place for ego and pride, it is electricity.

If there is one place to be humble and paranoid, it is electricity.