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alkizmo
join:2007-06-25
Pierrefonds, QC

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Re: Voltage Drop Tolerances

said by XXXXXXXXXXX1:

Sounds like a plan.

Just out of curiosity, is there a practical way to measure the actual voltage drop of my system? I have a Greenlee AM-6 Multimeter.

Good luck.

You'd need to measure before its under load, then put it at max load (30A) to see the maximum drop.

As Nunya said, if it's too late, don't sweat it.

BTW Nunya, I see a lot of people talk about their 10/4 SO extension cord on 30A receptacles. Aren't 10/4 SO's rated for 25A? What's the dealio?
XXXXXXXXXXX1
Premium Member
join:2006-01-11
Beverly Hills, CA

XXXXXXXXXXX1

Premium Member

said by alkizmo:

Good luck.

You'd need to measure before its under load, then put it at max load (30A) to see the maximum drop.

As Nunya said, if it's too late, don't sweat it.

BTW Nunya, I see a lot of people talk about their 10/4 SO extension cord on 30A receptacles. Aren't 10/4 SO's rated for 25A? What's the dealio?

I'm more curious than anything else. I think the 10 gauge between the inlet and the panel is fine... and I'm not going through the hassle of ripping that out and going with bigger gauge. But as long as it's not a ridiculous amount, nunya is right, it makes sense to go with 8 gauge for the longer cord I need from generator to inlet. If I wasn't making up a new one, I wouldn't spend the money, but since I need a longer length anyway, why not..
Speedy Petey
join:2008-01-19

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said by alkizmo:

BTW Nunya, I see a lot of people talk about their 10/4 SO extension cord on 30A receptacles. Aren't 10/4 SO's rated for 25A? What's the dealio?

If I may.
10/4 cord (wh, bk, red, grn) is allowable to use Column B in T400.5(A)(1) if the white only carries the current imbalance, as in this situation.
Column B lists #10 @ 30A ampacity.

Coma
Thanks Steve
Premium Member
join:2001-12-30
NirvanaLand

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said by XXXXXXXXXXX1:

it makes sense to go with 8 gauge for the longer cord I need from generator to inlet. If I wasn't making up a new one, I wouldn't spend the money, but since I need a longer length anyway, why not..


I have 80' 8ga run to my shop where I keep the generator but it only outputs 30A so a 10ga suicide cord is fine.

leibold
MVM
join:2002-07-09
Sunnyvale, CA
Netgear CG3000DCR
ZyXEL P-663HN-51

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MVM

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said by alkizmo:

said by XXXXXXXXXXX1:

Just out of curiosity, is there a practical way to measure the actual voltage drop of my system?

You'd need to measure before its under load, then put it at max load (30A) to see the maximum drop.

Actually the idle voltage of the generator is not a useful number. To measure the voltage drop you need to measure the voltage while the generator is under load. The first measurement is done at the generator and the second measurement is done near the biggest load. The difference between the two measurements is the voltage drop.

The resistance measurement suggested by PSWired See Profile is technically correct but in real life faces the problem that most multimeters aren't very precise for low ohm readings and even a small difference in value has a large effect on the resulting calculation.
XXXXXXXXXXX1
Premium Member
join:2006-01-11
Beverly Hills, CA

1 edit

XXXXXXXXXXX1

Premium Member

I was thinking more like running a high demand appliance, like an electric dryer, and maybe one more thing to get close to the 6000 running watts point, and then energizing one of the farthest outlets and see what kind of voltage it's getting.

If the voltage drop should be no more than 5%, then would it be correct to say that the voltage should be no less than 114v at that outlet (5% of 120v is 6v, so 120-6=114v)?