Size of Male Genny Plug?

[Dave_H_M]

What a nut roll. I was in the process of installing the male plug for the genny (30amp, 120) When Ummmm, the threads for the wire attaching screws seemed to strip out kinda easy :h So I thought no prob, I will just get another male locking plug and put a "good one" on there.

Arrrg, miles of driving and I finally throw in the towel. My genny plug has three pins that form a smaller diameter circle than the standard ones.

I got some metric 5 screws and a tap and with a few four letter words made that work. Hopefully I will never have to go back there.

Do i have an odd ball size chinese genny or are most like that and if so then there must be a place to get the "not standard" size?

[wa8yxm]

If you look very closely on both the plug and socket (Though it may be on the back) there should be a number or number letter combination that tell you EXACTLY what the plug is.. Or as someone else suggested look up the NEMA plug chart, take detailed measurements and .. Compare.

I do know that different size circles are a major issue with those plugs.. They come in several sizes.

[KD4UPL]

MCIbus wrote:
A pic would help.

A locking 30 amp plug is 220 not 110.

While I agree a pic would help our second statement is wrong. Locking plugs come in lots and lots of configurations from 120v up to 480v. To suggest that none exist in a particular voltage is silly.

I would guess, by the wattage of your gen., that is has a 30A, 120v locking outlet. It could have a 20A 120v locking outlet. These would be different configurations. It could also possibly have a non-standard size. While these are available they are rather difficult to find. The best bet is to take a picture, the actual gen, or the model number off the outlet to a professional electrical supply house. They should be able to get you the right thing.

[Dave_H_M]

MC This genny has receptacles for both 220 and 110. It is 3500 watts start up so the 110 receptacle has three slots and thus takes a three prong male. A three prong male was provided in the bag of stuff with the genny. The plug is marked load, neutral and ground.

This genny is around 5 years old so i don't think it is obsolete. The Marico stuff that I have would not do the trick. I did not search their site, since we had an impending ice storm and I wanted to be ready with the back up genny for the home.

[vermilye]

You have to be careful if you get into non NEMA connectors. For example, in our theatre the state of NY decided to wire all the theatre lighting with a 20 amp, 120V/240 twist lock (Example in the first row here) connectors. The problem was while it was wired for 120V in the theatre lighting circuits, the same connector was wired for 240V in the hallways to power floor buffers. Every once in a while a student would plug a theatre light into one of the hallway receptacles - very bright for a short time! Connectors such as these that use the different voltages on the same pins are no longer "official" but still sold an Non NEMA or obsolete devices.

While I don't know if your generator uses them, the NEMA L5-30 is the official 120V, 30 amp connector - See this NEMA Configuration Chart. Not too difficult to find as an inlet & female connector since they are used by both the RV & boating industries as the method of wiring detachable cords. (Marinco) is a good source (although expensive) for individual connectors.

[MCIbus]

A pic would help.

A locking 30 amp plug is 220 not 110.