# Off-Grid Cabin...How to power cabin on generator



## Canoe83

Hi all. I own a small log cabin (4x6 logs) in central Michigan that is off grid. I have no option for grid power so I am looking to eventually power the cabin on solar/wind. But for financial reasons I will be putting this off for a year. For the time being I just purchased a new Honda EU3000is generator that I would like to use to power the cabin while I am there and take back home with me when I leave. I was planning on using the generator to charge a battery bank but once again I will have to put that off until next year. So for this year all I will have is the generator (which is fine as I only get the chance to get up there maybe every other weekend in the spring/summer/fall). 

Background on cabin:
Amish Built in 2011
Under 500 sq ft
Crawl Space
Wood Stove for heat
6 Inside Electrical Outlets (technically 8 but two of them will be rendered obsolete) 
1 Outside Electrical Outlet
1 Porch Light
1 Ceiling Fan (with lights)
2 Wall Sconces

All electrical lines have been run inside the log walls...exiting to the crawl space where the electric box is (crawl space is very tall). I have no Well nor do I plan on one in the future. I am not planning on living there year round. All I am looking to power is a few lights, Charge a few cell phones, coffee pot, radio, maybe a table fan. If I have any power tools to charge/run I can do that right off the generator. Eventually I will be getting a propane powered fridge and converting the generator to propane.

The electrical box is very small and I have included pictures of the box in this thread. Only 3 wires running into it and 2 breakers. 

For obvious reasons I will be running the generator outside near the cabin and will be building a storage shed for it in the near future. My question is how to connect the generator to the box. Will I need a transfer switch? How big of a transfer switch will I need and what kind would you recommend? Does this switch come with wiring and if not what wiring will I need? Do I need a transfer switch at all? If not how do I wire it?

I appreciate you taking the time to read this thread and will appreciate all input that you have for me. Please keep in mind I do not know much about electrical so please take it easy on me lol.


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## jatc

Canoe83 said:


> Hi all. I own a small log cabin (4x6 logs) in central Michigan that is off grid. I have no option for grid power so I am looking to eventually power the cabin on solar/wind. But for financial reasons I will be putting this off for a year. For the time being I just purchased a new Honda EU3000is generator that I would like to use to power the cabin while I am there and take back home with me when I leave. I was planning on using the generator to charge a battery bank but once again I will have to put that off until next year. So for this year all I will have is the generator (which is fine as I only get the chance to get up there maybe every other weekend in the spring/summer/fall).
> 
> Background on cabin:
> Amish Built in 2011
> Under 500 sq ft
> Crawl Space
> Wood Stove for heat
> 6 Inside Electrical Outlets (technically 8 but two of them will be rendered obsolete)
> 1 Outside Electrical Outlet
> 1 Porch Light
> 1 Ceiling Fan (with lights)
> 2 Wall Sconces
> 
> All electrical lines have been run inside the log walls...exiting to the crawl space where the electric box is (crawl space is very tall). I have no Well nor do I plan on one in the future. I am not planning on living there year round. All I am looking to power is a few lights, Charge a few cell phones, coffee pot, radio, maybe a table fan. If I have any power tools to charge/run I can do that right off the generator. Eventually I will be getting a propane powered fridge and converting the generator to propane.
> 
> The electrical box is very small and I have included pictures of the box in this thread. Only 3 wires running into it and 2 breakers.
> 
> For obvious reasons I will be running the generator outside near the cabin and will be building a storage shed for it in the near future. My question is how to connect the generator to the box. Will I need a transfer switch? How big of a transfer switch will I need and what kind would you recommend? Does this switch come with wiring and if not what wiring will I need? Do I need a transfer switch at all? If not how do I wire it?
> 
> I appreciate you taking the time to read this thread and will appreciate all input that you have for me. Please keep in mind I do not know much about electrical so please take it easy on me lol.



I guess my question would be, if it was not hooked up to the grid before now, then how was it previously powered? Or has it never been hooked up to a power source at all since being built?


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## Canoe83

jatc said:


> I guess my question would be, if it was not hooked up to the grid before now, then how was it previously powered? Or has it never been hooked up to a power source at all since being built?


LOL ya sorry I thought I touched all the bases on my post. It has NEVER had power before


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## jatc

Canoe83 said:


> LOL ya sorry I thought I touched all the bases on my post. It has NEVER had power before


Ok. No you don't need a transfer switch unless you are hooking up the building to a service connection as well as the generator. The purpose of a transfer switch is so when the power kicks back on after an outage that you don't fry your generator or melt your wires with incoming power. 

As far as the actual connection you need to make, that is going to be pretty simple and involve the proper size wire tied into the service box and a plug on the other end to plug into the generator. As far as specifics, I'm a little hesitant to say exactly how to do it here without actually looking at it for myself first in person. Just wouldn't want to miss something on my end and tell you to do something that is wrong and cause a problem.

The answer you seek though can easily be found on-line with a quick google search and is not hard if you possess basic handyman skills.


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## FREEPOP

Run a wire (10-3 w/gnd) to a plug on the outside and get a generator cord. 10 gauge wire would sufficient for what you are doing.
There will be two hots from your generator, one for each breaker. The ground (green) and common (white) go to the lug with the white wires.


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## Luv2hunteup

Running at 80% load your generator will give you 20 amps. 

#12 wire will handle 20 amps without burning up. 

If you have any distance between where your generator is you will have voltage drop which means your amps will increase. Go with #10 wire and you will be fine. 

Make sure you have a driven ground rod for your service. This is a must.

Green wire to ground
White wire to neutral, it must be bonded to ground at the panel
Black wire to the bus that feeds the breakers.

If memory serves me correctly you have a 20a duplex on the generator plus a 20a three wire twist lock receptacle. Use either one but not both. You only have 20 amps available.


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## UplandnWaterfowl

No Transfer Switch need like previously posted, you don't need to switch between two sources and don't need to worry about back-feed.

I would hook it up with RV box since your GenSet is made to run RV's and has a 30 amp receptacle. Buy a outdoor RV box and mount it on the outside of the cabin, wire the RV box to the Fuse box (use 30 amp wire), then just buy a RV cord to plug into the GenSet and the RV Box. Easy to hook up and disconnect w/o having to crawl in the crawl space and will look good. RV box and cord is waterproof so everything is safe. Whole setup is portable since you said you wanted to take the GenSet home after the weekend.


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## ibthetrout

UplandnWaterfowl said:


> No Transfer Switch need like previously posted, you don't need to switch between two sources and don't need to worry about back-feed.
> 
> I would hook it up with RV box since your GenSet is made to run RV's and has a 30 amp receptacle. Buy a outdoor RV box and mount it on the outside of the cabin, wire the RV box to the Fuse box (use 30 amp wire), then just buy a RV cord to plug into the GenSet and the RV Box. Easy to hook up and disconnect w/o having to crawl in the crawl space and will look good. RV box and cord is waterproof so everything is safe. Whole setup is portable since you said you wanted to take the GenSet home after the weekend.


This is probably the best idea yet.


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## hitechman

UplandnWaterfowl said:


> No Transfer Switch need like previously posted, you don't need to switch between two sources and don't need to worry about back-feed.
> 
> I would hook it up with RV box since your GenSet is made to run RV's and has a 30 amp receptacle. Buy a outdoor RV box and mount it on the outside of the cabin, wire the RV box to the Fuse box (use 30 amp wire), then just buy a RV cord to plug into the GenSet and the RV Box. Easy to hook up and disconnect w/o having to crawl in the crawl space and will look good. RV box and cord is waterproof so everything is safe. Whole setup is portable since you said you wanted to take the GenSet home after the weekend.


This is how we did it with our cabin in eastern Mason County. Worked just fine. We built and insulated a small "box" to enclose the generator to reduce the noise (make sure to leave opening for exhaust to escape and fresh air to enter - we had the openings facing away from the cabin). Never had a problem.

Steve


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## Canoe83

UplandnWaterfowl said:


> No Transfer Switch need like previously posted, you don't need to switch between two sources and don't need to worry about back-feed.
> 
> I would hook it up with RV box since your GenSet is made to run RV's and has a 30 amp receptacle. Buy a outdoor RV box and mount it on the outside of the cabin, wire the RV box to the Fuse box (use 30 amp wire), then just buy a RV cord to plug into the GenSet and the RV Box. Easy to hook up and disconnect w/o having to crawl in the crawl space and will look good. RV box and cord is waterproof so everything is safe. Whole setup is portable since you said you wanted to take the GenSet home after the weekend.


Wow thats great. Thanks Upland. Like I said I dont know that much about electrical and this seems like the best and simplest way to go about it. Quick question then...if I do go this route would I still need a grounding rod?

Any other comments or suggestions would be great


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## Luv2hunteup

Canoe83 said:


> Wow thats great. Thanks Upland. Like I said I dont know that much about electrical and this seems like the best and simplest way to go about it. Quick question then...if I do go this route would I still need a grounding rod?
> 
> Any other comments or suggestions would be great


Yes. Ask yourself, do you want to become a current path? If not drive a ground rod. Google ground rod and ground electrode conductor. Hook up is easy.


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## FREEPOP

Yes, Luv is correct, a ground rod is a very good idea and could very well save your life. I didn't notice in the cabinet that there isn't an uncoated ground wire. I wouldn't think of hanging a panel and not putting a ground rod in.


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## Canoe83

Luv2hunteup said:


> Yes. Ask yourself, do you want to become a current path? If not drive a ground rod. Google ground rod and ground electrode conductor. Hook up is easy.


Great ground rod it is. I understand that I will need to connect it to the generator. Any suggestions on what size I should use? 5/8 or 1/2?
Would I need a ground rod connected to the electric box as well?


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## FREEPOP

Ground rod to the electrical box = yes. It will need it if there ever is power there anyway. There is uncoated copper wire for that


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## Canoe83

ok so i will need two seperate ground rods. one for the generator and one for the box. do they need to be a certain distance from one another?


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## FREEPOP

You can use just one. Many generators suggest a frame ground and you can hook it to the same ground rod as the panel.


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## UplandnWaterfowl

Just ground your fuse box, you only need one.


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## UplandnWaterfowl

Canoe83 said:


> Like I said I dont know that much about electrical


You may be better off finding a local electrictian to do the install, it will be done right and give you many years of comfort that you can rely on it.

Also let your genset warm up a couple min before plugging into house, you can plug it in running.


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## FREEPOP

UplandnWaterfowl said:


> You may be better off finding a local electrictian to do the install, it will be done right and give you many years of comfort that you can rely on it..


or someone with some experience.


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## Luv2hunteup

Per code two ground sources are required. In your case that would be 2 ground rods minimum distance between them is 6ft. Home Depot should have what you need. 

Google should have images that you can look at for your connections. Remember with free advice you get what you pay for.


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