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Generator elec/amperage question #7544651 06/29/19 01:22 PM
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Theoretical question: Generator has two 20 amp circuits and one 30 amp circuits. Could all circuits be tied together past its breakers/female plugs to have theoretical 70 amp circuit? Not just a guess like it will probably burn something down but why it would not work.


Re: Generator elec/amperage question [Re: GLC] #7544693 06/29/19 02:35 PM
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Probably not. Its is not how may plugs, it is how many breaker or fuses you have. You cant exceed the watt rating of the generator.

If the 30 amp plug is an RV plug, it will be 30 amps at 120 volts. 30 x 120 = 3600 watts.


If the 30 amp plug is 240 volt, 30 x 240 = 7200 watts.

In my experience, this is the largest load of a particular generator.

There also some safety concerns regarding neatrals and grounds if you combined both circuits.

What is the total available wattage of your generator? How many breakers? Maybe a picture of plugs and breakers?

Last edited by Lazyjack; 06/29/19 02:37 PM.

If the 2nd amendment was written just to include guns for hunting, why is there not an amendment to protect fishing poles?
Re: Generator elec/amperage question [Re: GLC] #7544731 06/29/19 03:43 PM
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Currently 6500 watts surge, 5500 constant. 3 separate circuits/ breakers. Just wondering if i bought a larger one like 7500 continual watts if it may push 70 amps? 3 circuits together. Mine has the 30 amp 240.

Last edited by GLC; 06/29/19 05:27 PM.

Re: Generator elec/amperage question [Re: GLC] #7544774 06/29/19 05:30 PM
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I going to say no. Wattage is energy that does the work. Amperage determines wire size. Amperage is only a measue for safety of a conductor or appliance.

Your current 5500 watt generator could support 23 to 25 amps of current flow total.

If we use amperage as the measure. Looking at your current gen, a 20 amp 240 volt load will only leave 5 amps of power left for continuous load. If you plugged in a 25 amp 240 load into the 240 volt plug and 15 amp load into each 110 volt plug, probably nothing would smoke, but the engine would stall. At least that would be my expectations.

7500 watts at 240 volts converted to amperage is still only about 32 amps.

Electricity is a lot like water. You can support a garden hose with a fire hose. But, you cant support a fire hose with a garden hose.

Even if you managed to rewire the plugs safely, you limited by the output of the generator.


If the 2nd amendment was written just to include guns for hunting, why is there not an amendment to protect fishing poles?
Re: Generator elec/amperage question [Re: GLC] #7544812 06/29/19 06:40 PM
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Ok thanks, makes sense.


Re: Generator elec/amperage question [Re: Lazyjack] #7544943 06/29/19 11:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Lazyjack
I going to say no. Wattage is energy that does the work. Amperage determines wire size. Amperage is only a measue for safety of a conductor or appliance.

Your current 5500 watt generator could support 23 to 25 amps of current flow total.

If we use amperage as the measure. Looking at your current gen, a 20 amp 240 volt load will only leave 5 amps of power left for continuous load. If you plugged in a 25 amp 240 load into the 240 volt plug and 15 amp load into each 110 volt plug, probably nothing would smoke, but the engine would stall. At least that would be my expectations.

7500 watts at 240 volts converted to amperage is still only about 32 amps.

Electricity is a lot like water. You can support a garden hose with a fire hose. But, you cant support a fire hose with a garden hose.

Even if you managed to rewire the plugs safely, you limited by the output of the generator.



to get 70a support you need to go to one of the large backup gensets like generac etc. they have them that will support a 100a service but expect to pay for it.



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Re: Generator elec/amperage question [Re: GLC] #7545148 06/30/19 05:25 AM
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Originally Posted by GLC
Theoretical question: Generator has two 20 amp circuits and one 30 amp circuits. Could all circuits be tied together past its breakers/female plugs to have theoretical 70 amp circuit? Not just a guess like it will probably burn something down but why it would not work.

Originally Posted by GLC
Theoretical question: Generator has two 20 amp circuits and one 30 amp circuits. Could all circuits be tied together past its breakers/female plugs to have theoretical 70 amp circuit? Not just a guess like it will probably burn something down but why it would not work.


No - each of those 120 plugs is on a separate winding side ( center neutral) & 180 degrees out of phase with each other: the 240 socket is simply both ‘hots’ of the 120 sockets.
In other words, if you ‘tried’ to combine the hots on each 120 plug that would be the same as a dead short across the 240 plug!!!! Wouldn’t burn anything as the breaker would immediately trip.

Any generator can only put half it’s watts on each side of 2 120 outlets, or full wattage at 240 volts.
The only solution to get All the power on a single 120 circuit would be to get a 240 to 120 transformer rated at generator output and feed it with 240 from the generator.

Last edited by oldoak2000; 06/30/19 05:32 AM.
Re: Generator elec/amperage question [Re: GLC] #7545387 06/30/19 06:27 PM
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Thanks guys, i have been educated. I was just wondering.


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