Out with HIS, in with GenerLink

[Alec313H]

Would be great if they just sold the tiny "Ford Vehicle Connector" separately - would be great to have an "official" option to recommend people to use with a generator inlet and interlock vs having to make your own and leave the ground disconnected (even though that's almost certainly what the "Ford Vehicle Connector" is).

If you call generlink they will sell you just the connector

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[jwrezz]

I am in Alabama, i just got off the phone with the generlink customer service and they said i can purchase it and i didn't have to be in the states that were on the website.

I think many are looking at this to get a free or reduced price installation thru their electric provider. If you're looking at purchasing and installing yourself or using your electrician, why not go with a generator inlet and interlock? Maybe it's a cleaner installation, but is it less expensive?

 

[Alec313H]

I think many are looking at this to get a free or reduced price installation thru their electric provider. If you're looking at purchasing and installing yourself or using your electrician, why not go with a generator inlet and interlock? Maybe it's a cleaner installation, but is it less expensive?

An interlock is not an approved ford device. You need the ford connector for your warranty, i am not taking any chances with some product ford hasn't tested

 

[jwrezz]

An interlock is not an approved ford device. You need the ford connector for your warranty, i am not taking any chances with some product ford hasn't tested

Understood, but it's the same thing. Just the removed ground conductor by a utility company rather than an electrician or home owner. Many people have used their PPOB L14-30 to plug into their generator inlet. Be it an interlock or a transfer switch. There is no way using that plug, as it was intended, should void a warranty. Knowing what we know, that the only thing that makes the Ford system trip is the dual ground paths, and that the way GenerLink has "fixed" this is by deleting the ground in their cable, we have what we need to do this safely. My linetbox and interlock were installed by an electrician and approved by my town building inspection dept. For that reason, it should accept power from a generator, batterybox/solar generator,a Ford truck, or anything with a NEMA L14-30R.

 

[RickLightning]

An interlock is not an approved ford device. You need the ford connector for your warranty, i am not taking any chances with some product ford hasn't tested

Approved Ford device?

What is it that you think Ford is warrantying anyway?

The truck puts out the power, to a house. Since the house has no power, it powers the house. When the house power comes on, it stops. If you have a generator interlock, the house power comes on, you turn off the generator breaker, and turn on the mains.

 

[flyct]

......................nty. Knowing what we know, that the only thing that makes the Ford system trip is the dual ground paths, and that the way GenerLink has "fixed" this is by deleting the ground in their cable, we have what we need to do this safely. My linetbox and interlock were installed by an electrician and approved by my town building inspection dept. For that reason, it should accept power from a generator, batterybox/solar generator,a Ford truck, or anything with a NEMA L14-30R.

This is the first time i read that the Ford GenerLink cable has a deleted ground. That makes sense. Is there something that documents this?

At new home I have a Code Compliant Generator Inlet box installed and a Square-D interlock bypass kit installed by an electrician. The inlet box has 2 hots, neutral and ground connected to the house panel. When I run my gas generator I use a standard. 30-amp generator cable. When I use my Lightning, I use a custom cable that I made without ground connected.

At my remote cabin I installed the same setup, and I've used it at least a dozen times with the Lightning.

 

[jwrezz]

This is the first time i read that the Ford GenerLink cable has a deleted ground. That makes sense. Is there something that documents this?

At new home I have a Code Compliant Generator Inlet box installed and a Square-D interlock bypass kit installed by an electrician. The inlet box has 2 hots, neutral and ground connected to the house panel. When I run my gas generator I use a standard. 30-amp generator cable. When I use my Lightning, I use a custom cable that I made without ground connected.

At my remote cabin I installed the same setup, and I've used it at least a dozen times with the Lightning.

Only assumptions, but being that my generator had to be "fixed" by deleting the ground/neutral bond for home back-up, and creating a plug with a connection between the ground and neutral for when I use it as a stand-alone or portable generator for camping, working, etc, this is the only conclusion we can reach.

 

[flyct]

Only assumptions, but being that my generator had to be "fixed" by deleting the ground/neutral bond for home back-up, and creating a plug with a connection between the ground and neutral for when I use it as a stand-alone or portable generator for camping, working, etc, this is the only conclusion we can reach.

A meter can does not have a ground connection from the transformer. It only has L!, L2 and Neutral. I don't think the GenerLink device as built provides a ground pass through.

Installation Manual states:
Step 2 Install the white Neutral lead, located on the bottom of the backside of the GenerLink. The grounding method selected should be consistent with local codes and standards for your area.

Here is the installation video. Notice the neutral connection in addition to the L! L2 Lugs and no ground connection or pass through in the meter can. I can't find anything that shows how their input cable is wired.

 

[jwrezz]

A meter can does not have a ground connection from the transformer. It only has L!, L2 and Neutral. I don't think the GenerLink device as built provides a ground pass through.

Installation Manual states:
Step 2 Install the white Neutral lead, located on the bottom of the backside of the GenerLink. The grounding method selected should be consistent with local codes and standards for your area.

Here is the installation video. Notice the neutral connection in addition to the L! L2 Lugs and no ground connection or pass through in the meter can. I can't find anything that shows how their input cable is wired.

It's not the ground, but the neutral/ground bond. There is one and can be only one. There is one at your panel or at the service entrance. It's supposed to be at the first point of a disconnect. There is also one built into most generators, and of course built into the ford PPOB. The Ford system is smart and recognizes that there is a bond at your house as well as the bond in the truck and shuts the system down. By removing the ground conductor as it enters the truck, you're effectively bypassing the truck's built in ground/neutral bond and using the bond built into your home.

 

[flyct]

It's not the ground, but the neutral/ground bond. There is one and can be only one. There is one at your panel or at the service entrance. It's supposed to be at the first point of a disconnect. There is also one built into most generators, and of course built into the ford PPOB. The Ford system is smart and recognizes that there is a bond at your house as well as the bond in the truck and shuts the system down. By removing the ground conductor as it enters the truck, you're effectively bypassing the truck's built in ground/neutral bond and using the bond built into your home.

I understand the single neutral/ground bond. I was wondering how GenerLink gets around this. I think I found the secret sauce that allows the Lightning to power the house through a Generlink.

When you order the Ford GenerLink bundle they provide an additional “Ford Vehicle Connector". This must be the short yellow pigtail in the picture below that plugs bewteen the truck and the standard Generlink cable. It must break the ground connection from the truck to the input cable. I wonder if they would sell it separately. That way those of us with a simple generator interlock kit will allow us to use of a standard generator cable?

What is included in the GenerLink Meter-Solution Ford Bundle:

• GenerLink transfer switch
• 20’ GenerLok cable
• Ford Vehicle Connector
• GenCap (Free)

 

[jwrezz]

I understand the single neutral/ground bond. I was wondering how GenerLink gets around this. I think I found the secret sauce that allows the Lightning to power the house through a Generlink.

When you order the Ford GenerLink bundle they provide an additional “Ford Vehicle Connector". This must be the short yellow pigtail in the picture below that plugs bewteen the truck and the standard Generlink cable. It must break the ground connection from the truck to the input cable. I wonder if they would sell it separately. That way those of us with a simple generator interlock kit will allow us to use of a standard generator cable?

What is included in the GenerLink Meter-Solution Ford Bundle:

• GenerLink transfer switch
• 20’ GenerLok cable
• Ford Vehicle Connector
• GenCap (Free)

That pigtail having no ground conductor has been what weve all been saying the whole time.

 

[flyct]

That pigtail having no ground conductor has been what weve all been saying the whole time.

I guess I'm a little late to the party!

1- Has anyone verified that the pigtail eliminates the ground conductor?
of so
2- Has anyone verified that GenerLink will sell the pigtail?

 

[RickLightning]

I guess I'm a little late to the party!

1- Has anyone verified that the pigtail eliminates the ground conductor?
of so
2- Has anyone verified that GenerLink will sell the pigtail?

Ford has stated that the special cable is only with their GenerLink offer.

 

[jwrezz]

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