Installation Guide

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Section 1 – General Information
1.5 Selecting A Portable Generator
What Kind of Generator Do I Need?
There are a wide variety of portable generators available for purchase. Some are more suitable than others for
connecting to your house. When selecting a portable generator to connect to your house, you should ensure
the generator:
 Will not damage sensitive electronic appliances/equipment
 Provides the capacity to start needed motor loads, such as a well or sump pump
 Has the necessary four-wire 20-amp, 30-amp or 50-amp receptacle required to connect the EZ-
Connect
 Required 120/240 outlet can either be the L14-20, L12-40, or the 14-50 straight blade NEMA outlet
The quality of power produced by a portable generator is also an important factor to consider when selecting
your generator. If the voltage output is too low, it could cause motors, such as your refrigerator or furnace
motor, to overheat. If the voltage output is too high, it could damage sensitive electronic equipment such as
the computer of the digital controls on your heating system.
To maximize your generator’s power quality, it is recommended that your generator have automatic voltage
regulation. Electronic voltage regulation is preferred over capacitor or condenser type regulation in instances
where sensitive electronic equipment is being operated.
What Size Generator Do I Need?
During a power outage, the EZ-Connect allows you to select the combination of loads/appliances you want to
operate by simply switching breakers in the household breaker panel. This flexibility makes generator sizing
easy.
You will want a generator that can run the largest appliances and motors you will need during an outage. You
can always run other smaller loads/appliances by rotating them on and off as necessary.
For example, if you have a generator with 9600 continuous watts of capacity, during a power outage, you can
run the hot water heater (typically 4800 watts) by simply turning off the majority of other household breakers
until the water tank heats up. Once the water is heated, shut off the water heater breaker and switch the other
household circuit breakers back on.
To determine the loads you can support with a portable generator, you must consider both the “running watt”
and the “starting watt” requirements of the loads you want to operate.
You can purchase or use a generator of any size provided the generator is equipped with a 4 wire,
120/240-volt receptacle rated at 20-amps, 30-amps and/or 50-amps. The EZ-Connect is designed to be
compatible with 20-amp, 30-amp and 50-amp connectors. The EZ-Connect can support up to a 48,000 watt
(200 amp x 240 Volt) generator source.
NOTICE!
The installation must fully comply with all applicable
codes, standards, and regulations.