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Understanding Requirements For Generators

Generators must meet several electrical installation requirements outlined in Article 445 of the NEC, including proper overcurrent protection, conductor sizing, live part protection, and disconnecting means. Article 445 addresses these considerations for generators in a more straightforward manner than for motors covered in Article 430. Key requirements include sizing conductors to at least 115% of generator nameplate current, providing overcurrent protection suited to the generator type, ensuring live parts are guarded against accidental contact, and installing a lockable disconnect means for each generator.

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86 views10 pages

Understanding Requirements For Generators

Generators must meet several electrical installation requirements outlined in Article 445 of the NEC, including proper overcurrent protection, conductor sizing, live part protection, and disconnecting means. Article 445 addresses these considerations for generators in a more straightforward manner than for motors covered in Article 430. Key requirements include sizing conductors to at least 115% of generator nameplate current, providing overcurrent protection suited to the generator type, ensuring live parts are guarded against accidental contact, and installing a lockable disconnect means for each generator.

Uploaded by

Jomari Pecson
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Understanding Requirements

for Generators
How to apply the requirements of Article 445 in generator installations.

Mike Holt | Apr 18, 2018

Article 445 contains the electrical installation and other requirements for
generators, including such things as where generators can be installed,
nameplate markings, conductor ampacity, and disconnecting means.
Generators are basically motors that operate in reverse, producing
electricity when rotated, instead of rotating when supplied with electricity.

Article 430, which covers motors, is the longest article in the NEC. Article
445, which covers generators, is one of the shortest. At first, this might not
seem to make sense. But you don’t need to size and protect conductors to a
generator. You do need to size and protect them to a motor.
Related: Top Nine Reasons Generators Fail to Start

Fig. 1. What size conductor is required from a 100A overcurrent protection device on a 20kW, 120/240V single-phase

generator to a 200A service rated transfer switch if the terminals are rated for 75°C conductor sizing?
ADVERTISING

Generators need overload protection, and it’s necessary to properly size the
conductors that come from the generator. But these considerations are
much more straightforward than the equivalent considerations for motors.

To correctly apply Art. 445, it helps to know the definition of a “separately


derived system.” That definition is spelled out in Art. 100 as follows: “An
electrical source, other than a service, having no direct connection(s) to
circuit conductors of any other electrical source other than those
established by grounding and bonding connections.” Understanding this
definition is also critical to correctly applying Art. 250 (Grounding and
Bonding) requirements to generator installations. Not every generator is a
separately derived source.

Generators, associated wiring, and equipment must be installed per the


following requirements depending on their use:

 Fire Pumps (Art. 645)


 Emergency Systems (Art. 700)
 Legally Required Standby Systems (Art. 701)
 Optional Standby Systems (Art. 702)

Overcurrent protection

The overcurrent protection requirements are not the same for all types of
generators. The NEC recognizes these five types:

1. Constant voltage generators must be protected from overload by inherent


design, circuit breakers, fuses, or other identified overcurrent protective
means [Sec. 445.12(A)].

2. Two-wire, DC generators can have overcurrent protection in just one


conductor — but only if the overcurrent device is actuated by the entire
current generated other than the current in the shunt field. The overcurrent
device (OCPD) must not open the shunt field [Sec. 445.12(B)].

3. Generators operating at 65V or less and driven by individual motors


must be considered protected by the overcurrent device(s) protecting the
motor — but only if these devices will operate when the generators are
delivering not more than 150% of their full-load rated current [Sec.
445.12(C)].

4. Two-wire, DC generators used in conjunction with balancer sets to obtain


neutral points for 3-wire systems must be equipped with overcurrent
devices that disconnect the 3-wire system in case of excessive unbalancing
of voltages or currents [Sec. 445.12(D)].

5. Three-wire, DC generators, whether compound or shunt wound, must be


equipped with overcurrent devices. There must be one in each armature
lead, and it must be connected so it’s actuated by the entire current from
the armature [Sec. 445.12(E)].

Note that an exception to Sec. 445.12(A) through (E) exists. Instead of


interrupting the circuit, the overload sensing device(s) may be connected to
an annunciator or alarm supervised by authorized personnel if certain
requirements are met. What are those requirements?

The authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) must deem that a generator is vital
to the operation of an electrical system, and the generator should operate to
failure (rather than be protected) to prevent a greater hazard to persons.

Your generator might not be vital to the operation of an electrical system,


but that doesn’t mean its function isn’t important. If the overcurrent
protective devices (OCPDs) are fuses, an inexpensive downtime reduction
measure is the practice of having spare fuses located near the generator.
Inside a pouch in the control cabinet might be the perfect spot.
If there’s not a box of foam roll-up earplugs near the door to the generator
room, get one up there. It’s one less thing that can interfere with handling
generator problems when the main power is down or under some other
circumstance in which you really need to get that generator running.

Conductor ampacity

The ampacity of the conductors from the generator winding output


terminals to the first overcurrent protection device, typically on the
generator, must have an ampacity of not less than 115% of the nameplate
current rating of the generator [Sec. 445.13(A)]. Since the overcurrent
protection device is typically part of the generator, this rule applies to the
generator manufacturer, not the field installer.

When sizing the conductors from the load side of the generator overcurrent
protection device to the transfer switch, size them per Sec. 240.4.

Example: What size conductor is required from a 100A overcurrent


protection device on a 20kW, 120/240V single-phase generator to a 200A
service rated transfer switch if the terminals are rated for 75°C conductor
sizing (Fig. 1)?

Answer: A 3 AWG conductor is required; Table 310.15(B)(16), rated 100A


at 75°C [Sec. 110.14(C)(1)(b)].
Fig. 2. The neutral conductor must be sized to carry the neutral and fault current.

Generators that aren’t a separately derived system [Art. 100] must have the
neutral conductor sized to carry the maximum unbalanced current as
determined by Sec. 220.61, serve as part of the effective ground-fault
current path, and not be smaller than required by Sec. 250.30 (Fig. 2).

Where the generator set is equipped with a listed OCPD or a combination of


a current transformer and overcurrent relay, conductors can be tapped
from the load side of the generator OCPD per Sec. 240.21(B) [445.13(B)].
Tapped conductors are not permitted for portable generators rated 15kW or
less where field wiring connection terminals are inaccessible.

Live parts

For generators that operate at more than 50VAC or 60VDC to ground, live
parts shall not be exposed to accidental contact where accessible to
unqualified persons [Sec. 445.14]. One way (among others) to meet this
rule is to locate the generator in a locked room with key card access. That
way, only qualified persons can get near the generator. That not only
protects unqualified persons from your generator, but it also protects your
generator system from unqualified persons.

You should also evaluate the system to determine if guards are necessary
for the protection of attendants. If so, the requirements of Sec. 430.233
apply [445.15]. Basically, suitable insulating mats or platforms shall be
provided so that the attendant can’t readily touch live parts unless standing
on the mat(s) or platform(s).

Bushings

Use a bushing to protect conductors of field-installed wiring wherever it


passes through an opening in an enclosure, box, or barrier. The bushing
must have smooth, well-rounded surfaces where it may be in contact with
conductors. If used where oils, greases, or other contaminants may be
present, the bushing must be made of a material that is suitable for that
contaminant. Metal bushings, for example, have no problem in this
environment.
A rubber grommet won’t do in the presence of oil. Note that grease is
simply oil in some kind of “carrier” (as the lubrication industry calls the
thick part). Oil causes rubber to deteriorate. That’s why you never use WD-
40 under the hood of your car to dress your fan belts or make your hoses
shiny, and you don’t put it on your tires.

If you have an engine generator set, just assume oil will be present. Use
bushings that are of suitable material, such as polyurethane.

Fig. 3. The disconnecting means requirements for generators are outlined in Sec. 445.18(A).
Disconnecting means and shutdown of the prime mover

Each fixed generator disconnect must simultaneously open all associated


ungrounded conductors and must be lockable in the open position per Sec.
110.25 [445.18(A)], as shown in Fig. 3.  

Generators must have provisions to shut down the prime mover; shutdown
must comply with all the following [445.18(B)]:

1. Be equipped with provisions to disable all prime mover start control


circuits to render the prime mover incapable of starting.

2. Initiate a shutdown mechanism that requires a mechanical reset.

The provisions to shut down the prime mover can satisfy the requirements
of Sec. 445.18(A) where the shutdown is capable of being locked in the open
position per Sec. 110.25.
Generators with greater than a 15kW rating must be provided with an
additional shutdown means located outside the equipment room or
generator and comply with Sec. 445.18(B)(1) and (B)(2).

What if generators are installed in parallel? Then the provisions of Sec.


445.18(A) must be capable of isolating the generator output terminals from
the paralleling equipment. The disconnecting means is not required to be at
the generator [445.18(C)].
Getting it right

One objective of Art. 445 is to correctly select the overprotection for the
application. Remember: There are five types of application. Another
objective is to correctly size the conductors that contain the overcurrent
protection; their ampacity can’t be less than 115% of the nameplate current.

A good installation goes beyond those and other Art. 445 requirements. For
example, all wiring is properly labeled, routed, and secured. Additionally,
terminations are properly torqued and labeled. These aren’t just nice
touches; they’re the hallmarks of a job done right

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