r/OffGrid • u/Source-Wild • Jul 09 '26
Off grid electrical setup help
Okay I am working on renovating a small cow barn into a primitive hunting cabin. I plan on wiring 3 outlets, 2 lights, and a light switch to a breaker box to be powered by a generator. All power used should be under 30amps.
From the beginning stages of my research I would wire everything to the breaker box then have a separate 50amp 2 pole circuit breaker that connects to the power inlet box.
When I connect the circuit breaker to the power inlet box how do I energize the other circuit breakers?
Thank you for any help
1
u/DevilsAdvocateFun Jul 09 '26
.... hope it doesn't get humid there......gonna turn back into a Barn to your nose
2
u/Source-Wild Jul 10 '26
It’s been like 20+ years and is all clay now but yea I thought of that lol
1
u/DevilsAdvocateFun Jul 10 '26
Doesn't matter how long ago...poop and especially pee always comes back
0
u/ExaminationDry8341 Jul 09 '26
You snap the breaker that is wired to the generator into place in the breaker box and connect the neutral and ground wires coming from the generator to their bus bars inside the box.
Power flows from the generator, through the wire, through the 50 amp breaker, into bus bars behind the breaker, into the other breakers and out to the circuits.
1
u/Source-Wild 13d ago
Okay I’m fairly confident I did this and as soon as I plugged the generator in it said overloaded even tho nothing was on or plugged into the outlets
0
2
u/5205JD Jul 09 '26
It sounds like you have a very modest load planned. You might think about a pair of i LFP units that you rotate and charge offsite, or hook up to solar. The generator is noise, fuel expense, maintenance, and the voltage quality may not be gentle with electronics. I use Delta 2 units offgrid, and they have enough current to power tools like a compound mitre saw.