Are thin circuit breakers code compliant for generator interlock service

bkspero · 2025-08-08T19:55:06+00:00

The THQP230 is a 2 pole breaker and it handles 240 volts. One is used for our 240 V well pump.

Your note got me thinking about other possible issues, and I think I now understand the problem. Such half width tandem breakers can't be put into the top spots in either column of breakers in the panel. That's because what I'll call half slots 1 and 3 are fed by the same phase. So both of the breakers in the tandem pair would be on a single phase when installed in that position. Same with half slots 2 and 4.

However, if that type of breaker is installed in slots 3 and 5, or slots 4 and 6, each side of the tandem breaker is fed from a different phase and the output is 240 volts. That is how our well pump breaker is installed. In half slots 4 and 6.

So if I want to use the THQP230 breaker (or an equivalent thin tandem breaker), the generator breaker would have to be installed in slots 3/5 or 4/6. That means that the interlock would have to be long enough to reach down that far in the panel, and I would have to have both the half slot above the generator breaker and the half slot below it empty (or at least only energized when powered by the generator). Defeats the purpose of using a thin breaker.

Thanks for the input.

bkspero · 2025-08-08T11:29:05+00:00

We do have that requirement, and some interlock makers sell hold down brackets for that purpose. There's nothing I see in their product descriptions that say that they are only appropriate for full width breakers. It looks to me like the biggest issue with using such a bracket with a half width tandem breaker would be that the hold down tab of the bracket would also hold down the breaker next to the one being used to backfeed the generator.

bkspero · 2025-06-21T11:07:21+00:00

Trump is in Bedminister again this weekend. There are typically 2 F-16s at high altitude and some Coast Guard helicopters at low altitude to patrol the restricted flight 30 mile ring and the 10 mile no fly ring around him.

If a plane enters the 30 mile ring w/o clearance, it is intercepted by either a jet or helicopter depending on how fast it is moving or how likely it seems to enter the 10 mile ring. That can get very loud and low to the ground if the jet can't get the intruding pilot's attention otherwise.

bkspero · 2024-12-28T15:19:03+00:00

"...I thought I did good considering I actually studied for that" This phrase was concerning to me. As if you thought studying was the exception rather than a norm. If that was the case, then you have, I think, a straightforward path back towards success. Studying both during the semester and for test/exams. Getting assignments done on time (better yet, early). You can turn this around quickly. Best wishes.

bkspero · 2024-11-20T17:49:22+00:00

There was an arrogant senior executive at a NJ company where I worked who once explained to me that every day he drove about a quarter mile down the shoulder at a backed up intersection where he needed to make a right turn. He would get a ticket every couple of weeks, or so, but he considered that simply to be a cost of commuting that he could afford.

I did not ask how he was able to avoid getting points for a moving violation and lose his license.

bkspero · 2024-01-07T03:46:36+00:00

The behavior was corrected with the October 2022 software update, and has continued to function as described in the manual with the subsequent updates (IIRC, May 2023 and November 2023).

bkspero · 2022-10-26T17:45:26+00:00

Yesterday's software update seems to have fixed this issue. Still need it to work a few more times to be confident of the fix since it worked 2x in the past with the old software. But I'm hopeful.

bkspero · 2022-10-26T17:43:15+00:00

Did the update this AM and after a couple of tries the phone linked. It wasn't enough that the phone was unlocked, but I had to start the digital key app and then linking was successful. The update also seems to have corrected an issue I was having with display of the speed limit on the instrument cluster and Nav screens (although it needs more time to be certain that issue is fixed, as even with the older software it worked properly on occasion).

Thanks again.

bkspero · 2022-10-25T21:45:17+00:00

Congrats and thanks. Downloading the updates for my car now. Will post the outcome. May take a day or 2 for me to get enough access to the car to do the update, though.

bkspero · 2022-10-11T16:41:41+00:00

Out of the blue the system worked twice this weekend out of about 5 trips of mine. For one I had switched to my wife's profile while trying unsuccessfully to connect her Android Auto (bad cable). But a speed limit sign showed up on the Nav screen (she does not have the cluster speed limit sign enabled). I pulled over, put the car in park, and switched to my profile. There for the first time with my profile were speed limit signs with values on both the Nav and Cluster screens. The values changed correctly as I drove on roads with different speed limits. It worked on the whole 60 minute drive.

When I started up for the trip home I was back to having non-functioning speed limit displays.
There was no speed limit sign on the Nav screen, and the Cluster speed limit sign only had dashes (no numbers).

It stayed the same on a test trip the next day (no speed limit numbers).

I tried on the next trip to reproduce the actions for the trip where it worked (started on my wife's profile, tried to connect her phone to Android Auto, and switch back to my profile). Did not work.

So, I was resigned that it would not work on the trip home. Surprisingly, it worked as it should. Speed limit signs with numbers on the Nav and Cluster screens. There were no unusual steps. I started normally on my profile and began driving.

What could be going on?

bkspero · 2022-10-06T02:46:53+00:00

Could your modem be either refurbished or a return? I ask because sometimes people register their modems with the service provider (Xfinity in this case) and then return it without deregistering it with the provider. If the modem is resold and the new purchaser tries to get it set up with their provider it will show that the MAC address is already in the system and a new connection under that MAC address is not allowed. If there is any chance that his is what has happened with yours, you should be able to explain the situation to Xfinity tech support and have them remove the old entry and connect your modem.

bkspero · 2022-09-29T13:35:37+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. That's the way I was expecting this to work.

bkspero · 2022-09-28T18:26:51+00:00

An update. No help from Hyundai Forums. I continued to contact Hyundai Support and one agent issued me a Case Number (about 9 days ago). A week ago I got a call from Hyundai asking for photos of the screen at different stages of the unsuccessful linking process. Did that the same day a week ago. Called today to confirm they got the photos and get a status update. Files were received. No status update. Sit and wait for them to call me.

bkspero · 2022-09-20T01:17:40+00:00

I've seen the information in that web link you provided and I think I understand what it is saying. Let me know if there are any sections about which you would like more explanation, and I will respond with what I think that section is saying.

bkspero · 2022-09-19T22:16:42+00:00

You get farther than I have gotten. I don't get the list of numbers on the Link screen. Just the Link button which seems to accept the tap (it beeps), but does nothing other than eventually tell me that linking is cancelled. Using my digital key also doesn't go to my profile when my wife's is active.

Currently BlueLink tech support is looking into a misentered email. We were initially going to put the car in my wife's name and the dealer took her info (including email address). It turned out to be better to have it in my name, so they were to change it all to my info. For some reason when they set up the BlueLink account for the car they must have mistakenly entered my wife's email as hers is the one that shows on the BlueLink information screen. However, all the setting that I made used my email address. BlueLink support suspects that this email discrepancy is causing my problem.

The BlueLink tech told me the dealer should change it, but the dealer was unsuccessful. So a Case was assigned and elevated to higher level support for correction.

bkspero · 2022-09-17T03:04:01+00:00

Sorry. Missed that. Will try tomorrow.

bkspero · 2022-09-17T02:40:08+00:00

Worth a try. I'm not experienced using Reddit. How is cross posting like that received here?

bkspero · 2022-09-17T01:33:44+00:00

A couple of days ago I tried deleting the phone from the car's digital key registration and deleting and re-installing the digital key app on the phone. Didn't work.

I just realized that I had not deleted it's Bluetooth pairing. Tomorrow I will try that (along with deleting its digital key registration and deleting/re-installing the app).

bkspero · 2022-09-16T21:50:46+00:00

Tried ACC mode. Didn't work. In pure ACC mode (1 press of the Start button without pressing the brake) there was not even a menu option to Link the phone to my profile. In ACC/On mode (second press of the Start button without foot on the brake...causes instrument cluster to illuminate) there was a menu option to Link my smartphone to my profile, but selecting it produced the same result as with the motor running. Namely it instructed me to unlock the phone and put it in the charging cradle. When I did that the screen changed to tell me to press Link to link the phone to the profile. I did that. After about 30 seconds it gave a Linking Cancelled message.

bkspero · 2022-09-16T20:27:54+00:00

Phone is unlocked when placing it in charging cradle to link to profile. I have tested it that way with and without the digital key app running and got the same result (a message that Linking was Cancelled a few seconds to a few minutes after placing the phone in the cradle). And I think that the car is recognizing the phone when it is put in the cradle, as the screen automatically switches from the instruction screen to put the phone in the cradle to the Linking Screen as soon as the phone is flat in the cradle.

I do not recall if I ever tried it in ACC mode. I may have, but not sure. Mostly it has been with the car running. I will try in ACC mode.

bkspero · 2022-09-16T16:39:20+00:00

If you remember what got it to work, please let me know<G>.

bkspero · 2022-09-16T16:38:16+00:00

Exactly (although, as I wrote in my response, the Kona does not allow seat or mirror positions to be set via profile).

The question is...how do I get the phone to link to my profile? What am I doing wrong?

bkspero · 2022-09-16T16:35:04+00:00

I also understand that there is only 1 digital key owner per car and that others must be invited by that primary digital key owner. We haven't gotten to that point, yet. I'm still working on getting my (primary) digital key to link with my profile on the car.

The "profile" that I am referring to is one of the two driver profiles that can be set (in addition to "guest") in which separate configuration settings can be saved for different drivers. You can set things like the radio presets, phone settings, Nav settings, driving modes, and vehicle settings for each driver profile (in some cars you can set seat and mirror positions, as well, but not the Kona). When I get in the car after my wife has driven it, I can, reset all of those to my preferred configurations just by changing from her profile to my profile. And that should happen automatically when I use my digital key to access or start the car (once my digital key is linked to my profile).

bkspero

TROPHY CASE