Nabber86
Stalewater Kansas
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Joined: 09/11/2007
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Anybody that is smart enough to run a generator through their service panel should be smart enough to open the main breaker before doing so, or better yet, pull the meter off of the box on the outside of your house. It's no big deal.
Also - unless your house is being inspected when you have a generator hooked up to the service panel, I wouldnt worry about electric codes.
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Jamesrpm
Oregon Coast
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Nabber86 wrote:
Also - unless your house is being inspected when you have a generator hooked up to the service panel, I wouldnt worry about electric codes.
What a stupid remark ! Just ignore all of the saftey rules . Think they might have been made because of accidents and injuries in the past ? Just do what you want, to heck with worrying about killing someone or burning a house down.
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I plan on living forever , so far , so good
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NORM WADDELL
PENSACOLA FL 32514
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Joined: 11/16/2000
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I,too, am disgusted (but not surprised)
by some of the replies....."don't worry
about safety rules, don't break safety
rules when the inspector is coming,
expect EVERY lineman to ALWAYS follow
EVERY safety rule (even linesmen working
in unfamiliar areas after storms).....
IF they follow every rule EVERY time, they
will be safe.......it's not YOUR job to keep
them safe" ...........tell that to the linesman
KILLED in Alabama last year by a home generator
connected to home wiring...........
L NORMAN WADDELL
30 FOOT ALLEGRO
SATURN TOAD
WIFE AND 2 DOGS SUGAR BEAR & COCO BEAR
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JUrban
Delaware
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What do you think the chances are that every farmer who has a backup generator (and over half have backup power) has a transfer switch wired into the yard pole in accordance with the NEC? I'm not one to point fingers or make accusations, but in most instances these folks are doing a large part of their own farm wiring and electrical repairs, and are far from the local homeowner who runs to Home Depot and gets a generator. When most homeowners cannot even explain the difference between wiring a motor home power supply and a clothes drier, it becomes obvious why the NEC was instituted.
Making the overall sweeping statements about the evils and dangers of doing this or that is just as ignorant as the guy who tries to do something well beyond his capability in any endeavor. In my opinion BOTH sides here are equally wrong.
I too would like to hear about specific cases where turning off the line feed and hooking up a generator for a house killed a lineman working on the highlines.
John
2008 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40' QSP
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Unlike NORM I won't tell you not to do it. Instead I will tell you HOW to do it
There is a way. And it's the one I use on this house.
When I got the RV I also upgraded the power in this house. We ripped out the old PUSH-MATIC breaker box and replaced it with a larger SQUARE D 150 amp main breaker box. We also added something
A GENERATOR TRANSFER SWITCH system
You can find these at Lowes or Home Depot. They are a bit pricey in my opinion but worth it. The one I have has several switches, the bottom 2 pair are Ganged for 240 volt appliances but my RV can't power those so you can seperate them. (I DID) most are breakered at 15 amps, the ganged ones are 20.
That's on the one I have.. They come in several different types. Sears used to sell one. The one I have is a brand I never heard of but is well bulit.
This connects to the master breaker box, you start by disconnecting the BLACK wire from the breaker and join it to a numbered wire from the switch
You then connect the matching numbered wire of a different color to the breaker
That's about all there is to it
now when you are switched to MAIN the power line is connected to that breaker
When you switch to GENERATOR the RV powers that line.
Works great, the box is UL approved and meets the code, it is safe
What you do not want to do is "Back feed" the system using a double male cord cause if you forget just one step you can damage your rig and kill people
Also, as I said the RV will not run my 240 volt loads... And backfeeding may cause it to try, this could damage both the RV and the loads.
Using the switch box I choose just which circuits get E-Power and which do not, this means I can (And do) have lamps on the Mains all the time so when the power company restores I know to shut off the gen-set
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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Nabber86
Stalewater Kansas
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Jamesrpm wrote:Nabber86 wrote:
Also - unless your house is being inspected when you have a generator hooked up to the service panel, I wouldnt worry about electric codes.
What a stupid remark ! Just ignore all of the saftey rules . Think they might have been made because of accidents and injuries in the past ? Just do what you want, to heck with worrying about killing someone or burning a house down.
Where did I say to "ignore all safety rules"?
In this case, safety rule number one (besides not electrocuiting yourself) is to disconnect the power to your house so you dont send power from your generator up the power grid. Period! There are several ways to do this. Break the main breaker for Pete's sake, or pull the meter - simple enough. If you dont have a complete understanding of this basic concept, dont do it.
Safety? Do you think that running a gaggle of extension cords through your house is any safer than a properly connecting a generator to your service panel? Aside from the obvious fire hazard, tripping over electric cords in the dark probably causes more injury than people getting shocked. And as far as codes go, I can tell you that running those extension cords aint up to "code" either.
Anyway, dont ignore safety rules. Make sure your generator is isolated from the power grid.
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jimpad
Kentucky
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Joined: 12/06/2005
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Thanks to all. I've backfed w/standalone generator many times by pulling the meter and/or opening the main, I'm comfortable with isolating from the grid. I'm not looking for opinions on whether I should backfeed or not but if you feel you must...
The RV is (2) 120V @ 50A circuits 4 wire (2 hots, 1 neutral, 1 ground) It seems to me the hot legs could be from either side of the main panel or split with each side of the main panel supplying one hot. It also seems the first method would provide (2) 120V circuits with 0V between and the other would provide (2) 120V circuits with 240V between although the 240V is not used in the RV, is all this correct?
If I plan to backfeed it appears the generator 120V circuits should be connected to both sides of the box thereby providing the ability to power all 120v circuits in the house. I realize I cannot power any of the 240V loads and probably not all the 120V loads. Is this correct?
Thanks again, appreciate the technical discussion as well as safety but from here on out let's assume the system is isolated from the grid.
06 Dodge 3500, CTD, Dually, Raptor 3612DS
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nbounder
Arizona mountains
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Joined: 11/26/2006
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When I wired my house, I added 2 totally separate circuits, not attached anywhere near the service panel. These circuits go to outlets marked GEN. They are always dead, EXCEPT - when the power fails, I start the generator and plug in the two plugs which energize the GEN outlets. I then move the fridge, WH, furnace, and some lamp plugs to the GEN outlets, and everything hums. There is NO connection between the GEN outlets and the 'normal' AC power feed . It is 100% safe, and can be left connected even after the power is restored.
SEE - there IS a way to do it safely.
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kd8wdave
Middletown,OH
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jimpad wrote:We just had the remnants of Ike come through and knock the power out for a few days. Luckily, we had the camper available for cooking, coffee, etc. I was thinking it would be nice to power some of the circuits in the house using the RV generator during outages.
I'm somewhat electrically competent but not enough to take this one on solo. I know I can get a professional and may do so, but I wanted to get opinions/options from the folks here to consider. Has anyone done this or know what it would take to do this?
My rig has a onan marquis generator with automatic transfer switch between generator and shore power.
Thanks,
Jim
It is 'perfectly ' safe if done CORRECTLY. I do it and have no problems at all. If you asked the question, you DO-NOT have the requisite skills to set it up right. You should get pro-help, but beware 'normal' electricians for the most part have no clue as well.
cheers.
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Gerbow2
West Gwillimbury, On.
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Joined: 12/30/2002
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nbounder wrote:When I wired my house, I added 2 totally separate circuits, not attached anywhere near the service panel. These circuits go to outlets marked GEN. They are always dead, EXCEPT - when the power fails, I start the generator and plug in the two plugs which energize the GEN outlets. I then move the fridge, WH, furnace, and some lamp plugs to the GEN outlets, and everything hums. There is NO connection between the GEN outlets and the 'normal' AC power feed . It is 100% safe, and can be left connected even after the power is restored.
SEE - there IS a way to do it safely.
I did exactly the same thing. My system allows me to power my fridge, freezer, furnace, sump pumps, 220v well pump, water softener, UV purification system, etc., etc, from my 6.5 kilowatt construction generator. I use my small inverter genny to power my TV and computer when necessary.
I live in a rural area and my neighbor has the same genny as mine so noise is not a problem. We both have to live with it.
Gerry and Marie
2001 Dodge Ram 2500, 2000 Forest River Wildwood 5er
Reese 16K Slider, Jordan Ultima 2020
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