Gas Generator to House AC connection???

[Beltzington]

Would this be safe and fuctional? Shut off main 200-amp service breaker going to commercial power, plug (make a cable) generators 230v output into an outlet connected directly (no other outlets) to the breaker panel via a 50-amp breaker, shut off other breakers to direct AC power to required outlet in the home? TIA

 

[dave1949]

Functional, yes. Meets code, no.

 

[kenmac]

I have known many people that will back feed their panel via the elec. dryer after turning off main breaker

 

[daybreak1998]

Would this be safe and fuctional? Shut off main 200-amp service breaker going to commercial power, plug (make a cable) generators 230v output into an outlet connected directly (no other outlets) to the breaker panel via a 50-amp breaker, shut off other breakers to direct AC power to required outlet in the home? TIA

Howdy,
As many here would say, "Don't do it!" You can do something similar to that method, but is safe. Look over what type of breaker panel you have, and see if they have a interlock kit for it.
I list a few variations of connecting a generator to your panel generator transfer switch connection choices

This way you are safe, the linemen are safe, and you do not need to remember or forget about the safety factor of sending power down a line outside your home.

 

[Beltzington]

I'm no electriction but I slept at a Holiday Inn last nite. What risk would the code be addressing? If your generator and house had different ground potentials there could be a chance of shock but if you grounded your generator to your homes ground I would think there would be no risk at all. Do I need to change hotels?

Good Info Daybreak. I posted before I read yours.

 

[yelbike]

I'm no electriction but I slept at a Holiday Inn last nite. What risk would the code be addressing? If your generator and house had different ground potentials there could be a chance of shock but if you grounded your generator to your homes ground I would think there would be no risk at all. Do I need to change hotels?

Good Info Daybreak. I posted before I read yours.

No offence but I don't get your hotel joke.:confused3:

1 If the main breaker was re-closed after the generator was energized, you will the feeding HIGH VOLTAGE to the power lines leading to your house thru the transformer on the line. Hugh danger to lineman and hugh liability to you. DON"T DO IT!

2 If power comes back on when your runing on generator power and that main breaker gets closed some how, I can't even guess and the outcome, but some thing will blow (BIG TIME), it may be the main breaker, may be the breaker box itself, maybe even the generator. You'll really wish you hadn't done it.

3 There are many code violations, where to start???? For starters potential from two power sources. Depends or your local code book.

Solutions: get an approved interlock kit for your panel or an automatic or manual transfer switch. Talk to your utility provider, they'll provide you with the requirements.

 

[JD 4520]

Solutions: get an approved interlock kit for your panel or an automatic or manual transfer switch. Talk to your utility provider, they'll provide you with the requirements.

This is your answer and either is pretty straight forward,easy to operate and most importantly safe. Slight different cost of each but depends on what and where you purchase it. You can do the install yourself.

 

[Beltzington]

Sorry yelbike, no offense taken, it was referencing a 5-year old Holiday Inn Marketing Campaign not worth explaining further.

I'm sitting here thinking don't type this but alas, I have no inner dialog. I mean no offense and I enjoy and have learned allot from this forum over the last 5+ years but it seems every thread ends up being don't do that because there is a million in one chance grandma might be hurt. Safety is important and should be considered if someone is suggesting something that by design is unsafe. I however said "shut-off the main breaker," yes if I left the main breaker on I could possibly kill a lineman that wasn't following his safety precautions they get paid to follow. But it is much more likely I will kill a bus load of preschoolers when I have a massive unexpected heart-attack while traveling down a highway at 70mph. No one says we shouldn't drive? We smoke, drink, don't exercise and speed thru life under the premise we can control our actions but introduce the possibility of not shutting off a breaker and OMG! This is the same reason we have so many regulations many of us feel are ridiculous. Why do we do this? Let the beatings begin.

 

[joshuabardwell]

The other risk is that, in order to do what you're describing, you have to use a cord with two male ends. If the cord ever comes out of the socket when the generator is live--either intentionally or unintentionally--you have 240v hanging out ready to shock the heck out of somebody.

I have considered all this myself at times. If you follow rigorous safety protocol and never deviate, you will always be okay. Main breaker off. All house breakers off. Plug in cord. Start generator. Backfeed breaker on. House breakers on. Reverse direction to put things back the way they were. The problem is that some day you may be tired because the power went out in the middle of the night, or you may be out of town and trying to describe to your wife or teenage son how to set it up over the phone, or you may be backfeeding and somebody who isn't you might flip the main breaker without you knowing about it, for some dumb reason that nobody could possibly have imagined or anticipated. Yeah, we all take risks every day, but there is a payoff to those risks. What's the payoff for doing what you're doing vs. getting an interlock kit and doing it properly? The interlock kit is, what, maybe a few hundred dollars? Considering the alternatives, isn't that worth it?

 

[joshuabardwell]

The other factor here is that, if you are driving down the road and have a heart attack and kill a bus-load of preschoolers, nobody is going to hold you criminally liable. But if you backfeed a line and kill a line worker, your butt is going to prison. Like it or not, society "allows" you to have an unexpected heart attack, but not to backfeed a panel without a transfer switch or interlock.