Generator wiring

[grsthegreat]

a good interlock for that siemens panel the OP is using, would snap onto and lock into the breakers. but they do make a cheap butterfly interlock that is held inplace with the panel cover. but that kind tends to fall out or get misalligned.

 

[MossRoad]

...Does anyone understand common sense logic?...

Sure. But we also understand brain farts, to put it bluntly. It happens to all of us sooner or later.

Eventually, most of us forget a simple sequence of operation in our lives. Something that we've done many times for years. We all know someone who has locked their keys in their car or house. Or left a sink or bathtub running. Or forgot to turn the oven on. Or the stove off.

Kinda like we hear about old guys that have been farming forever and roll their tractor or get their body caught in a PTO, seems like several times per year.

I'm with you on it being a simple, logical, step-by-step process, that, if followed correctly, yields the desired result without injury. I've done it myself. However, it's not something I'd encourage anyone else to do.

Especially with the very simple and effective (and legal) options out there today, like what I've pictured below.

My mother in-law has a similar setup in her house. She used it for the first time in about 10 years a few weeks ago. It's brilliant! Simple elegance. Her neighbor constructed it for her out of scrap plastic.

You can't energize the generator power without turning off the street power first. Likewise, you can't energize the street power without disconnecting the generator power first. I think it cost less than $10 for him to make it.

Anyhow, that's the way we're going at our place. Simple. Cheap. Effective. Legal. Peace of mind.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Good post Moss.
Here's something everyone should be concerned with much more dangerous than the possibility of accidentally turning main breaker on with generator running, connected and power grid live (who does that? We could not...it's not possible).
It's legal! There's no inspection violation and it's actually encouraged and embraced (and I bet there are those here who imbibe!).
Anyone here consume alcohol? It's a poison you know. Smoke or use tobacco products...ever? Eat a poor diet? Fast food? Lack of exercise? (Sitting is the new smoking they say).
Not to mention "legal" (and illegal) drugs and obesity...
These are legal things much more dangerous than shock hazard from the proper use of a generator.

According to the CDC: (Causes of death in US per year).
Heart disease: 696,962
Cancer: 602,350
COVID-19: 350,831
Accidents (unintentional injuries): 200,955
Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 160,264
Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 152,657
Alzheimer’s disease: 134,242
Diabetes: 102,188
Influenza and pneumonia: 53,544
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 52,547

These are things to be concerned about.

 

[DaBear3428]

I'll reply to DaBear's three posts.
WHAT CODE VIOLATION AM I COMMITING?
Send me a PM, I'll send you my information, the name and number of my power company and/or county inspection department and you can report me, making a fool of yourself!
Explain to the audience my code violation(s)?

It is a NEC requirement to have a interlock to prevent a back feed of the utility system from a generator unless it is ul listed for such use.

I will provide you with the code reference when I'm back in my office. Not my intention to be the hall monitor but you are encouraging people to do something that is unsafe and a code violation.
After looking at the rest of the posts grsthegreat provided one a few posts back.

 

[grsthegreat]

Loud, Wrong and positive to the end.

oh well, im not the electrical police. to each their own. i hope the OP can wade thru this digression and make sense of it.

now out to go clean the horse waterers.

 

[DaBear3428]

Looking at your photos, that looks fairly typical. Just not neat and tidy.

People are under the impression that there's no disconnect in there. I think there is.

Can you post a picture of the breaker labels?

I'd guess there's something in that setup somewhere that prevents applying street power and generator power to those breakers in the generator panel at the same time.

Pictures of the labeled panels would help quit a bit.

You may be correct and it may have an I terconnect but I can see enough in the photo for me to advise the op to have a competent electrican look at it. Or clean it up as he stated he wanted done.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

It is a NEC requirement to have a interlock to prevent a back feed of the utility system from a generator unless it is ul listed for such use.

I will provide you with the code reference when I'm back in my office. Not my intention to be the hall monitor but you are encouraging people to do something that is unsafe and a code violation.

"you are encouraging people to do something that is unsafe and a code violation."
I encourage you to seek psychiatric assistance...no offense intended!
What I encouraged was for tree grower to have a professional electrician fix his problem. You disagree with that???!!!
Post 20 I said what I do...no encouragement whatsoever. People agreed even posting this exception: in times of emergency.
Moss posted a great idea of a simple secure lockout mechanism so main breaker cannot be turned on unless generator breaker is turned off.
Yea...I got muh genrater hooked up all 'tha time ready 'tha start-er up!
Yea...dream on. I must water our horses now also.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Loud, Wrong and positive to the end.

oh well, im not the electrical police. to each their own. i hope the OP can wade thru this digression and make sense of it.

now out to go clean the horse waterers.

And what do you do...encourage the OP to "wade thru this digression and make sense of it." without services of a qualified electrician. Nice...very nice.

 

[DaBear3428]

"you are encouraging people to do something that is unsafe and a code violation."
I encourage you to seek psychiatric assistance...no offense intended!
What I encouraged was for tree grower to have a professional electrician fix his problem. You disagree with that???!!!
Post 20 I said what I do...no encouragement whatsoever. People agreed even posting this exception: in times of emergency.
Moss posted a great idea of a simple secure lockout mechanism so main breaker cannot be turned on unless generator breaker is turned off.
Yea...I got muh genrater hooked up all 'tha time ready 'tha start-er up!
Yea...dream on. I must water our horses now also.

Well good luck with the horses and I will get right on the psychiatric assistance no offense taken.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

You may be correct and it may have an I terconnect but I can see enough in the photo for me to advise the op to have a competent electrican look at it. Or clean it up as he stated he wanted done.

^^^Yes! Electrician look at it! My suggestion exactly!