Gas Generator to House AC connection???

[aczlan]

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?

Also, if the genset breaker is ever turned on while the utility power is on, you would also have a hot cord hanging out somewhere.

Aaron Z

 

[ljohnson778]

I say, spring for a proper transfer switch and sleep well at night.

 

[dave1949]

Well, if you can go to the lineman's funeral and explain to his family that he is dead because neither of you followed your safety precautions, by all means don't be bothered by a few pointless regulations. Beat, beat , beat

How frequently should the lineman check his safety precautions? How would he know just when you will decide to forget to flip a breaker?

I think joshuabardwell put some good balance on the question.

 

[yelbike]

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.

As a Power electrician, licensed construction electrician and a trained marine electrician (MAR EL 332), let me tell you that your comments give me chills down to my bones. Laugh if you will, but if you knew half of what I know about the potential (no pun intended) safety risks you would not consider it. Not only are distant strangers(lineman) at risk, your wife, children and yourself are at risk. Basically, while your generator is running you can look at that main breaker as a grenade with a pin to pull.

I've seen some pretty big safety code violations, that would exceed everything I've seen so far. It's one thing to do something witrhout knowledge of the outcome, but now you know. I'm not trying to beat you down, just remember that some "good" ideas are just that.....ideas. Leave those ideas on the shop floor.

I hate to think that poor linemen trainee dying because he was trying to install a ground chain on line that was de-energized only to be re-energized minutes later by you.

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

How does the manual transfer switch work? See the attached transfer switch. What is the difference between installing the switch below and shutting the power off at the main breaker? It appears that when you install this manual transfer switch the main breaker stays on, will the power still backfeed to the utility.

Manual Transfer Switch from Reliance Controls | The Home Depot - Model 31410CRK

 

[sal64]

As a Power electrician, licensed construction electrician and a trained marine electrician (MAR EL 332), let me tell you that your comments give me chills down to my bones. Laugh if you will, but if you knew half of what I know about the potential (no pun intended) safety risks you would not consider it. Not only are distant strangers(lineman) at risk, your wife, children and yourself are at risk. Basically, while your generator is running you can look at that main breaker as a grenade with a pin to pull.

I've seen some pretty big safety code violations, that would exceed everything I've seen so far. It's one thing to do something witrhout knowledge of the outcome, but now you know. I'm not trying to beat you down, just remember that some "good" ideas are just that.....ideas. Leave those ideas on the shop floor.

I hate to think that poor linemen trainee dying because he was trying to install a ground chain on line that was de-energized only to be re-energized minutes later by you.

so what would be the differance in an interlock verses backfeeding to a 30 amp breaker? for risk to homeowner.

 

[aczlan]

How does the manual transfer switch work? See the attached transfer switch. What is the difference between installing the switch below and shutting the power off at the main breaker? It appears that when you install this manual transfer switch the main breaker stays on, will the power still backfeed to the utility.
Manual Transfer Switch from Reliance Controls | The Home Depot - Model 31410CRK

They have a 3 position switch for each circuit (Utility, Off, Generator) so that yoyu physically cant have both utility and generator power on for that circuit at the same time.

so what would be the differance in an interlock verses backfeeding to a 30 amp breaker? for risk to homeowner.

An interlock makes it physically impossible to have both breakers on at the same time. No way to forget or accidentally leave both on at the same time.

Aaron Z

 

[Clint S]

I run mine through a plug and so does my dad. Breakers can will do go bad. I had one for the dryer I shut off and it stayed on and still had power to the plug. That said I have a manual shut off switch that I throw along with the main breaker.
200 Amp 240-Volt Non-Fuse Indoor Safety Switch-TGN3324 at The Home Depot.
My dad is a retired linemen and even though I tell him not to he pulls the meter every time he runs his.

 

[techman]

Look at Generator InterLock Kit This will provide a code approved solution. You can't backfeed and you also can't put power on the gen socket when it is not expected. A bit pricey, but they have setups to fit most boxes.

paul

 

[sal64]

im aware of that tu. im trying to understand why yelbike said backfeeding is dangours for the homeowner when your doing the samething,the interlock just protects the linmame, and dosnt work with all boxes you need three free spots to set it up. the reason im puting my to cents in is im trying to do same thing,the manual transferswitch is easy to set up many utube vids on the subject the disadvantage is you can only run a few cerkets.