Question about Generator Hookup

suitcase_sally · #1 12/27/13, 06:42 AM

I have a question about hooking up a generator to my house. I have an electrical plug on the back porch. It runs from inside the kitchen and has an on/off switch inside by the back door that controls the outlet. My generator has a long, heavy-duty extension cord that plugs into the generator on one end and the other end has a multi-outlet plug on the other that I plug the freezer and fridge into.

As it sits right now, I have to run this cord through my back patio door and that leaves a 2" wide opening that is hard to close up. It's 17 degrees outside.

My question - can I plug the generator into the outlet on the back porch and have power in the house without having to run through the patio door? Will the power that the generator puts out "back feed" to the house?

Darren · #2 12/27/13, 06:58 AM

It's not the safest practice. If you have a breaker box you should have a main breaker at the top. Make sure that is turned off to prevent feeding the utility line. You'll need a cord with male plugs on both ends. The outlet on the outside is on a 15 or 20 amp circuit. I wouldn't exceed that amount of draw.

haypoint · #3 12/27/13, 07:05 AM

Yes it will feed back into the house. But it will also feed back to the power lines and could kill a power line worker. You must throw the Main breaker off before you do this. I'm assuming you will only operate the fridge and freezer. You don't want to run the whole house through the single wire circuit on the back porch.
After this emergency, get it wired correctly, with a heavy wire and outlet plug for the generator, complete with a breaker that disconnects from the power company line and connects to your generator.

suitcase_sally · #4 12/27/13, 07:12 AM

Thanks, guys. I knew I had to throw the main in order to not supply the whole street with power. The power is back on now, but it was out for 4 days and we ran the generator for a couple of hours morning and night to keep the freezer & fridge frozen. I also (after disconnecting the fridge,ect) had to run my aquarium pumps for awhile so as not to affixiate my fish. Tropical fish don't like 50 degree water either.

ksfarmer · #5 12/27/13, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haypoint

Yes it will feed back into the house. But it will also feed back to the power lines and could kill a power line worker. You must throw the Main breaker off before you do this. I'm assuming you will only operate the fridge and freezer. You don't want to run the whole house through the single wire circuit on the back porch.
After this emergency, get it wired correctly, with a heavy wire and outlet plug for the generator, complete with a breaker that disconnects from the power company line and connects to your generator.

If you are going to have a generator, by all means get a disconnect installed. The linemen have a hazardous enough job without getting killed because someone is feeding the line with their generator.

JoePa · #6 12/27/13, 10:29 AM

When I have to run my generator I run it outside on an open patio - I remove the vent from my dryer and put a heavy extension cord through the opening - the cord hooks up to a multiple outlet from which I run a couple of appliances - what I'm going to do this coming spring is drill a hole through my foundation and cement a plastic pipe into it - put a cap on the pipe - that way when I need to run the generator I'll just remove the cap and put the extension cord through the pipe -

What you are thinking of during - hooking the generator to an outside outlet - what you should do is turn off the main breaker and all the other in panel breakers that feed circuits that you will not be using - and then realize that you probably only have either 15 or 20 amps to work with - I think putting a hole through your foundation would be a better choice -

Sawmill Jim · #7 12/27/13, 11:13 AM

Here if you don't trip your main the elect. Co always bridge their lines ,thus burning out your generator .

idahodave · #8 12/27/13, 11:21 AM

You will only feed half the circuits in the house, and double (240 VAC) branch circuit breakers should be turned off.

Harry Chickpea · #9 12/27/13, 01:29 PM

Some generators will do a split phase, but in general it is safer to do as idahodave suggests.

Absolutely, a transfer switch is the best way to go, but sometimes you don't have enough time or money. There is a second benefit to an automatic transfer switch - depending upon how power fails, the line voltage coming into the house can be extremely low or high, damaging appliances. Cutting the mains off until power has been restored for a minimum of ten minutes is prudent, to allow the grid power to stabilize and limit damage from another voltage trip.

If the mains breaker or disconnect is off, using a "Jesus cord" can work. I've done both the using extension cords to avoid house wiring and using a Jesus cord. Having extension cords running hither and yon in a dark home is probably less safe (tripping hazard, possibilities of damaged cords) than using the home wiring, although there are those who view a Jesus cord as a snake in Eden.

The big caveat in a power outage is that only ONE qualified person in the home be allowed to deal with the emergency power and any transfer to and from mains power. A kid might see a neighbor's power look like it is on and make a fatal mistake. Far simpler to tell everyone "hands off!"

||Downhome|| · #10 12/27/13, 01:46 PM

I used a double 15 amp breaker and ran 8/4 to the Service panel and out to the power Inlet through the wall.

Will be installing a exterior Manual Transfer switch and probably another panel w/ main breaker inside.

Separate all the light loads (Mostly Lights) and the unnecessary (Water heater,circuits in rooms not being used.) wire in a breaker for a Inverter and put a small Battery bank and float charger in the crawl space. Just flip off the unnecessary stuff. and be able to run the lighter loads with the Gen not running. Might even hook it up so a smaller gen can Tie in.

viper125 · #11 12/27/13, 02:07 PM

I have a Motor home with a back up generator. I am going to fix it this year as an emergency electric source. Going to attach a box in a convenient place on the house to hold a heavy cord. This will open and be plugged into my generator. The other end to an electrical box in basement. I will run my necessary items so they run into a box and separates both ways. One to the generator one to the main box. Then a simply flip of a breaker will change it. No chance of a back flow. Also be careful of the total amps not to over load the generator either.

suitcase_sally · #12 12/28/13, 10:09 AM

The guy across the road is an electrician. I'll hire him to do the necessary job in the spring when the weather breaks.