Portable Generator Connection Question

Just pull the meter if you must back feed.

__________________
Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!

Had a neighbor who thought he was an electrician. He wired his generator in during a power outage one winter, without shutting the main off. The power company fixed their problem and closed a high voltage switch. He won't take about it, but his kids said they saw "lightning" shooting out of the wall outlets. It seems that a residential wiring system doesn't function well when it's fed from the utility and the generator at the same time. Lots of damage to the house and the generator was toasted. I guess the $400 I would of charged him to put a transfer switch in was spent on repairs? I talked to a lineman who was on a repair crew for one of the recent southern hurricanes. He said it wasn't unusual to start a house fire once they reenergized the high voltage in residential areas. It's amazing that people are still playing electrician, backfeeding dryer outlets and other tricks, given the potential for fatalities and fires.

NEVER EVER PULL A METER! If you are not experienced, and properly protected you can kill yourself doing this! I know two electricians who have been seriously injured doing this. There is a great training film available showing a guy in a full fire suit pulling a meter. He stumbles back, fully engulfed in a fireball. It is show to firefighters, as there were incidents of them attempting to pull a meter to shut off a building. There is far too much "advice" here by people who shouldn't be giving it. Being electricuted is a horrible way to die, livng with severe disabilities from a major electrical accident can be even worse. If you do know what you are doing, don't do it.

Nope I work in a non-union factory.

__________________
Life's short, eat the frosting first! :banana02:

i'm not allowed at the meetings ... but can go to the fish frys (they have one hell of a hall)... at work at a union shop but I'm an "office guy" (along with the janitor) .... one of the journeyman that retired just before i started was named rufus ... what are the odds ... great guy and a heck of an electrician. sorry i didn't get to work with him much ... he came back and got his 300 in ...got to know him abit then ...

most of the transfer switches do not transfer the neutral
and many of the little transfer switches are toggled or blocked breakers, that are set up so that only one can be on at a once,

but since the neutral is bonded to the grounded at the point of metering or main entrance, even if you had a unbalanced line I can't see how you could back feed on the neutral as the neutral on High voltage power lines are grounded as well, so you would be on the same plane as the neutral or ground,

and when it comes to meters if the line is dead I really don't think you will get a flash over, and on a domestic 240/120 line YOU would have to have some real problems to have a flash over I don't think is there is enough voltage to push the electricity , on 460 three phase that is powered yes, It can happen,
but I would think you would be hard pressed to get a flash over in lower voltages that are dead.

yes I do suggest you have a proper transfer switch installed by some one who is qualified, if you have time to do so,

35 years ago our farm was hit by a ice storm, and a few days in to the storm we were abel to get a generator, and we called the electric company and they told us to pull the meter as a safety precaution, as they got the line fixed they came by and turned back on our power, (every east and west line was take out and downed, was with out power on the farm for a month it took 30 days ),

and I think a lot would depend on how the generator is grounded and the points of bonding to the neutral as if the neutral was to be switched,

normally the neutral is not switch, is my understanding,

http://nooutage.com/pto.htm#GENERATO...%20CONNECTIONS

http://nooutage.com/images/3w954f14.gif

http://nooutage.com/images/3w954f15.gif

Finally someone with some good common reasoning, thank you Farminghandyman

__________________
Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!

It was getting late last night and I have a few things to add,

I do not recommend back feeding a generator through a outlet, it is against code, and does set one up for liability, but there are things that one does in an emergency situation that doesn't not meet code or may not even be that safe,

but if one has the time and can plan before the emergency,

first of all have it wired up to be safe and follow code, it is for your and your family's safety, and the lineman's safety,

use a proper transfer switch or extension cords, (In one house I had the furnace changed to where it plugged in so it was easy to just plug in the furnace to an extension cord), one could do the same on a well pump.

I suggest the use of the transfer switch, it makes things very simple, it removes the possibility of error, and makes things safe for user and power company a like.

use the proper generator to house cords, (no double ended male plugs), and proper receptacle on the transfer switch to receive the cord, ( is a special receptacle that has a protected male end in it so you can safely hook up the cord), or depending on size have it hard wired in.

but also beside the wiring, figure out where your going to place the generator, Noise and exhaust, Carbon monoxide kills.

do not place the generator in the house or garage to run the unit, watch the placement of near windows,
the last thing you want is to have you or your family poisoned by CO or killed,

fuel safety, properly store your fuels, since most are gasoline motors on the generators, Do not store the fuel in an attached garage to ones house, use a out shed or store out side away from buildings,
the vapor from gasoline is vary dangerous,

generators are great tools, but they can be lethal if improperly used,
use your generator safely, for all concerned,

Well, I'd like to thank everyone for your advice. I read a lot that I didn't understand, which leads me to believe that simply plugging into my dryer outlet should only be done in a life or death situation. I think I will get some estimates on the transfer switch. Hopefully I can afford to have it done correctly.

__________________
I believe that I may understand.
~Anselm

Let your medicine be your food and your food be your medicine.
~Hippocrates

You might want to check on Ebay. I picked up a Generac transfer switch for $125.00, and that included shipping.