..............For those who would like to Feed the Power from their genset back INTO their home ...............Here is a relatively CHEAP...Method ...(1) You need a 50amp\240 volt wall mount plug like you would use for a Crackerbox welder. This plug is then wired into the fuse panel with #8 gauge wire with 2 hots and a gnd. You will want to hook each 120 volt "hot" leg to a 20 amp breaker. ...........................(2) You can....Back Feed the output of the Genset INTO the 50 amp welder plug straitup into the breaker panel and from there the power will be available for ALL circuits in your home\shop. ...........................(3) To DO THIS ....YOU MUST have a Fused Breaker panel on a power pole that CUTS OFF ALL power coming FROM the Power grid. This is a firewall against you accidentially feeding 240 volts from the grid into your genset. .........................(4) I have 100 amp service and a double 50 amp breaker that I can turn OFF anytime it is necessary. So, when MY grid power goes OFF, I simply switch my double 50 amp breaker to OFF. Then I can fireup my genset and feed its power back into my breaker panel and wait for the grid power to be restored.............fordy.....
a good way to feed power back is to make an extention cord that will connect your genset to your dryer plug, then just disconect your main breaker when the power goes out, connect your cord to the dryer outlet and feed your house circuits this way. it works for me.
I think I follow what you are doing; but, what exactly is a "genset?" I'm also curious whether there is a device, like a relay maybe, that will act as a breaker so the lineman doesn't get electrocuted if I forget to trip the main.
it is illrgal, and rightly so, to hook up a generator to your lines unless it is set up to be isolated, without fail and not subject to human error (i.e. i forgot to flip the switch), from sending power into the grid to avoid killing some innocent lineman. please do not cut corners or ignore codes and laws when it comes to this. jena
.............A genset is any generator that makes electricity. As long as you have a "Main Breaker" that can be turned off BEFORE the power is fedTOO the Main breaker panel with all the circuits , you will never have a problem. .............Yes, they make an automatic transfer switche that turns off a switch to stop power coming FROM the Grid and then start the genset . Then usually , you will have too make a determination when the grid power returns and shutdown the genset and return your residence to the grid supplied power. .....fordy...
If serious injury occurs to a lineman, the power company is going to come looking for the source of the problem. If you are using this set-up, you are not wired to code, and even if you did not cause the problem, you will be held liable. I don't know about y'all, but I figure the electric company has more lawyers on retainer, than I do. If you are going to use the main circuitry of your house, spend the money, and wire your back-up system to code.
These hookupa are illegal as others say. Do it the proper way, or you can kill people. don't do it this way. --->Paul
plus linemen are generally really nice guys who work very hard to get the power back on. i used to be a dispatcher for the co-op and those guys would go out in the worst of weather for very long hours to get the power on. they often go above and beyond the call of duty to help customers and they never failed to show up. killing one of those guys would be a really tragic thing. this one of a very few things that i would gladly report to the proper authorities if i knew someone was doing it incorrectly. jena
You can do it this way IF you have a SQAURED panel and buy the $8.95 part that snaps in between the breakers and will only let one breaker on at a time. Much cheaper than a transfer switch setup and you can run the whole house this way. I have this and it is absolutly legal. I could post a pic if asked. http://www.squared.com/us/products/load_centers.nsf/unid/B3F05CB39B7080AD85256A62006FA416/$file/manual_xfer.jpg Greg
Back feeding is a good way to KILL SOMEONE... ITS NOT a good way to put a generator online. There are better ways to put circuits on a generator. Think Twice, think three times before doing it.
Thanks Greg. The picture was so small I could not make out any details. Is the square d panel a special order item or do they carry it at home dippo? This is great for me, because I am ready to purchase and install the power panel. I have a complication, though. The main power line runs up my drive to a transformer that sets between the house pit (it burned down before me) and garage. Then the line runs on up the mountain to the next property. The main line runs between the garage and the house. The garage had/has no power. The meter pole is on the house side of the main line. The electric company said they would put in a meter pole that would allow the garage and the house to each have a connection to the meter. If I use the idea in this posting to connect a back-up generator, and I have separate connections at the meter, the generator would only backup one or the other, right? It sounds like I will need to rethink. Perhaps I should put a main "squareD" panel in the house pit and run it to a garage panel from there, instead of having separate connections at the meter. Does this panel come in an outdoor duty version?? It'll have to sit in the weather for two years, until the house is built.
This page spells out what you need. http://ecatalog.squared.com/pubs/Electrical Distribution/Load Centers/1100HO9903.pdf I strongly suggest you have an electrician do this and heed everyones advice about adhearing to all codes. Good luck! Greg
..............Thanks , I'll look into the box you posted. My method works just fine but better safe than sorry , ....fordy...
Good post fordy. I've learned something here. Greg, thanks for the link. The price on the sheet says $65 though. Do you have another source for the part? While I feel competent to do regular house wiring, even 220, I will need an electrician, a permit, and an inspection just to turn on the electric. I'll let my BIL do the hard stuff. I'll let the inspector do his job. Then I'll turn it on.
Can we look at this another way? Obviously, you trust yourself to flip the right switches. And you seem to be a pretty trustworthy fellow who understands the hows & whys. Let's pretend you are a lineman, working on downed power lines for a living. You are out there working on sections of main power line 3-5 times a week. It's your job. How many gensets are out there? How many people are running them? A whole lot more since Y2K for sure. Do you trust them? Each and every one of those people out there? they are a cross-section of people, some did their own switch wiring, some had a friend do it, some moved into a house that already has some type of wiring done, told to flip a switch or 2 to make the backup power work.... The fellow under a lot of stress, the fellow who didn't get enough sleep, the fellow who came home a little tipsy from a party to the power being out, the brother of a fellow who is house sitting his brother's house & saw this genset working one time & is in charge of not freezing up the pipes......... You are that lineman now. Working with those wires. Everyday. Look around your neighborhood. Do _you_ trust each & everyone to correctly remember to flip the right circuts? Each & every time you pick up a wire? Is it still working 'just fine' for you? Or do you just want everyone to have a failsafe interconnect? Which do you really prefer? Seewhatwemean? --->Paul
My electrician just emailed me the SquareD part #'s. interlock - QO2DTI panel - QO124L-125GRB Don't get discouraged! This is legal and safe!!! Greg
Around here the linemen are wise to this problem and hook a heavy ground cable to the "hot" wire before they start any work. Smart guys. I'd hate to trust it. Anyway--have to admit I use the above method and will continue to do so. FB
