Backup Gen Set

[mooman]

Wasn't me.....ran mine all night outside for all the neighbors to here!

 

[robertlynk]

NO!! It is NOT an illegal and dangerous way to connect a generator set!
You just need to know what you are doing, it is apparent that you don't!
Some folks have no idea of what is and is not illegal anywhere , even where they live!!!

I know not what is legal in the land of the Ex-Wrestler, Ex-Governor but I do know about where I live. I do have a manual disconnect and it is under lock and key, also the mechanical switch lever in the positive mechanical disconnect between the disconnect breaker box and the Coop meter is under lock and key. I hope that your Asian built automatic transfer switching panel works as well as my old Square D mechanical and electrical one does when I throw the switch I have indicators on the box that show when power is coming from the meter. I would not feel so secure with the automatic one, myself!

I also have loaded rifles, shotguns and pistols in my house, and I drive cars that never had seat belts installed in them. I just feel lucky, not invisable and bullet proof...but lucky.

I don't have time to wait on a 911 call or ICE to save me from the bad guys!

I connect the generator to the 220v 50 amp outlet in the shop with a double male 50 amp 6 gauge cord I built.

Hint: Can you say “backfeed”?

this cord violates the requirements of 406.6(B) of the 2005 NEC. The rule states, “Attachment plugs shall be installed so that their prongs, blades, or pins are not energized unless inserted into an energized receptacle. No receptacle shall be installed so as to require an energized attachment plug as its source of supply.”

The installation violates Art. 314. Conductors and equipment are acceptable only if approved by an authority having jurisdiction (90.7 and 110.2). violates 110.3(B) because listed or labeled equipment must be installed and used in accordance with any instructions included in its listing or labeling requirements.

 

[Teken]

I think it's pretty obvious that you don't have your priorities straight.
You listed your internet connection last after eating and heating. That is like really, really wrong.

**** feeds a man's soul . . .

 

[rcayot]

I use my 5kw generator to power the fridge, a light or two, a fan, and the TV. Any more than that and I think it would be too much. I did this after hurricanes Katrina and Ivan. Most important to me was the fridge.

By the way, aftermath of hurricanes makes is hard to get fuel. If I were to re-do, I'd get a natural gas whole house gen which are usually 20kw or so. Only because it would directly add to the resale value of the house.

Roger

 

[39Tudor]

I have a 5.6kW generator and have it wired into a transfer switch. I installed an external generator hook up on the outside of the house. I also purchased a chain and lock to keep the generator attached to the deck post in case of an unwanted visitor during the night.

I use it to run the 220V water well pump as well as the fridge, freezer, sump pump, gas furnace blower and one light on the main floor and one in the basement.

I can't run everything at once but I use circuit breaker management to keep the house alive until the power comes back on. Ran 4 days in 2005 after a big ice storm with this setup.

 

[strelnik]

The ideal home genset is a 1800 RPM diesel water cooled. I have seen some new ones, but they are not cheap. I rarely find any used ones, and the few used ones that I have found have been worked hard in the past. 8 -12 KW is probably what you will need if you want to run it for long periods.

You are correct in your assessment of a diesel.
Take it one step further: biodiesel. Unlike the commercial diesel type, which is a mix of sludge and additives that are the leftovers of the gasoline process and "prettied up" now that people object to the old black smokers/road oilers, a used Thermo-king engine that runs on biodiesel can power your entire house and up to 50k watts if you needed it.

That's waaay more than you need unless you're powering the town, lol.

Old Mercedes OM636 engines were made new from 1949-2002. There are MILLIONS of them around and they are indestructibe.

There are trailer yards of them in Florida, Wisconsin etc.

I just bought 5 in Philadelphia for 100.00 TOTAL. Now bgranted one is for parts but you get the drift.

One will actually power a car for me, another goes to a friend, a third goes in another car I'm selling and the rest for parts.

Go look on some of the diesel forums that are similar to this one and you will be amazed.

Before I bought my retirement property, which includes a 2500 sq ft garage which has power, I was expecting to get one real old one-cylinder diesel and crank start it for power generation.

Guys you are all smart enough not to depend on some Honda special that will disappoint you.

 

[green.bubbly]

I will soon e building a new home and had this thought...

I wanted a few dedicated outlets/lights throughout my home that were not connected to the main electrical supply. These separate circuits would be connected only to my generator. So when power goes out, I simply need to plug my fridge and freezer into one of these backup receptacles.

Are there any electrical codes that would frown upon something like this.

 

[cowboyjosh]

I will soon e building a new home and had this thought...

I wanted a few dedicated outlets/lights throughout my home that were not connected to the main electrical supply. These separate circuits would be connected only to my generator. So when power goes out, I simply need to plug my fridge and freezer into one of these backup receptacles.

Are there any electrical codes that would frown upon something like this.

yes for a handful of technical and safety reasons, the AHJ unless they are idiots will not approve circuits that are basicly dead or only hot when you start a generator, you'll have to wire in a transfer switch and or a critical load panel. Not to worry, you can easily achieve what you want within your budget and meet minimum code.

On my house, the whole house is on the generator behind a 400 amp transfer switch on a 35kw natural gas Generac generator. If you only want a handful of circuits of backup power, there are some off the shelf solutions from Briggs and Stratton and Generac. I personally like B&S and Generac the best, Kohler is way over priced and too unimpressive for me in terms of features and overall quality.

 

[Northstar9126]

Do people who produce electricity using solar power that feed their excess juice into the power grid have some way of not killing the lineman when he reconnects powerlines?

 

[Teken]

Do people who produce electricity using solar power that feed their excess juice into the power grid have some way of not killing the lineman when he reconnects powerlines?

You know I never thought about that . . . The whole thing with back feeding while a gen set is running is the exact same thing when you're supplying the grid power for future credit . . .

Anyone want to chime in how people accomplish this task and not kill the guy working on the line?

 

[gatchel]

The solar inverters have a special Line Sensing technology that look for the line sine wave before and during power injection. When there is no line power they cut the output.

 

[Teken]

The solar inverters have a special Line Sensing technology that look for the line sine wave before and during power injection. When there is no line power they cut the output.

This is most impressive and I will have to keep this in mind when I can start walking down the solar route . . .