Powering another house from my house with 50a interlock

[HamAndEggs]

Question for you electrical experts. Powering my house with an interlock kit from a generator is easy enough

What bamboozles are there if I wanted to throw a 50a cord over to my neighbors house, and power his house, from my house (Which would be powered by generator)

I've never been a grounding/bonding expert, and it seems like there would be no issue, but I'm sure there is something I'm not thinking about

 

[wyliesdiesels]

If youre isolating the utility feed at their house, then i dont see an issue with it other than possibly overloading the generator. How big of a generator do you have?

 

[HamAndEggs]

My main concern would be that the ground is now in 2 places. Is that a concern? I guess not since they are connected together with the interlock cord

25kw Generator, most load I've ever seen on my house was 12kw, that's the main AC running, Electric Stovetop + Electric oven + Pool Pump on high (Now gone) and the microwave and coffee maker. In reality the max I ever use is 10kw, so I have 15kw free

 

[nadogail]

So how will you be isolating his house from the grid? The increased load from the 2nd house, on your generator, will probably double your fuel consumption.

 

[HamAndEggs]

Just a regular interlock kit on his end, my end of course runs through the ATS

Square D Homeline 150-225 Amp Indoor Load Center Generator Interlock Kit HOMCGK2C - The Home Depot

Visit the Home Depot to buy Square D by Schneider Electric Homeline Cover Generator and QOM2 Frame Size Main Breaker Interlock Kit 94050

www.homedepot.com

It will double the consumption, but less than you think, I think. My base load is around 2kw, and at 2kw the load is so low you get diminishing returns on fuel economy, from my calculations running at 2kw saves you almost no fuel to running it at say 4kw. Sure under heavy AC usage it would be higher, but the rest of the time it would be pretty low anyway

Its natural gas, so runtime is not a concern, just cost

 

[wyliesdiesels]

My main concern would be that the ground is now in 2 places. Is that a concern? I guess not since they are connected together with the interlock cord

25kw Generator, most load I've ever seen on my house was 12kw, that's the main AC running, Electric Stovetop + Electric oven + Pool Pump on high (Now gone) and the microwave and coffee maker. In reality the max I ever use is 10kw, so I have 15kw free

huh? what are you referring to? what ground? this question makes no sense

 

[HamAndEggs]

Well, both houses have ground rods and the ground and neutral bonded at their respective main panels

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Well, both houses have ground rods and the ground and neutral bonded at their respective main panels

ok and? Are you thinking current flows on the ground rods?

EDIT: the bonded neutrals would be an issue...

 

[walta]

Seem to me the unsolvable problem is that both your panel and the neighbors have the ground and neutrals connected together in each panel and code only allows one connection.

Walta

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Seem to me the unsolvable problem is that both your panel and the neighbors have the ground and neutrals connected together in each panel and code only allows one connection.

Walta

yup that would be an issue. not the ground rods

 

[Metal-Marc]

Pic of neighbor's wife?

 

[ridgepatrol]

Was there a solution to the neutral bonding issue?

I would like to provide power from my genset to my neighbor if possible.

 

[mm08822]

Was there a solution to the neutral bonding issue?

No, because OP never posted pic of the neighbor's wife..............everyone left the thread

 

[ridgepatrol]

So, I don’t know much about neutral/ground bonding panel to panel, but what would be the negative effects of this?
It would only be used periodically when the power is out for a brief period.

What are the hazards?

 

[walta]

If it was a perfect world connecting the neutral to the ground in several locations would not a problem.

What will happen is some of the current flowing on the neutral wire will flow on the ground wires because they are now a parrel path. Most will take the path with the least resistance but not all.

Ground wires are a smaller gage and uninsulated. They could be overloaded or someone could touch the bare wire now carrying current.

The code book is written in blood and the safest thing to do is to follow the rules especially in emergency situations.



Walta

 

[wyliesdiesels]

So, I don’t know much about neutral/ground bonding panel to panel, but what would be the negative effects of this?
It would only be used periodically when the power is out for a brief period.

What are the hazards?

to summarize the above, potential for shock ... not something you want

 

[mm08822]

Was there a solution to the neutral bonding issue?

I would like to provide power from my genset to my neighbor if possible.

First things first, let's pick up where the OP dropped off.....does your neighbor have a wife?

 

[dave*99]

There can be many safety issues when bonding with the neighbors wife. Some husbands use a 12 gauge. Unless the husband is neutral or acts as a conductor, you could end up under the ground. There are many videos on the internet showing this activity.

 

[mm08822]

There can be many safety issues when bonding with the neighbors wife. Some husbands use a 12 gauge. Unless the husband is neutral or acts as a conductor, you could end up under the ground. There are many videos on the internet showing this activity.

I suppose next you'll tell us hubby wouldn't be too impressed watching a couple of long rods being driven deep into the dirt.

 

[dave*99]

I suppose next you'll tell us hubby wouldn't be too impressed watching a couple of long rods being driven deep into the dirt.

They need to be at least 6 feet apart.

 

[mm08822]

How tall is the wife?