Unsafe generator wiring et al.

[jwinner]

I’ve back fed with main breaker off in the past, but I finally went the route of a breaker interlock instead of a mains transfer switch as the interlock was much cheaper and easier to install. No electricians involved - I am such a rebel! I self identify as an amateur electrician anyway

I had a surplus 10kw diesel MEP803a, but downsized to a marginally smaller surplus 10kw Kubota diesel Lowboy generator. Now the power never goes out…

 

[cqaigy2]

I guess I'm odd then. After I know the power is out and is gonna be for a while I turn everything off, which is really just the lights because I don't want them all coming on when I'm asleep. The TV and computer won't turn on by themselves when power is restored. If I had a blender running or something like that I would certainly turn it off. And in my machine shop, before I retired, I would throw the breakers for any equipment that could turn.
Eric

I'm an odd one too. I pop the main off when our power starts to act up. It can be a bit messy while failing, and i've seen it a bit messy while coming back on. Also because i have an interlock, that won't allow the generator breaker to be turned on while the main is on.

 

[MossRoad]

I'm an odd one too. I pop the main off when our power starts to act up. It can be a bit messy while failing, and i've seen it a bit messy while coming back on. Also because i have an interlock, that won't allow the generator breaker to be turned on while the main is on.

We've had a couple over the years where the lights just brown out, the electronics turn off, and the furnace fan makes horrible noises. I run downstairs and pull the main.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

We flip our main off with every lightning storm. On secondary side of breaker is a large surge protector.

 

[harrydarwen]

they should be fine, also if for some reason your generator were to try and charge back the grid the demand on it would be so heavy (picture trying to power a village with a 5k or 8k generator) that it would immediately trip the breaker on the machine.

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[grsthegreat]

they should be fine, also if for some reason your generator were to try and charge back the grid the demand on it would be so heavy (picture trying to power a village with a 5k or 8k generator) that it would immediately trip the breaker on the machine.

you guys dont understand....it doesnt have to be powering up anything. the line could be down 1 pole over.

 

[RjCorazza]

I’ve back fed with main breaker off in the past, but I finally went the route of a breaker interlock instead of a mains transfer switch as the interlock was much cheaper and easier to install. No electricians involved - I am such a rebel! I self identify as an amateur electrician anyway

I had a surplus 10kw diesel MEP803a, but downsized to a marginally smaller surplus 10kw Kubota diesel Lowboy generator. Now the power never goes out…

I had a hard time deciding between a Kubota GL1100 and a 15k pto generator. I ended up with a Winco PTO generator, and like you, haven't lost power since (2 years).
After years of running a 7kw loud gasoline generator and the miseries of storing gasoline , I'm glad that's over.

My previous electrical install was a separate generator panel that was installed by my electrician neighbor (great guy!). The almost whole house install uses a panel interlock giving me more options with what I power.

 

[sunandsand]

Agreed that my 5kw Harbor Freight generator isn't going to power the town. Problem is, we don't know where the break is, which wire it is, what it is connected to and what else is wrong. I'm not overly enthusiastic about working on live wires, especially if my generator is connected to the main feed for my house, because the other end of that wire goes to a transformer. Normally, that transformer takes 6KV or so and drops it to 220 volts for me, BUT when the power goes out, transformers are bidirectional, and they can take my 220v Harbor Freight generator's output and convert it to 6 KV on the far side of that transformer.

110 volts can kill you, 220 volts will kill you and 6 KV will absolutely kill you. That's why we want to disconnect from the service entrance - unlike water, which flows downhill, electricity can flow "uphill" very well indeed. The linemen aren't a bunch of wimps, they just like living.