Connection gas generator to home panel
WillieWonka
| Posted in General Discussion on
I had a PC crash some time ago and lost my bookmarks. One time, long long ago someone published a link about how to install an electrical setup whereby one can fire up a portable gas generator and “plug” it into the main electric panel for when power goes out. I lost the link with the crash and can’t recall what it is and I have an HO that would like this feature.
Anyone know a good link that describes the process of how to do this? Thanks in advance.
If at first you don’t succeed, try using a hammer next time…everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Replies
how to do this
you mean how to electrocute linemen after a power outage??
You are going to get lots of lectures on this one, I'll chime back in after the lectures.
Why would I get lectures on this one? The setups I've seen involve a transfer switch that ensures utility power is shut off and no backfeed can occur. This isn't illegal as far as I know, I'm just trying to recover the link, or similar link how to do this so I can price it and do it. SAFELY.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
What prompted me to assume you would get lectures is your line:
fire up a portable gas generator and "plug" it into the main electric panel , specifically the 'plug it in..'part, as in using a double male extension cord.
Totally amazed at the prices on the lockkit link, $150 for a slotted piece of sheet metal!
Here is a simple low cost way we did it at son's house - Use standard 3-way light switches, select the loads you would want to power off the generator.
Common 3-way switch terminal to the appliance outlet string (freezer, fridge, TV, etc) one side to the panel breaker, the other to the generator breaker. Use as many as you want to any number of generators (separately). Has the advantage that you can turn different appliances on and off as needed so as to not overload the generator. Son's house has 3-ways switches wired into the fridge, freezers, microwave, entertainment center, furnace, and a couple of lighting circuits. This way you do not have to turn off varius breakeres in the main panel to prevent stalling out the generator, and can sequence the startup so the fridge and freezer compressors dont try to start at the same time.
As far as paralleling generators, it is easy if you know what you are doing, but it does require you change the speed of one until nearly in sync (as determined by differential voltage and phase measurement with scope or differentially connected light bulb) with the other before closing the parallel switch - AND you need to do that EVERY time a generator is started, not just once. Fun things with small generators if one runs out of gas before the other also (usually just stalls the one still running, but can do damage also). Leaving loads separted as previously stated by others is the way to go if one has to ask.
Try this:
http://www.interlockkit.com/intro2.htm
This is very much what I'm looking for. Thank you.Any idea if two generators can be linked in tandem somehow to provide for add'l power? The HO has two generators and wanted to know if this was possible. I never thought of such a question before so I have no idea. theoretically it seems possible in my view.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
home depot here has transfer panels made by square D for various size generators
dont see any reason you couldent use 2 generators as long as they had seperate transfer panels feeding seperate loads however junkhounds the gadjet wizzard
Popular Mechanics had a good article some years back on how to properly install a transfer switch and subpanel for use with a portable generator:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/how_to_central/home_clinic/1275631.html
If your main problem is the computer going down during a power outage, a small uninterruptible power supply (UPS) from the local computer store may be the ticket.
>>how to install an electrical setup whereby one can fire up a portable gas generator and "plug" it into the main electric panel for when power goes out.<<
It is not quite that simple. The process you very briefly describe is known as backfeeding and is unsafe for the utility workers working to restore power - this is what junkhound refers to in his post.
The utility worker thinks he is working with dead wiring, but if backfeeding is in progress somewhere in the area -- the utility worker can get a potentially deadly surprise.
More precisely, you would "plug" the generator output into a transfer switch and feed your panel (or part of the circuits) from the transfer switch.
The transfer switch disconnects your panel / generator from the grid and thereby avoids energizing the power lines outside of the switch - a safe condition for the utility workers.
I remember the discussion also. To be done safely for all parties, this is a somewhat complex / involved installation - JLC has a fairly comprehensive article this month - not really an installation manual, but it gives a good idea of what is involved.
Jim
Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
My non-electrician opinion but with an aviation background is to wire the house so that the most important circuits are in 1 sub panel (pay attention to overloading the panel). Place the interlok bewteen the main panel and the sub panel (essentials panel) so that the main panel is seperated from the essential panel during power failure & gen operation & feed the supply from the gens to the essential panel. No headache with bunches of switches, the interlock prevents feeding into the grid & easier for the HO to use.
2 gens connected in parrallel could work if there are provisions for preventing one from backfeeding the other.
i put in a used 35kv diesel onan generator for a customer several years ago in a room attached to his basement but not in the house
last fall the power went out for a day and a half , so i swung by his place to see if everything was ok and he had it fired up nicely
went by the next day to tell him how smart he was to have had the foresight to have the generator and he tells me he shut it off in the middle of the night because it was making a strange noise
turns out he shut the door from outside to the room because his wife was afraid a wild animal might come in , lord jesus the noise in that room from the diesel was so loud you could hardly hear a person yelling 3' away
as a result he took all the bearings out of the engine creating a 10000 dollar repair bill when he gets the money
i find most customers do not understand machinery even when they have printed instructions as the above had