Hi, all. A question for the sparkies. Hopefully this will make some sense.
First, the configuration. 200A GE panel on the garage where the line from the utility comes into the system. 100A circuit breaker for the 100A GE sub panel on the house. Underground from the garage to the house, and there are two services to the garage and a 30 A service for the AC compressor in the garage panel. There’s a lot of space in the panel.
I want to set up a 220 outlet on the exterior of the garage in a protected enclosure so that I can hook a 5-6KW generator up in case of power failures. I have a couple of punch outs on the bottom of the box that I can use for the conduit and route the wiring into the box.
My plan is to cut the main and close a breaker to hook the generator to the system. I will also have to cut out the AC to stay below generator ratings, but otherwise I should be able to keep most of the house going. No AC is not a big problem here in the Long Beach Calif area.
So what’s the best way to hook up the 220? Is a 100A breaker an appropriate way to hook things up? Will a standard breaker work for a feed situation like this? Where my brother is in Central Florida a lot of people I know hook their generators to the dryer electrical outlet when needed. Or do I need to look at some form of transfer switch? If so, what options are there?
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“Though I don’t think” added Deep Thought “that you’re going to like it.”
Replies
" Where my brother is in Central Florida a lot of people I know hook their generators to the dryer electrical outlet when needed"
That is a good way to get killed or to kill someone.
Use the advanced search and you will find lots of information.
As a start you need a MALE connector, not a receptacel where you can plug in the generator.
Then a transfer switch or you can use interlocking breakers so that only the main or the generator can be on at one time.
And a backfeed breaker needs special mounting hardware that keeps it from coming loose.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
That hook up will back feed power thru the neutral. If you want to kill someone... have at it.
there a special transfer switch that kills the outside lines. they are very picky over this because it will kill the power company employees working on the lines, they will put you in prison over this.
only one way to do it a special generator switch made just for this.
Fast feedback! Thanks for the quick info. I'm far from an expert on home electrical and just wasn't sure this was a good idea, but WAS sure there was someone here who could set me straight. And I need to pass this along to my brother.Sounds like a job for an electrician. This is getting beyond my level of comfort.jose c.
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"Though I don't think" added Deep Thought "that you're going to like it."
Edited 7/23/2008 9:08 pm by El kabong
i had my sparky hook up a outlet switch that allows me to run the septic tank pump if the powers out for a long time.
i can run the furnace from a heavy cord.
i can run lights and the fridge off cords so thats good enough.
the septic was the big thing as if the power is off the tank can back up. it was wired right into the panel.
Generally, for home use the way to go is set up a separate panel that feeds the critical circuits in the house (furnace, refrigerator, a few lights and outlets, etc.) and then that panel is connected through a manual transfer switch to the main panel and the generator receptacle. Flip the switch one way and it's connected to the generator receptacle, flip it the other way and it's connected to the main panel.
Popular Mechanics had a good article some years ago on how to hook up an emergency generator. I can't find it on their website any more, but this guy apparently copied it to his website: http://tornadojohn.org/heap/electrical/Generators%20-%20Installing%20A%20House%20Generator.pdf
There is some new product on the market called interconnect or something like that. I saw a brochure at an electric supply house just last week. It allows certain breaker panels to add a special breaker that has a lockout function where only one service can supply the panel at one time. The added breaker then is wired to the point where your generator will be. This looked like an economical way of adding a generator safely. The brochure stated that if the generator is not large enough to run the whole load you had to turn off the breakers that you are not intending to have on in an emergency before flipping the special breaker allowing the generator to supply it.
It not new. They are an interlock that covers 2 breakers.And special care is needed when installing backfeed breakers for this applicaiton.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.