All electric

[fred1949]

I'm all electric so when the electric is not working we are "in the dark". Is there any homeowner set up to get a generator to power just a few of the neccesary things? As in fridge & lights. I've seen the whole house emergency generators & they are huge & expensive.

Fred

[kactuskid]

You can buy a smaller generator, like a 5000 watt model that is fairly portable and can be kept in your garage until needed. To use it you will need an electrician to install a manual/transfer switch. Then you can use the generator to power those items such as a refrigerator, sump pump and furnace. Here's a link to explain more about them.
http://www.handymanclub.com/document.asp?cID=55&dID=795

[fred1949]

Thank you for the information.

Fred

[HayZee518]

I have a 4400 homelite that I have out in my garage and it's connected 220 volt backfeeding the garage supply from the basement. When I have an outage all I do is shut off the 100 amp main, throw the 50 in the garage and crank up the ol generator. I also shut off the hot water heater breaker in the basement and let er rip. I can power the whole house with this setup. I have propane for cooking so I got enuf power.

[fred1949]

That's about the same setup I want. Thanks again for the information. Your website is very helpful.

Fred

[HayZee518]

Thank you for your kind words - we, the moderators try any way we can to help people. Your thanks and well wishes is the greatest pay any one of us can receive.

[kactuskid]

Closing the main breaker and backfeeding a circuit may work for you but it's also dangerous and illegal to do. That's the reason for the installation of a manual/transfer switch per code.

"If you forget to shutoff the main you can KILL somebody. Not just hypothetical, but actual. A search of the internet will reveal stories of linemen getting killed.

Some who do backfeed try to justify it by saying they won't forget to shutoff the main, and linemen should be properly grounding and testing before they handle the wires. Well fine, but that just leaves you 2 mistakes away from killing someone. Both of those mistakes can and do happen.

A transfer switch, by design, does not allow the generator to backfeed through the main. It doesn't rely on you to remember to switch anything. The transfer switch mechanically either allows your selected house circuits to get power from the main or to get power from the generator, but not both at the same time. It is dummy proof.

Another reason to have a transfer switch is so you can manage your loads. For example, if you have a 6 circuit transfer switch. One leg of the 240 feeds circuits 1-3, and the other leg feeds circuits 4-6. You balance the draw when you assign those circuits, and you have 2 meters on the transfer switch to view the draw off of each leg. In order to run a 240, you tie circuits #3 and #4 together so you are drawing from both legs.

Bear in mind that utilities take back feeding very seriously. If they find voltage on a line which is supposed to be dead, (1) they will search the neighborhood for houses which are lit up, ask to see your transfer switch, and if you don't produce, (2) they will report you to code enforcement.
If one of their men is injured, skip step two, and go directly to lawyers. The burden of proof is on you, and your liability is nearly unlimited, to the extent of your net worth"

[HayZee518]

Kactus READ THE POSTING! I open the main - I DON'T CLOSE IT! I'm in upstate New York about 15 minutes from the Canadian border. I'm in farm country where there is no natural gas for heating. Fire water is a brook about five miles from my house. Cable TV - Whassat? They still use 120 volt electric meters here!

[kactuskid]

OK, sorry, I meant open the main, doesn't really matter since it's still illegal and against code no matter where you live. Your electrical lines come from somewhere, they don't originate at your home. Somebody could still get killed if you happen to do it wrong. You can't justify telling someone, especially on a public board where folks are seeking help to do something like this just because you live out in the boonies, it's still wrong and dangerous no matter what spin you wanna put to it. Do whatever you want, but tell the folks the proper way so they have no regrets. Cheers!

[mrcaptainbob]

Never thought of it that way. THe last house I had a hookup similar. Would always 'make-sure' the main was off before plugging in the genn. Was considering doing similar here. WIll check into that transfer switch. "Two mistakes away" sure put it in perspective...