portable generators

[wkndfirewood]

After reading the posts on Temporary generators. We would only use a portable generator on a limited basics. So, we would not need a whole house unit. Therefore, I was wondering as to how those that are running portable generators pass the power cables thru into the house from the outside. During the last power outage we ran cables from the generator on the motorhome thru the side door to the appliances that needed power. Just looking for your ideas

 

[Keith True]

I put a generator plug on the outside of my house and tied it into my panel with a 30 amp breaker.Now you can buy a lockout that won't let you flip the generator breaker on before you shut the main off.Simple and effective.I did have a six circuit switch tied in before,but it seemed like I always needed a circuit not on that switch.You have to use your head,you don't just run everything you have just because you have juice there.I have no need for a whole house automatic generator,it is no problem to wheel mine out of the cellar and start it up.About once a year I lose the power for 1-3 days,not the end of the world for me.

 

[Butch(OH)]

Yup, exactly what we did back when we ran a portable. I emphasize what Keith said in that it was properly interlocked so that the power cord could not be energized by line power. It is all pretty easy and inexpensive if you have room for a 220 breaker in the top slot of your main panel. You do have to monitor what your generator is doing so it isn't overloaded . Once more if you dont interlock the source for the cord DO NOT DO THIS and stick with your extension cords.

 

[Russ from MN]

Cords under the door to the coffee pot, fridge, freezer! Order of importance! Carry water from the lake to flush the toilet, moved the generator once to run the sewer lift pump. We very seldom have an extended outage, one 31 hour outage in 9 years at this house.

 

[Billy Shafer]

Use cords to power what you need. Or have an interlock system installed. DO NOT use the dryer plug trick. Very dangerous and can cost you. Down here if the power company finds one. They will pull your meter. I was called in on a case. Where a man used one. When it was all over. The man ended up paying around a million dollars in damage and fines. He lost everything.

 

[RESLLS]

Only run a few things, not the whole house. I am usually not home when power goes out. She pops the dryer vent hose off and runs a couple cords througb it. Stuff a towel in to stop cold air or bugs from entering.

 

[Goose]

We have a two way switch below the meter on our meter panel. With the switch thrown one way it connects to the high line. I had a licensed electrician wire a cord to the other side to plug into my generator. That way when the switch is thrown to the generator side, there's no way the high line can interfere.

I emphasize I had a licensed electrician wire it. Although he wired it the same way I would have, he was the licensed professional. For a hundred bucks, it was worth the peace of mind to know I wouldn't find I'd done it wrong in the middle of a snow storm. Sometimes you're better off to spend a few bucks than to try to rig something yourself.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I send a 12g extension through kitchen window for refrigerator, toaster, coffee pot and microwave. Only use one appliance at a time plus refrig.

Send another 12g cord through garage door to basement for pump.

I made a device that will shut off kitchen power when pump kicks on. Return power to kitchen when pump shuts off.

I love my 3500 w Champion I pull behind kaw mule. It gets used more to power chainsaw and hedge trimmer than power the house. 3500 watts works for me. Pump and microwave are my biggest loads and only one them is used at a time.

 

[Billy Shafer]

That is what I call a knife switch. Takes the house out of the system. So you end up with two systems. That is really the safest way to do it. Also like that you had an electrician do the install.

 

[Part Time Pete]

I only have a 6500 watt generator, but I run it through a 200amp transfer switch on my main service. I do have to turn off the breakers for large loads like my shop compressor and clothes dyer, but it's nice to have it so that everything works without having to run a bunch of cords
I also put a little neon pilot light on the utility side of the transfer switch, so while on generator I can look out the window and see when the utility source comes back on
Pete

 

[grizz02]

transfer box, I use 10 ga. wire with male plug outside into gen.

 

[JGayman]

Same here. Even thought my generator is only 6500 watts I can run the whole house except for the electric hot water heater and central air. So I have those two breakers marked with orange dots. When the power fails I turn off the breakers with the orange dots, turn off the main breaker, raise the mechanical interlock and flip on the generator breaker.

In a crisis situation I **can** run the hot water heater by itself if I turn off most of the house breakers.

 

[JGayman]

I have a Reliance "Power Back" alarm in my panel. It runs off a 9V battery and has a sense wire which wraps around the main input and makes a sound like a smoke detector when the power comes back on. It has worked great since most of our outages are during the day we can't look around to see if the neighborhood lights are on.

 

[D beatty]

I have a Briggs & Stratton 8,000 run 10,000 surge generator. I run a 125 ft 10 gauge generator cord and drop it down plastic vent and plug in the basement to a transfer switch.

 

[Keith True]

I had a couple of those transfer boxes,one was a six circuit and the other was a ten.I took them out and put in 30 amp breakers and interlocks.I don't have a coffeepot,electric dryer,electric stove,or an electric water heater.A 5500 watt generator seems to run my furnace,water pump,and anything else I need just fine.I do pay attention to what is going on though.I bought an old mobile home in 1996 that had a generator plug on the outside.I kind of scratched my head when I saw the panel.Somebody had drilled a little hole in the 30 amp breaker lever for the generator and another in the 100 amp breaker lever.Then they put a zip tie through the two holes.I thought it was a pretty slick way of reminding you to shut the main off before turning the generator breaker on.Turns out there are no interlocks available for that panel.

 

[Tramway Guy]

200 Amp Transfer switch is the simplest and fool-proof.

 

[gblj]

Hi Geo, I also have a Kawasaki mule, I have been wanting to come up with a way to tow my generator behind it but so far no good ideas, would you be willing to share a picture? Thanks

 

[Gene Davis (Ga.)]

I have a 20 Es series Onan natural gas unit powered by a Ford industrial 4 cylinder engine mounted on a concrete slab just a few feet from the house. I connect by a manual transfer switch that was installed 25 years ago when I was using an 8 Kw portable. I can start the generator, and have the transfer switch changed over in about 3 minutes. I installed it all, but paid a professional electric company big bucks to do the last connections so the insurance company could not have an issue to complain about and want to cancel the house insurance policy. I don't need it very many times as we have a very dependable electric supplier and they keep the line right of ways cleared of limbs very well. but it supports just about everything I need to use. My shop is on a separate meter and I have a 3 Kw LP powered unit for it.

 

[Bob - MI]

Nice looking installation. Well done

 

[Bob - MI]

Get a transfer switch. I had been doing the same as you for a while but I could never power the furnace in the winter so I bit the bullet and got a transfer switch.

I have it mounted but haven't finished the wiring yet. I want to stain the siding this year and I am waiting for that before I run conduit along the house to where the panel in the basement is located.

 

[Bob - MI]

Are you happy with that generator? I have been thinking about that model or a Generac but the service horror stories on Generac's have me spooked and the Briggs seems to be the way to go.

 

[D beatty]

It's about 4 years old with about 60 hours and no problems. It will run over 8 hours on a tank of fuel. It runs well, LP gas heat, frig & freezer, microwave, TVs,yard lightand to all the lights of rooms hooked to transfer switch. The only thing I can't run and is not hooked transfer switch is electric water heater and clothes dryer. We have LP for cooking and can warm water on it if needed. Lighting in house is about 98% LED.

 

[buickanddeere]

The later horizontal shaft direct drive Generacs are better than the early vertical shaft belt drive Generacs .