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Im not sure you really understand how CO2 poisoning really works. Even low levels of it can kill you over time. It builds up in your body over time . I have a 50 amp outlet on the side of my house for the generator to suicide plug into. This is not a good idea for about 75% of the population, maybe more. It is also used to run an air compressor. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Don't be so damn hysterical! You have to be smarter than the average rabbit. You have to have the presence of mind to flip the main breakers off before plugging into a socket. My garage is wired so one side corresponds to one leg, and the other garage side to the other leg. Chain the Genny to the Jeep parked in the garage, and plug into the side of the garage that what you need powered in the house. Easy. Now, the only downside is that you have to watch the neighborhood to see when the power comes back on, to know when to unhook the Genny and repower the breaker box. People get killed after every natural disaster from running generators indoors. The fucking generator must be outdoors where there is no chance of exhaust gasses re-entering the building. So far 3 people have died in Florida due to this stupidity. I have a 50 amp outlet on the side of my house for the generator to suicide plug into. This is not a good idea for about 75% of the population, maybe more. It is also used to run an air compressor. Since I know the difference between CO & C02, you don't need to be lecturing me. Go annoy someone else with inaccurate information and overwrought warnings. |
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Typically it doesn't cost that much to hire an electrician to put in a transfer switch. I paid about $700 to have the switch put in and a generator plug outside to plug my portable in. They included a proper size generator cable too. I'd guess that price will vary depending on the length of cable runs and what not. But it beats screwing around rigging it. They set up a nice plug outside to plug in the genset, put the transfer switch in your breaker box, connect it all up right, plus handle the permit and inspection to keep it legal.
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If a lineman dies working on a line it's his fault. He will either work it like its hot(wear gloves and sleeves) or test it and ground it on both sides of his work zone for bare hand work. That's the way we are trained to do it. "It ain't dead unless its grounded'. View Quote |
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Don't be so damn hysterical! You have to be smarter than the average rabbit. You have to have the presence of mind to flip the main breakers off before plugging into a socket. My garage is wired so one side corresponds to one leg, and the other garage side to the other leg. Chain the Genny to the Jeep parked in the garage, and plug into the side of the garage that what you need powered in the house. Easy. Now, the only downside is that you have to watch the neighborhood to see when the power comes back on, to know when to unhook the Genny and repower the breaker box. View Quote A.W.D. |
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Im not sure you really understand how I have a 50 amp outlet on the side of my house for the generator to suicide plug into. This is not a good idea for about 75% of the population, maybe more. It is also used to run an air compressor. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Don't be so damn hysterical! You have to be smarter than the average rabbit. You have to have the presence of mind to flip the main breakers off before plugging into a socket. My garage is wired so one side corresponds to one leg, and the other garage side to the other leg. Chain the Genny to the Jeep parked in the garage, and plug into the side of the garage that what you need powered in the house. Easy. Now, the only downside is that you have to watch the neighborhood to see when the power comes back on, to know when to unhook the Genny and repower the breaker box. People get killed after every natural disaster from running generators indoors. The fucking generator must be outdoors where there is no chance of exhaust gasses re-entering the building. So far 3 people have died in Florida due to this stupidity. I have a 50 amp outlet on the side of my house for the generator to suicide plug into. This is not a good idea for about 75% of the population, maybe more. It is also used to run an air compressor. But pedantic chemistry aside, you are correct about running them even in an garage with open doors. This was explicitly tested by NIOSH. Iowa State has this to say about it: When I work in the garage, I keep all the doors open. Is that okay? No. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ran a 5.5 horsepower gasoline-powered pressure washer in a double garage with both doors open, the window open, and a vent open. In only 12 minutes CO concentrations in the garage rose to 658 parts per million (ppm). The rate of emission from a typical gasoline engine is so large (30,000 to 100,000 ppm) that it is very difficult to provide sufficient ventilation. NIOSH warns, “Do not use equipment and tools powered by gasoline engines inside buildings…” But the generator is ALWAYS outside, and I keep it as far from the house as my hookup cable will allow (about 30 feet). For the other guy, the reason CO is so deadly is that the onset of symptoms can be quite gradual, so you don't really notice it. You can't smell it, you can't see it, you can't feel it. It's just another gas introduced into the air around you. So you might not have any symptoms at all or maybe you just have mild symptoms like a minor headache or just feel a bit "off" for a few hours, but then you go to bed and die in your sleep because the CO levels keep building in your blood until you die from hypoxia. CO binds to the red blood cells and prevents them from attaching to O2 molecules, and the more CO in your blood the less O2, so you basically suffocate over many minutes (suicide by car exhaust) to several hours (people running generators and improperly ventilated combustion heat sources inside their homes). |
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You are literally full of shit. If you shut your main off. Everything else is a mute point. You will only be powering your house. "Good way to kill a lineman is total bullshit". If you ACTUALLY back fed your neighborhood your generator would stall or fault from the excess load. This is because everything that's still left switched on in every house on your block is a power draw. Just like if you are isolated and left your HVAC system on while trying to power your house with too small of a gen set it would stall or default. Not to mention safety protocol dictates they check the line and isolate the repair. If you think Harry home owners gen set can back feed a neighborhood you are either retarded, full of shit or parroting bullshit that your read on the internet. View Quote But what do I know, it only says "Master" on my license. The only way the backfeeding could be a problem is if you are the only service on a transformer. Like at the end of a rural road where the power company has installed a service that includes a transformer with only your house on it. Bottom line, you should do it to protect your generator. They have panel interlock kits that are cheap and easily installed. |
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I've been doing it for almost 40 years, but I'm not an idiot, and nobody has been hurt.
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Get a panel outside with cutoff and a plug, do it right or go without. Transfer switches suck unless it's for a stand by, pay someone to replace the panel with a built in interlock and a 30-50 amp 220 plug. With a interlock, say you get a nice big genset from the 30a one you just sold. So now you have a 50a and all it takes is basic tools and some proper gauge wire, correct breaker and plug to switch over. It's a longer lasting solution to the problem that can be upgraded to a larger size for under $50 where as the transfer switch you buy for a portable genset will have to be replaced. FYI a transfer switch from home Depot for a portable generator is alot more than the interlock panel and breakers as well as being mounted outside. If you have a stand by generator then the automatic transfer switch is obviously the way to go. My statement was only about portable generator and a transfer switch vs a interlock with generator receptacle. |
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FYI, someone posted earlier about plugging into your dryer receptacle and cutting the main breaker off. That will work but the issue is also with idiots not knowing how to do this and causing shorting/fires/electrocuted homeowners.
The other issue is that you can smoke the dryer plug or wires to your box if the amperage is higher than the line can handle from your generator because of long term use during a outage. I don't recommend it as it's easier to have a interlock installed during the building of your home or as a upgraydd for a double dose of pimpin during a outage. |
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The other thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is how do you verify that your main breaker that you turned off (cuz your safe), is actually off. I take it no one has ever seen a breaker fail closed. Aka the switch arm moves but the internals are broken and its still live. I haven't seen that on a main yet, but I've seen a few single pole and double poles like that. Or the better yet, double pole breaker that only drops one leg when off or tripped. (saw that once). Point is that in here there are very few people in this forum that will go the extra step and pull the cover and ohm the breaker to verify that it is indeed off. View Quote |
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please tell me how you will kill that lineman if you flip your main breaker? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Think about it, people that have larger units are going to back feed the bus bar in their breaker panel by rigging a double male into a 110 outlet (cus most people are fucking dumb). The load is on the other end of that 12 gauge romex, so the generator will keep squeezing the amps in there until the wire gets melty. Sure thing. It would help if you even understood the question, which you obviously do not. Here is the original question that I responded to that had fuck all to do with backfeeding the grid: Quoted:
Now- my light duty backup before the transfer switch was an Honda 2000 - which means it only puts out about 16 amps max. I don't have a single breaker in my panel smaller than 15 amps. How is this going to burn down my house (assuming main breaker off, and all sub breakers off except for the outside socket that is backfeeding, and the breakers for the refridgerator and freezer [and furnace if it's winter])? |
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Ever seen a 2500kW get snapped into phase that way? It's a humbling experience watching a 15 ton generator jump. snapped a few of these: http://www.vibrodynamics.com/images/spring/vsc-xh1_mounts.gif View Quote Right now I am too busy arguing with all the GD electrical 'experts' in here, trying to teach them a little something, but it is like trying to heard chickens.... There are a bunch of people in here that have it right too. And this is why we can't have nice things. Cuz some tards get away with stuff, and tell other tards, and etc |
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Not all electrical panels have a single main shutoff. Some homes built from like the 50s to the 70s have a split bus panel where each high amp appliance has its own breaker and then a single 60 amp shutoff for the remainder of the panel's 15 and 20 amp breakers (lights and outlets). The problem here is some retard may shutoff the 60 amp "main" that he sees in his panel, but then plugs the generator into the drier outlet, which would still be connected to the utility. That's the trouble with giving advice for stuff like this. Most people don't know what they are looking at and will make stupid assumptions. View Quote |
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Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner! But what do I know, it only says "Master" on my license. The only way the backfeeding could be a problem is if you are the only service on a transformer. Like at the end of a rural road where the power company has installed a service that includes a transformer with only your house on it. Bottom line, you should do it to protect your generator. They have panel interlock kits that are cheap and easily installed. View Quote There are several layers of protection between a person's generator and a lineman's squishy conductive parts. Nonetheless, the small cracks in these layers do occasionally line up and you've got a dead or injured lineman. Bottom line, if you don't know what you're doing....don't f around with sparks. For full disclosure, I have a suicide cord setup (until I get to rewiring the house we just bought). It comes with detailed step by step instructions I made (with pictures), and I run my wife and my father through the drill of hooking it up several times a year. Cause when the power goes off....I'm out chasing downed wires. |
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Why is remembering to throw the disconnect more better than remembering to throw the main breakers? This might be a cleaner setup, but it would still backfeed if the owner forgets to throw the disconnect - right. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Why is remembering to throw the disconnect more better than remembering to throw the main breakers? This might be a cleaner setup, but it would still backfeed if the owner forgets to throw the disconnect - right. Quoted:
Is this really that much different than flipping main breaker off? In other words, if you forget to flip either either one ... I believe @otar answered it best: Quoted:
The other thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is how do you verify that your main breaker that you turned off (cuz your safe), is actually off. I take it no one has ever seen a breaker fail closed. Aka the switch arm moves but the internals are broken and its still live. I haven't seen that on a main yet, but I've seen a few single pole and double poles like that. Or the better yet, double pole breaker that only drops one leg when off or tripped. (saw that once). Point is that in here there are very few people in this forum that will go the extra step and pull the cover and ohm the breaker to verify that it is indeed off. The point is a DP DT transfer switch physically moves an arm (like an old horror movie- big knife blades) to create an open, islanding you from the grid. |
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There are numerous ways in which a single generator (small 5000W size) could potentially energize primary without tripping out due to multiple houses drawing current from it. There are several layers of protection between a person's generator and a lineman's squishy conductive parts. Nonetheless, the small cracks in these layers do occasionally line up and you've got a dead or injured lineman. Bottom line, if you don't know what you're doing....don't f around with sparks. For full disclosure, I have a suicide cord setup (until I get to rewiring the house we just bought). It comes with detailed step by step instructions I made (with pictures), and I run my wife and my father through the drill of hooking it up several times a year. Cause when the power goes off....I'm out chasing downed wires. View Quote Clip is out guys, gun is unloaded |
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I know that. You know that. Your average homeowner with a brand new generator probably doesn't know that. When they lose power is probably only the second time they've cranked the thing. They have drunk Billy bob next door showing them what to do and they go home and screw it up and kill someone. Just because it can be done doesn't mean it should be done, ya know? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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How would a lineman die with the main breaker off. Please explain. Just because it can be done doesn't mean it should be done, ya know? But the OP might, and can actually be educated. It's possible and can be done safely as long as the proper steps are followed, like most things in life. |
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Natural gas generator - no. Gasoline - if the generator is under load and your car is idling, then sure. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Do generator engines produce more than CO than vehicles? Gasoline - if the generator is under load and your car is idling, then sure. Even after you accounted for the higher number of gasoline-fueled portable generators out there, you'd probably still see a much lower incidence of CO poisoning with LPG or NG models. |
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Irrelevant to the main point. Some average homeowner yahoo isn't going to read this thread anyway. But the OP might, and can actually be educated. It's possible and can be done safely as long as the proper steps are followed, like most things in life. View Quote |
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Weird. I thought I quoted Badlatitude and was agreeing with him. Also thought I mentioned something about drama queens... Oh well, "the fuck is going on here" covered it pretty well. |
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Basically, if you have it installed professionally it may be a lasting solution but you can only power a certain amount of items on the switch. Also they are only rated to so much, so what happens if you get a bigger genset? It also has to be mounted inside and you still have to buy the plug and wiring for the receptacle outside. With a interlock, say you get a nice big genset from the 30a one you just sold. So now you have a 50a and all it takes is basic tools and some proper gauge wire, correct breaker and plug to switch over. It's a longer lasting solution to the problem that can be upgraded to a larger size for under $50 where as the transfer switch you buy for a portable genset will have to be replaced. FYI a transfer switch from home Depot for a portable generator is alot more than the interlock panel and breakers as well as being mounted outside. If you have a stand by generator then the automatic transfer switch is obviously the way to go. My statement was only about portable generator and a transfer switch vs a interlock with generator receptacle. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Get a panel outside with cutoff and a plug, do it right or go without. Transfer switches suck unless it's for a stand by, pay someone to replace the panel with a built in interlock and a 30-50 amp 220 plug. With a interlock, say you get a nice big genset from the 30a one you just sold. So now you have a 50a and all it takes is basic tools and some proper gauge wire, correct breaker and plug to switch over. It's a longer lasting solution to the problem that can be upgraded to a larger size for under $50 where as the transfer switch you buy for a portable genset will have to be replaced. FYI a transfer switch from home Depot for a portable generator is alot more than the interlock panel and breakers as well as being mounted outside. If you have a stand by generator then the automatic transfer switch is obviously the way to go. My statement was only about portable generator and a transfer switch vs a interlock with generator receptacle. The home is 80's construction and currently only has a 100A service to the house and a second 100A panel to the pool. I have been weighing the decision between putting a switch in or replacing the 100A home panel with a 200A service and including an interlock in the process. |
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I had an electrician install a welding receptacle and a 2 pole 50 amp breaker in my panel for it. Turn off the main, plug it in, fire it up, switch the generator circuit breaker on. works fine. just have to make sure you turn your main off first. Built the 10 gauge cord with male twistlocks on each end. good to go.
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I had an electrician install a welding receptacle and a 2 pole 50 amp breaker in my panel for it. Turn off the main, plug it in, fire it up, switch the generator circuit breaker on. works fine. just have to make sure you turn your main off first. Built the 10 gauge cord with male twistlocks on each end. good to go. View Quote |
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I'm no sparky, but I don't think these two things go together. 10ga is 30 amps max. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I had an electrician install a welding receptacle and a 2 pole 50 amp breaker in my panel for it. Turn off the main, plug it in, fire it up, switch the generator circuit breaker on. works fine. just have to make sure you turn your main off first. Built the 10 gauge cord with male twistlocks on each end. good to go. |
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I'm no sparky, but I don't think these two things go together. 10ga is 30 amps max. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I had an electrician install a welding receptacle and a 2 pole 50 amp breaker in my panel for it. Turn off the main, plug it in, fire it up, switch the generator circuit breaker on. works fine. just have to make sure you turn your main off first. Built the 10 gauge cord with male twistlocks on each end. good to go. But everything else he said is idiotic as well. Why would you have an electrician install a dangerous and illegal suicide cord system in your home when a safe system is so easy and inexpensive?? As an electrical contractor from NJ who has been installing portable generator hookups for years and has done hundreds since superstorm Sandy, all I could do is shake my head when reading this thread. |
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Basically, if you have it installed professionally it may be a lasting solution but you can only power a certain amount of items on the switch. Also they are only rated to so much, so what happens if you get a bigger genset? It also has to be mounted inside and you still have to buy the plug and wiring for the receptacle outside. With a interlock, say you get a nice big genset from the 30a one you just sold. So now you have a 50a and all it takes is basic tools and some proper gauge wire, correct breaker and plug to switch over. It's a longer lasting solution to the problem that can be upgraded to a larger size for under $50 where as the transfer switch you buy for a portable genset will have to be replaced. FYI a transfer switch from home Depot for a portable generator is alot more than the interlock panel and breakers as well as being mounted outside. If you have a stand by generator then the automatic transfer switch is obviously the way to go. My statement was only about portable generator and a transfer switch vs a interlock with generator receptacle. View Quote Had a xfer switch on my house in Va. Beach. It was nice, but kinda like having a second main power panel. I did like having an analog (needle on gauge) power meter though. It took some work between the electrician and I to balance the panels out for critical/non-critical functions. In my new house I have an interlock installed. Much simpler; it powers the whole panel and I manage my own loading. Town power? Great- you can't hit the "power from generator breaker" while your town power breaker is closed. Wanna run the genny? That breaker won't close to provide power unless you open the main breaker, therefore isolating the house. My system still uses a 30A 4 pin twist plug, which kinda excludes me from the cool HF Predator sale. The installation from the electrician is a shitshow though. It works, and works fine, but I'm ashamed of the price for the shitty job. Looks like some work to do in the spring. Ain't gonna touch it for now. |
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Irrelevant to the main point. Some average homeowner yahoo isn't going to read this thread anyway. But the OP might, and can actually be educated. It's possible and can be done safely as long as the proper steps are followed, like most things in life. View Quote There are ideal situations. Yes it would be wonderful if everyone had the funds to have a permanently and professionally installed NG powered whole house generator with an automatic transfer switch. Not everyone has the resources or ability to achieve that. Anytime you are dealing with fuel, motors, and electricity there are risks. Risks can be mitigated by "stuff", or by knowledge and processes, or a combination of both. Emergencies introduce more risks. Sometimes people are left with a choice to make the best of a bad situation. Knowledge is helpful. Some are quick to throw out the possibility of injury or death of a lineman. Which is eliminated if people follow the correct procedure. What they don't mention is the alternative risks that they introduce - where are the statistics for fires and deaths caused by overloaded extension cords, multi-taps, and plugging and unplugging electrical cords? I'm sure that number is higher than linemen who have been killed or injured. How about an elderly person tripping over an extension cord? All are risks. You make your choices to mitigate the hazards as best you can with the resources you have available. I don't think anyone is arguing that a double male cord is the ideal. But reflexive shouting that it will necessarily kill people is no better than the antis who shriek that an AR15 is a weapon of mass destruction/murder machine. They can be used without killing anyone, and if the correct procedure is followed, is safer than the alternatives. The knowledge of how to do this is a useful, and potentially lifesaving piece of emergency preparedness knowledge to have. |
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30A Inlet: $50
10' 30A cord: $50 (20' is $75) Interlock: $50 (depends on the brand, this could go up to $150 for a 3rd party brand). 2-pole breaker: $11-18 All of those things can be purchased from Amazon. Then you go to Home Depot or Lowes for a few connectors, some 10-3 romex, silicone to seal the inlet, and that's just about it. I install at least 2 of these a week. I used to do 10 after Sandy. It's easy and cheap and it will raise the value of your house instead of being illegal like a suicide cord system. |
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Pull the meter off the wall. No chance of lineman getting hurt.
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You are missing the important step to not harm the linemen. Kill your main breaker. The idea is still stupid, but at least this way you can be less stupid. What this does is separates your pole power from your breaker panel while it has voltage. View Quote |
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On a firearms board of all places. "You're too stupid to handle something potentially dangerous" and "leave it to the professionals or someone will get killed" are phrases we have heard before. There are ideal situations. Yes it would be wonderful if everyone had the funds to have a permanently and professionally installed NG powered whole house generator with an automatic transfer switch. Not everyone has the resources or ability to achieve that. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
On a firearms board of all places. "You're too stupid to handle something potentially dangerous" and "leave it to the professionals or someone will get killed" are phrases we have heard before. There are ideal situations. Yes it would be wonderful if everyone had the funds to have a permanently and professionally installed NG powered whole house generator with an automatic transfer switch. Not everyone has the resources or ability to achieve that. I don't think anyone is arguing that a double male cord is the ideal. You are right about us being on a firearm enthusiasts forum which means just about everyone here has at least 1 firearm they can sell to pay for the small amount of equipment needed to make a safe portable generator connection. Hell, many of us shoot more in ammo in a weekend than it would cost to do the generator installation. And if you can't afford it, then bust your ass this month doing odd jobs to make the money. It's amazing how some of you will try to justify doing something STUPID. |
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https://www.oshrc.gov/decisions/html_2007/06-0166.htm
The line on which Adam was working was connectedby a secondary line to a house at the end of Jackson Street (referred to at the hearing as “a doctor’s house”). The homeowner had connected a portable generator to the house’s circuitry which caused electrical energy to backfeed to the line Adams was splicing, energizing it. Adams was electrocuted when he cut the line. View Quote |
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The basic premise is that that he pigtails two 'male' plugs together... one end coming from the genny and the other running into the dryer's plug thus 'backfeeding' power back into the house's existing wires. Surely it can't be that simple, right? View Quote Just MAKE SURE you turn off the main breaker (in the house breaker panel) before plugging anything in. Leave it off while the generator is plugged in. Installing a dedicated breaker and receptacle would be better, though. |
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Just throwing this out there. This seems like a good solution for getting your little genny's juice inside the house without having a cord running through an exterior door or window. https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-4937-Weatherproof-Wallplate-Receptacle/dp/B00074USHY Connect it to a new standard 3 prong receptacle/box inside and label it. Still gonna have the spaghetti monster of extension cords inside though. Think I will do this at the lakeplace.
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lol!
This is one subject guaranteed to trigger the helpless Milleneals. |
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