generators and SHTF advice

[RobbyMaQ]

Mine's all manual (sockets for the house, plugs and extensions for the genny). I'm too damn stupid to remember crap. If it plugs in it works, if it ain't, it don't (one or the other, but not both). lol. Keeps backfeeding out of the loop entirely.

 

[17 squirrel]

Mine's all manual (sockets for the house, plugs and extensions for the genny). I'm too damn stupid to remember crap. If it plugs in it works, if it ain't, it don't (one or the other, but not both). lol. Keeps backfeeding out of the loop entirely.

Almost the same for me, I just backfeed from the shop to the house.
If its just me at the farm I have a small Honda super quiet, and with a male to male ext cord I just plug it in on the porch and half the breaker panel is hot. What I need for basic comfort is on one side of the breaker panel. Just be sure to shut off the main breaker so no smoke comes out of your Genny where its not supposed to.

 

[churchmouse]

Almost the same for me, I just backfeed from the shop to the house.
If its just me at the farm I have a small Honda super quiet, and with a male to male ext cord I just plug it in on the porch and half the breaker panel is hot. What I need for basic comfort is on one side of the breaker panel. Just be sure to shut off the main breaker so no smoke comes out of your Genny where its not supposed to.

I used to back feed but the spouse is not all that sharp with these things. If she needs light she just turns it on. Same with appliances. She is no dummy just an "A" typical spoiled city woman. That prompted me to make dedicated cords for dedicated loads. The boxes are not hot when we run the Genny's.
1 cord for the refrigerators.....1 cord for the furnace and associated lighting. The TV's and such are run off a smaller clean power genny.

 

[17 squirrel]

I used to have those spousal issues, but she wised up and got rid of me.
Lucky me..

 

[churchmouse]

I used to have those spousal issues, but she wised up and got rid of me.
Lucky me..

Ha.........I have lost 2 of them somewhere along lifes path. Miss neither of them.

We had a sweet battery back up for lights and lite duty. Had a few actually. Friends see them and make me offers I can not refuse and we install them in their cabins and Rural homes. I need to get another one put together. Winter is coming.

 

[bocefus78]

For those with the genny hooked to the main panel:

How hard is this to do? I'm slightly capable of doing some electrical. I've installed breakers. I wired my service pole, meter box, and panel for my deer camp. What's the approx cost of materials?

 

[churchmouse]

For those with the genny hooked to the main panel:

How hard is this to do? I'm slightly capable of doing some electrical. I've installed breakers. I wired my service pole, meter box, and panel for my deer camp. What's the approx cost of materials?

There are "Kits" available at the big box stores and genny suppliers. Look at the kits and see if you can put one together a bit cheaper.
I have done some for friends that require some common sense to use.

 

[bobzilla]

After we bought the 10k gen I got lazy and bought the big box kit for $250. Yes it was a little expensive but it had everything you need and was super simple to install.

 

[churchmouse]

After we bought the 10k gen I got lazy and bought the big box kit for $250. Yes it was a little expensive but it had everything you need and was super simple to install.

Exactly.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Ha.........I have lost 2 of them somewhere along lifes path. Miss neither of them.

We had a sweet battery back up for lights and lite duty. Had a few actually. Friends see them and make me offers I can not refuse and we install them in their cabins and Rural homes. I need to get another one put together. Winter is coming.

I hope these offers don't include references to their sympathy for that accident you had next week!

 

[churchmouse]

I hope these offers don't include references to their sympathy for that accident you had next week!

Ha.......

 

[Landon]

I bought a Generlink from my local REMC. Its a collar that goes behind your meter that has a plug in and comes with a cord for your generator. It prevents back feeding the line and makes hooking a generator up nice and easy. It also has a green light on the bottom that comes on if the main power is back which is nice. I shut off all the breakers in my box, then hook up the generator, and then turn back on the breakers I want to run. Sump pump and fridge mainly but my generator is big enough to run several lights (all LED) and the TV. The Generlink was a bit pricey at $725 (installed). But I wanted something pretty simply that my wife could manage if I was at work or not home.

Clark County REMC | Products For Sale

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Just a reminder. Remember to exercise your generators periodically. I try to do it monthly. Ran them today for about a 20 minutes under about half load.

 

[indyjohn]

For those with the genny hooked to the main panel:

How hard is this to do? I'm slightly capable of doing some electrical. I've installed breakers. I wired my service pole, meter box, and panel for my deer camp. What's the approx cost of materials?

Watch this video. If this is it, I can do this. [video]https://youtu.be/7--oK3BXN5U[/video] The beginning is kind of cheesy but it has great detail.


Cost depends on how many circuits you want, you can use all of your generator's capacity for less that $500 in most cases.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Just a reminder. Remember to exercise your generators periodically. I try to do it monthly. Ran them today for about a 20 minutes under about half load.

Would walking them for an hour be an acceptable substitute?

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Would walking them for an hour be an acceptable substitute?

It would have to be a brisk pace but yes, yes it would.

 

[bwframe]

I really like the idea of that double male cord plugged into the porch outlet. If that is a way to go, why are folks throwing so much money at switches, boxes and the like?

 

[churchmouse]

I really like the idea of that double male cord plugged into the porch outlet. If that is a way to go, why are folks throwing so much money at switches, boxes and the like?

Because with out common sense being used serious injury and damage can be done. A standard receptacle is usually a 15 amp service rating. Lighting up half of a 100 amp box even if you just use select breakers it will overload that receptacle.
Add to this if you (not you but) forget to open the main breaker you will back feed the lines and could injure or kill anyone working on them to restore power.
I used to do this but not anymore for the above reasons. Dedicated cords to measured loads.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

Not a fan of double male cords. Someone less wise might plug in both ends to somethings

 

[socom]

I dont think the first post really applies to us (USA). Things are much different here then say Europe. Though some of the points were good. But i vbleieve back roads are better then main which will be blocked. Also i think being in the middle of a city if a SHTF situation is worst case unless your out quick.