Anybody here have a whole house stand by generator?

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Sep 3, 2012 | 10:47 AM

#21

iamkeniff

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From: Gonzales, la

No rant my friend, the truth is what it is

Thank you for going out of your way to help everyone else in need

The open breaker "should" be fine if its done the right way. I wouldnt want to have all the breakers on one set of wires bc anything can happen.

If i was forced to run just a few things on my generator, then id fish a few lines to hide sockets that are hooked up only to the generator for 2 window units, my microwave, my fridge, my tv, ps3. I have enough room to hide them so all id have to do is move the plugs over. Its more money but best way to keep from feeding the main box.

Sep 3, 2012 | 01:45 PM

#22

KA41

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From: Walker, La

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamkeniff

It wont back feed if you turn your main breaker off and then have the breakers you want wired into the line going to the generator. You can also go the extra mile of having a master connect by your generator that is a 3 position style. Top position is your energy provider, middle is everything is dead, bottom position is fed off of your generator.

Im going to go that route that allows me to shut off the main feed and run my box off of my generator(s)

This is the route I took. As far as calling my energy provider every 4 hours, that's a joke. With so many people out, all you get is a recorder telling you that they are working hard to get power restored.

1969x11, as iamkeniff said, thanks for your help getting things restored. Isaac wasn't as bad as Katrina and Gustav when we were without elec. for almost a week each time.

Sep 3, 2012 | 09:53 PM

#23

dmelvin

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From: Rock Port, MO

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1969x11

I wouldnt trust an OPEN Breaker to safegaurd the lives of the men working to restore your power. Like you said 3 position switch is the only SAFE method of wiring a generator to the house.Sorry to rant but if this teaches one person that didnt know it could save lives. I've been a lineman for 15 years and went on many storms(just back from Isaac) and this the #1 killer for us.

There was a farmer around here that ran a PTO driven generator. The linemen were getting feedback from somewhere when they took their readings before working on the line. They found out where it was coming from and the guy refused to turn off the generator. They pulled his meter... however, they put it back in before they flipped the switch to turn the power back on. When they turned the power back on, it fried his generator.

He never knew they pulled the meter, nor put it back in. He was told that it could kill the workers. He didn't care. So the local co-op didn't give a damn when he came in bitching about his generator frying.

Sep 3, 2012 | 10:25 PM

#24

iamkeniff

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From: Gonzales, la

He deserved it then

Sep 9, 2012 | 11:21 PM

#25

Wyttrash96

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From: Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan

Quote:

Originally Posted by bud8fan

i have a 14k generac on a 500 gal propane tank with auto switch....the whole thing was about $3500 when i installed it and it's great.

14k? $3500? How in God's name did you get that big of a generator for so cheap? Awesome!

Back in '99 my dad was worried about Y2k while he was finishing the basement of the farmhouse. He wired in a separate breaker box and bought a Coleman 6000 watt gas generator. He can run the fridge, deep freeze, furnace fan (oil furnace) and the water pressure system (on a farm, standalone water system). Basically it'd be everything you'd need to keep from freezing for a few days. Since OP is in a much warmer climate than daddio, I'd suggest a diesel generator. You don't have the nasty sub zeros I do up here. Then look up how to make black diesel from used crank case oil. Makes it cheaper to run. Lots of good info over on the survivalist/prepper forums too.