Powering a House From a Generator

[@joemilton7552]

Followup video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHjcdaeLerSZp6M

[@hayesrutherford9415]

One of the cons would be its dangerous.(possibly a code violation) Your generator breaker should have been installed down next to your service disconnect and the Sq. D interlock installed for that panel. The interlock permits only one breaker to be on and not both at the same time. Your setup could let generator power back over the transmission lines accidentally.

[@joemilton7552]

Thanks for the thoughts! I did cover all that in the video.

[@joemilton7552]

thanks again for your input, see followup video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHjcdaeLerSZp6M

[@drewdoeswhatdrewwants]

Thanks Joe, dont forget to fill the LOTO sheet and add it to the binder

[@joemilton7552]

yep you know me, I'm a stickler for procedure and documentation

[@JCVET18]

No interlock?

[@joemilton7552]

11:11

[@afaafa3679]

​@@joemilton7552no interlock or transfer switch! did you actually a pull a permit & it passed inspection? if so, what state and/or municiplity is this?

[@joemilton7552]

@@afaafa3679 This is in Mexico, see followup video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHjcdaeLerSZp6M

[@jasons5607]

How would the generator send power back to the lineman up on the pole if the main 100 amp breaker is off, for those who are commenting with criticism??? Just curious!!! Great video.

[@joemilton7552]

Yep, the only time you would have a potential problem is if you had the gen breaker and main breaker closed at the same time. As long as you never have both of those breakers closed at the same time, there's no issue.

[@neilbrookins8428]

The solution to the issue of knowing when the power returns from the grid is to use a product called power back alarm from reliance controls. It’s a low cost inductive pickup that sees the 60 Hertz signal from the main feed. I have one at my house. It works well.

[@joemilton7552]

Thanks for mentioning that. At this house, the living space isn't close to the garage to be able to hear the beep without walking out to the garage at which point you could wave the pen tester at the incoming utility if the panel cover is off (which it usually is), or at the SER cable where it comes through the wall from the meter.

[@neilbrookins8428]

It would be very easy to add an interlock onto this setup. Not doing so is adding risk unnecessarily. They can be bought for very little money.

[@joemilton7552]

Yeah you are correct and I agree. At this house only a qualified person has access to the panel. That and the panel cover is usually off.

[@joemilton7552]

thanks again for your input, see followup video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHjcdaeLerSZp6M

[@offgridgarageUSA]

Good job Joe. Excellent demo of how it should be done by a qualified person. I do the exact same thing but use a 15KW portable generator. My question is... where is the ground to neutral bond if they are both "main" panels? It can only have 1 bond... that's the main panel.

[@joemilton7552]

Thanks offgrid! Each panel has a main bonding jumper screw installed in the lower left on the neutral bar; this house has parallel feeds from the meter. Kind of an unusual setup. Thanks for watching!

[@heithhase6171]

This is illegal without an interlock plate or an automatic or manual transfer switch……never mind code , it’s gonna kill linemen trying to restore power when someone following your video misses a step

[@joemilton7552]

Thanks for the input! Not sure about illegal, but maybe not the best setup for everyone. It is definitely true that you don't want to send gen power out onto the utility line. In this case here, the gen output breaker is rated for 30 amps. If I accidentally energized the utility line with my generator, the load (which would then be some portion of the grid) would immediately try to draw way more than 30 amps, and trip that output breaker immediately. Also, linemen typically ground the portion of the line they're working on, since they are well aware of this type of hazard. Let me know what you think!

[@heithhase6171]

As an IBEW Journeyman Lineman of nearly 20 years , I promise you we don’t even put total faith in the standard 2/0 copper grounds we use as our only line of protection……depending on how far down the road the grounds are located , a large enough generator might only see it as load for a short while before it finally trips the breaker on the generator……I’ve personally seen a generator keep running for a minute or so while back feeding on a grounded line, plenty enough time to electrocute a person……also a standard distribution transformer works in either direction 7200 volts on high side gets 120/240 on low side, put 240 on low side and 7200 comes out high side, as far amperage it might be 30 amps on low side but 5 or less on primary side.

[@joemilton7552]

@@heithhase6171 thanks for sharing your insights and experience, really appreciate the first hand expertise! No doubt backfeeding the line is always bad! I feel like the 2/0 ground would probably be sufficient to flow the 1 amp that would be required to open the 30 amp breaker in the 240 to 7200 volt conversion setup that you mentioned. I would guess that the inductive spike caused by the initial energization of the transformer coils alone would be enough to open the breaker on the little gen shown in this video, but I don't plan on finding out any of that out! Thanks for the comments my friend.

[@joemilton7552]

​@@heithhase6171 thanks again for your input, see followup video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHjcdaeLerSZp6M

[@ne8r]

This is wrong on so many levels.

[@joemilton7552]

Love to hear your thoughts