[PVRCNC] Re: [PVRC] Emergency generator power (fwd)

Tue, 23 Sep 2003 22:26:09 -0400

Although I certainly support "Safety First" I have yet to find one of those
transfer switches at any cost effective price which gives enough flexibility
for use with a small generator.

I  DO rely on my own intelligence to pull the main breakers first and turn
them back on last. After all, climbing towers and working with HV linears,
etc., should adequately instill caution and concern for others in every ham.
I am never going to test it, but I'd bet the 15A breakers on my generator
would pop instantly if  the main breaker was closed to the system through
the pole transformer.

Anyway, I've installed a pair of  ganged 20A breakers in each of my two 100A
boxes. These are tied together observing phase. In normal use both pairs are
locked open so each box is fed from the main busses.

When the power goes out, I turn off both Main breakers and then turn off all
the big ticket breakers except the 220V well pump, turn on the linking
breakers, and backfeed 220V with 50' of 3-10 + ground romex from my
generator through the 220V air compressor receptacle in the garage.

Power management then becomes family common sense. Turn off lights if you're
not in a room. Don't use the electric iron; don't use the microwave if the
toaster is on, etc. But all regular house circuits remain available and
there's none of the frustration of dead outlets or dark rooms. Worse case a
trip to the generator to reset a breaker if one side gets overloaded. (And
whoever caused it gets a raspberry!)

Reverse the process before turning on the main breakers when the power is
restored.

With this setup our 4.4kw generator has kept us comfortable through a number
of days of power loss due to ice storms and hurricanes, including Isabel.
Yes, I know it's not "code" but if I ever sell the house, it's a 5 min. job
to get it back to the original layout.

73,

Jim, K4QPL
----- Original Message -----
From: "cliff bedore" <[email protected]>
To: "Radio Club" <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, September 22, 2003 8:34 AM
Subject: [PVRC] Emergency generator power (fwd)

> > Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2003 04:31:14 -0400
> >
> > I've been catching up on archives of the PVRC list from the time I was
> > gone, and read a bit about generators and emergency AC power.
> >
> > That inspires me to add a cautionary note -- if it's unnecessary or
> > gratuitous, I apologize, but this was news to me when I inquired a
couple
> > of years ago on one of the reflectors --
> >
> > You should never connect a generator to a 110 or 220 bus in your house
> > without being absolutely sure that the house is completely disconnected
> > from the commercial mains, lest you electrocute the lineman who comes to
> > fix your power.  The electrical code does not permit reliance on a
> > knowledgeable user to make sure the main breaker is open, and instead
> > specifies a transfer switch as the only approved way to connect a
generator
> > -- this provides a mechanical interlock to ensure that the generator
power
> > cannot feed back to the mains.
>
> There is an alternative to completely disconnecting from the power grid.
> During the Y2K excitement, I bought a generator and a "manual power
transfer
> switch"  which lets you switch individual circuits in your house between
the
> mains and the generator.  The crude diagram below shows how it works for
> individual circuits
>
> orig circuit
>
> MAIN-----CB---------outlet
>
>
> one circuit of manual transfer switch
>
>                    wire nut
>                      |
> MAIN-----CB\         /-----outlet
>             \       /
>              \     /
>         3 position switch
> GEN-------------|
>
>
> The idea is that you mount the switch box near your circuit breaker box
and run
> the wires from the switch box to the breaker box.  Shut off the circuit
breaker
> for the circuit you want to have on the generator, remove the wire to the
> breaker, connect one of the switch wires to the circuit breaker and wire
nut
> the other switch wire to the original circuit wire.  Repeat for each
circuit
> that you want to have generator power.  My box let me switch up to six
circuits
> but other boxes will let you switch more.  Mine was also limited to 15 amp
> circuits.  You can use 2 of the switches in parallel to control 1 220v
circuit.
>
> The switch box does require a 220v generator and cabling from the OUTSIDE
> generator to the switch box.  I emphasize OUTSIDE because we've had at
least 3
> people die from running them inside the house after Isabel.
>
> Advantages: install it yourself, no messing with the 220v line into the
house.
> lower cost. My panel was about $200.00
>
> Disadvantages: limited circuits, limited current per circuit (i.e. I can't
> connect the kitchen because it's a 20 amp circuit.  You probably can't run
the
> Air Conditioner but you can run the furnace blower.
>
> I have mine wired into the shack, the furnace, the family room, the sump
pump
> and a circuit to run an extension cord up to the fridge in the kitchen.
Spent
> about $500.00 on the 5KW gen and $200 for the panel.  With cabling etc
still
> less than $800.00.  I bought the cheap noisy generator because I don't
plan on
> using it on a regular basis.  More money would give more power/lower
noise.
>
>
>
> >
> > 73, Pete N4ZR
> > The World HF Contest Station Database was updated August 30.
> > 129 stations were added or updated.
> > Are you current? www.pvrc.org/wcsd/wcsdsearch.htm
> >
>
> --
> Cliff Bedore
> 7403 Radcliffe Dr. College Park MD 20740
> [email protected] http://www.bdb.com
> Amateur Radio Call Sign W3CB For info on ham radio, http://www.arrl.org/
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