Re: (ET) inverter

["David Roden" <etpost drmm net>]

On 4 Aug 2006 at 15:22, David C Robie wrote:

> I feed power into both legs of my 220 using the 220V
> 30A electric dryer and EV charge outlet in my garage.

This practice is pretty dangerous for a multitude of reasons.  Not only 
will 
I not do it myself, I would never recommend it to anybody in a public 
forum. 
 

I hope you don't have kids or a spouse who might try to use this stuff 
while 
you're away, or that you never get distracted while trying to hook it up 
and 
get it going.  That's when disasters happen.  People using jerry-rigs like 
this have ended up backfeeding the grid and electrocuting linemen.  
They've 
had their inverters or gensets literally explode because they accidentally 
left the main on when the grid came up.  They've had the feed plug come 
out 
and some kid or pet wandered along and touched those live male pins.

Besides, it's unnecessary.  Square D makes a nice, simple, reasonably 
priced 
changeover device.  It's a 60 amp subpanel with a mechanical lockout that 
allows only one feed breaker (from the line or from a genset or inverter) 
to 
be on at one time.  Some models have a built in MALE plug so you can plug 
in 
an extension cord from your inverter or genset, or you can add one easily. 
 
I've seen them (without plug) at Lowe's for under $100.  You can sometimes 
find them on Ebay for half that amount.  Well worth it.  

For similar prices you can get cheapo Chinese changeover switches at the 
big 
box stores, though I prefer the Square D panel.

Not to preach, but I *really* recommend avoiding this kind of hack job.  
You're playing with fire, literally, with this stuff.  Doing it safely is 
not that much more work or time, and it could save a life.


David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA

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