Chill out guys, you're gettin' way too bent outta shape here.And I'm sorry David, and maybe others also, but what I'm doing sure isn't illegal where I live and I don't consider it dangerous either. If it's illegal where you live, then I'm guessing you live in an area where local or state governments have way too much control over your individual rights. Maybe you live in one of those liberal states where the government feels they have to have a law for everything. Having such laws doesn't keep stupid people from doing dumb things. And there are people out there that probably shouldn't even be allowed to own tools, let alone do more than flip on a light switch when it comes to anything electrical. People need to be responsible for their own actions. If they do something stupid and get electrocuted, then so be it.
Some of you guys must know a lot of people that have a lot more money than common sense. Even manual transfer switches aren't what I consider cheap, let alone the costs to install one.
When I pull my main fuse block, it goes outside in back of the shop and stays there with the generator. And I've never been "too tired, distracted, or intoxicated to forget a step". And I sure as hell wouldn't ask my wife to make a switch like this on her own. Now for you guys with the automatic transfer switch gear and all; well more power to you, but there's that $ again.
As for the "cord with two male ends hanging around the house", I fully agree that that is very foolish. My "cord" is a short piece of 10-3 SO with a Russellstoll Ever-Lok plug that can only fit into the matching receptacle mounted in the outside back wall of the shop. Besides, this cord is plugged into it's receptacle before the generator is started. Then the L14 plug on the other end of the cord is connected to the now running generator.
When you only do this maybe once a year, my method works fine and costs virtually nothing. If a guy can't remember the few simple steps to do this, then he's probably one of those guys I spoke of earlier that shouldn't be allowed to own tools, let alone an Elec-Trak or a generator.
As for the "little kids" around the house, my sons are 36 and 39, both are in engineering fields, and neither is living at home. This ain't my first rodeo guys. I may live in Kentucky, but I wasn't born and raised here. But I am proud to have lived down here for the last 34 years or so, south of that old Ohio River.
Mike in KY----- Original Message ----- From: "David Roden" <etpost drmm net>
To: <elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu> Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 10:56 AM Subject: Re: (ET) More Power Inverters
On 12 Dec 2007 at 8:54, Mike Wallace wrote:I just pull the main fuse block in my panelbox, unplug the air compressor and then plug the output of the generator into that same outdoor receptacle and feed my power back into the house's panel box. No fancy and expensive automatic switching/disconnect system, but nodanger to power company crews working on the lines either.Sorry, I have to mention that this procedure is illegal and dangerous. I don't think it's a good idea to promote it in a public place, such as a listserve that's archived on the open web. You may never electrocute a lineman or blow up your generator, but thepotential is there. A little too tired, distracted, or intoxicated, and youcan slip up or forget a step. Trying to talk the spousal unit through the process on the cell phone, again there is a risk of missing something. There's also the hazard of having a cord with two male ends hanging around the house. I hope you don't have any little kids.A transfer switch can be as simple as a $100 (less on Ebay) Square D lockoutpanel for the backup loads. It pretty much guarantees that you'll never hurt anyone with your backup power system. Cheap insurance, IMO. The ET can be very useful for backup power, but I'd hate to see anyone killed as a result of using it for that purpose. End of sermon. David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Note: mail sent to the "etpost" address will not reach me. To send me a private message, please use the address shown at the bottom of this page : http://www.evdl.org/help/ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Weighing in at 2 1/2 tons and representing the USA ... -- Ad for a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = _______________________________________________ Elec-trak mailing list Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo/elec-trak