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[Bluegrass Wood Burner]

Just wanted to let everyone know there is a simple and safe way to run your home with a generator and not be too expensive to hookup. I mounted a inlet box outside on brick wall and run #10 /3 wire to my panel boxes inside. I have 2 side by side. I installed a blank double pole single lever breaker in the top right hand slot and run my 10-3 wire to these two breakers. Both have an interlock mounted on face of panel that prevent both the main breaker and the 30 amp breakers from being on at same time. I know this has been talked about but just wanted to let you know this is the way to go for safety if you don't want to go the transfer switch route. This year I will be more ready for outage if it comes.
So in summary when power goes out:
1. Turn both main breakers off.
2. Hook your generator cord to the inlet box.
3. Start your generator and let warm up.
4. While waiting on generator to heat up turn all breakers off.
5. Flip the 30 amp breakers on at top you installed for generator wire.(if your interlock won't let you turn it on, that means you don't have the main broker off)
6. Go out to generator and flip its breaker on. The one that's is factory installed on generator.
7. Go back to panel and start flipping breakers on that you need.
8. I have red dots beside everything I'm gonna run in each box.
Power comes back on do all this in reverse.
Very safe

[mlappin]

Siemens has something very similar, I’m still waiting to hear form an electrician friend if I have the proper one to do an interlock main on or not. A lot cheaper than a dedicated transfer switch.

[NaturallyAspirated]

Interlocks? Pshh!  I just have mine backfeed through a 30A 240V breaker from my feed on the corner of the deck...

I guess I did buy the female connector to act as a cap so that if someone turns the breaker on it won't zap ya!   


Used it once so far, 12-26-16:

[RSI]

What about putting a sub panel in for everything that you want the generator to run and then just put an outlet that it plugs into. Then put another outlet next to it from the generator.
Then all you have to do is move the plug. There is zero chance of backfeeding that way and when the power comes back on you will know because the rest of the power won't be off.

[NaturallyAspirated]

Would feeding a sub panel with a receptacle be up on code?

[Bluegrass Wood Burner]

If some line technician died from back feed, I not only would not want it on my conscious but I wouldn't wanna spend 10-20 years in prison for man slaughter. And yes it has and can happen. With either transfer switch or interlock you'll not have either to worry about. It's like insurance I hope I never have to use mine but I'm ready if I do.

[RSI]

Would feeding a sub panel with a receptacle be up on code?

I have no idea.

[mlappin]

Would feeding a sub panel with a receptacle be up on code?

I have no idea.

I kinda doubt it. The whole ideal of an interlock is so its impossible to back feed the line with a generator.

[BoilerHouse]

Would feeding a sub panel with a receptacle be up on code?

I have no idea.

I kinda doubt it. The whole ideal of an interlock is so its impossible to back feed the line with a generator.

With this set up it is impossible to back feed. From that regard it is safe.   I believe the issue is running a permanent install (sub panel) from a non permanent wire (heavy extension and plug/receptacle).  The codes in some jurisdictions may frown on it. 

[NaturallyAspirated]

Would feeding a sub panel with a receptacle be up on code?

I have no idea.

I kinda doubt it. The whole ideal of an interlock is so its impossible to back feed the line with a generator.

With this set up it is impossible to back feed. From that regard it is safe.   I believe the issue is running a permanent install (sub panel) from a non permanent wire (heavy extension and plug/receptacle).  The codes in some jurisdictions may frown on it.

I agree.  And I understand how my setup is not as safe as it should be. 

[WoodMOJoe]

I feed my main panel through a 220V breaker.

Turn my main breaker off and also throw the main breaker on my meter loop.

Have a pole light on the coop side of the meter loop so I can tell when the power comes back at night, neighbor calls if it comes back in the daytime.

Got by in this fashion for 13 days in 2007, quite the ice storm then.

[Bluegrass Wood Burner]

These interlocks are very simple little devices. I made the one on the left in my shop. 3 screws on each one and your done.

[Rockarosa]

Why not just wire in a transfer switch? I wired one in several years ago and it so simple and safe my wife can start up the electric start generator and plug it in. Go down in the basement and switch the transfer panel to generator.

[E Yoder]

I feed my main panel through a 220V breaker.

Turn my main breaker off and also throw the main breaker on my meter loop.

Have a pole light on the coop side of the meter loop so I can tell when the power comes back at night, neighbor calls if it comes back in the daytime.

Got by in this fashion for 13 days in 2007, quite the ice storm then.

Love those ice storm pics. I live right on the edge of the mountain where the warm air from the east hits the cold air from the north. Nothing like laying in bed when the trees are popping and cracking. ...
I backfeed through a homemade plug on my heat pump outside unit, not code at all.. 

[mlappin]

I need to run the entire farm off my hookup though, well not the entire farm but the electric fences need to be on and in the winter so do the heaters in the waterers need to be on.

One of these days is gonna do it right and have a 200 amp generator wired in. Can’t decide whether to go with nat gas or diesel though. Already have nat gas at the house, and with a diesel cold stacking is always a concern. However I have enough pessimist in me to realize if things ever got bad enough, you may not always have nat gas and you can make your own diesel if we burn thru a thousand gallons or so we always have in storage on the farm.