On Mon, 19 Dec 2011 06:08:43 -0800 (PST), klem kedidelhopper
<
captainvi...@gmail.com> wrote:
>I think that what you may be talking about Jeff is an "automatic"
>transfer operation. This sounds like a system that will automatically
>start the generator on sensing a loss of power, and then activate a
>huge double pole contactor.
Yes, I mentioned that in one sentence. That's the correct way to wire
an emergency generator to a house. However, I continued beyond that
sentence and attempted to reverse engineer what you're doing with the
generator, and guessed that you are back feeding the wall outlet with
a suicide cord. If this is correct, there are safety issues involved,
some of which I detailed. You might want to re-read what I scribbled.
>Therefore, and
>please correct me if I'm wrong but it would seem that with any manual
>system, whether you use one of these manual switches or you back feed
>a 240 volt circuit and manually kill the main, you would have no way
>of knowing when the utility is back in service. Lenny
Again, please re-read my previous 2nd paragraph. If you are powering
a few appliances from the generator via an extension cord, and NOT
backfeeding the wall outlets, then you'll know when the power is back
on when the house lights return to normal. The reason you probably
can't tell that the power is back on is that you have switched the
main breaker to off. You'll need a neon lamp capacitive sensor.
Flipping the main breaker on, while the generator is running, is a
great way of blowing up some generators. Flipping the breaker on,
while the generator is running, while the power company is working on
the lines, is a hazard to the lineman. However, they protect
themselves by shorting or grounding the lines, which will usually blow
the output breakers on your generator.
The bottom line is that you really should spend the money on a proper
transfer switch. It does NOT need to be automatic. Manual transfer
switches are much cheaper and good enough. If you have an autostart
generator, you will need an automatic transfer switch. If not, use a
manual switch:
<
http://www2.northerntool.com/generators/transfer-switches-4.htm>
<
www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF81&keywords=manual transfer switch>
<
http://www.reliancecontrols.com/Documents/S1204TE.pdf>
Some transfer switches are *NOT* intended to run the entire house.
They have their own breakers and their own loads off a sub-panel.
See Fig 3 wiring diagram at:
<
http://www.renovation-headquarters.com/generator-transfer-switch.htm>
When the power returns, the lights and devices that are NOT powered by
the transfer box, come back on. Meanwhile the generator is still
running the rest of the outlets. Flip the switch, and these loads are
now on utility power. Then, you can turn off the generator.
Other transfer switches switch the entire breaker panel.
<
http://www.reliancecontrols.com/ProductDetail.aspx?TCA1006D>
Since these are installed between the meter and the breaker box,
you'll know that power had returned when the meter starts moving.
Note: I have 3 generators, none of which work. Yet another project.
Santa Cruz CA 95060
http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS
831-336-2558