[massive snip of stuff not related to the point I want to make]
It is my understanding that the QO series of breakers by SquareD IS rated for use as a switch. That is a principle reason I installed it/them for my main load center and my shop sub-panel. Not necessarily that I will use them that way, but the main breaker in the shop sub may be.
Yup, it is that simple and the posted cautions are appropriate.
I *had* to do this in the aftermath of an Ice storm which left me with no power for 10 days in January in 10 degree temperatures. I do not consider that living dangerously, I consider that saving my house/family from catastrophic damage (a near certainty that the hot hater heating pipes would burst w/o power for the furnace).
Absolutely, shut of the main breaker, and only turn on necessary appliances.
WOW, What a lot of comments. The best, and probably cheapest overall backup power connection is the automatic transfer switch sold by many power companies, and maybe others. It mounts under the meter and has a pigtail to connect to the generator. All switching is automatic, but you still have to turn off the air conditioner and probably the water heater. Generators over about 5KW will pull a water heater or dryer, but not along with much else. If you manage things, you can have hot water and run a couple of stove burners. Of course you must turn off your 5HP air compressor!
I've done the kludge thing with the suicide plug and it works fine. I've never forgotten to turn off the main. The real concern there is backfeeding a transformer and zapping a lineman. I expect you would have to quite near a transformer that has its high side disconnected for the generator to be able to develop any voltage, but even a momentary surge on the 240V side could cause some high voltage on the high voltage side.
The idea of a polarized plug (and yes, even three prong are polarized, it is just not necessary to use a wider blade since the plug can only be utilized in a single manner) is so the device can distinguish reliably between the grounded, grounding and current carrying conductors.
This is not generally for operational sake but rather for safety sake. Consider older Television sets, for example, where the grounded (neutral) conductor is used as a frame ground. If you plug it in backwards, the frame becomes energized. Note that this configuration is no longer allowed, but older devices still exist.
Or look at a lamp socket. Typically the shell is connected to the grounded conductor and the inner button connected to the current carrying conductor. Only the conductor connected to the 'button' is switched, so if, for example, it were plugged in backwards (or the outlet was miswired), the shell will be energized all the time - be careful changing that light bulb......
Moral? Don't defeat the polarization and buy a $5.00 tester to check the polarization of all the outlets in your home.
scott
for reference:
grounded conductor == neutral == white grounding conductor == ground == bare/green current carrying conductor == black/red/etc.
Well, since my house was built in the 1800's, I don't think that I am going to take the chance of just pluggin in my gen, Since power outages here are few and far between and I can live without TV I will just run the gen to the fridge and freezer and some lighting.Maybe one day I will go to the trouble of putting in a transfer switch.
Not quite. In this state murder can get you 25 to life or in some circumstances execution (electrocuting a lineman wouldn't do it) while second degree manslaughter (this is probably the world they could prove for electrocuting a lineman--first degree requires intent to do harm) gets 1 to
10 and criminally negligent homicide gets a year max.
Guys, don't take chances with electricity. It can KILL you - quickly.
I have a transfer switch for my generator. The switch was less than $200 from Northern Tools and powers six key circuits (heat - gas furnace blower, refrigerators, microwave and some key lighting areas). You can install the switch and run the wiring yourself. Then hire an electrician for $75 to wire it into your circuit breaker panel.
To hook up the generator, I bought 10 gauge wire and two male 240V plugs from HD and made my own extension cord - one end plugs into the generator, the other into the transfer panel.
I need to do the same thing. Last August we had a big storm with straighline winds that knocked the power out to about 500,000 people. My power was off 11 days. Went and bought a generator to power the fridge and a few lights and a small air conditioner. Never would have made it with out it.
I told myself I would get the house wired up when it was all over and the electricians were back to a normal work load.
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