Furnace Power, from a Generator

[trader_4]

Who says you have to be limited to a 2500 watt generator? And even if you are, the work to install the breaker and interlock is the same, or less than installing a transfer switch at the furnace. And with the interlock at the panel, you can power anything you want in the house, within the 2500 watt limit, or whatever the generator capability is.

You can power up the commonly used outlets, so you can plug in your phone, watch TV. You can power up the bathrooms, so you can see to pee. You can power up all the light circuits in the whole house, and just turn the lights on that you need, when you're in that area. Power up the fridge, so your beer stays cold. Power up the garage doors, so you can open them. I'd say that beats just powering the furnace and screwing around with extension cords. One extension cord to an inlet at the panel, power anything you choose.

[Jerry.Tan]

That was my response too..... There is nothing dangerous about using a cord, as long as the wire gauge are correct. (Usually 14ga.)

I'm not very familiar with these devices, but the cord method is probably only $10 if you DIY.

Code is code, but much of this code is written to create jobs for electricians and sell parts. I can understand using a device like this for swithcing the whole home, but it's overkill if all you want to do is use a generator to power a furnace, refrigerator and a couple trouble lights during an outage. Of course we all live in a time when it seems that everything has to be made as complicated and bloated as possible. (Newer computer operating systems surely prove that).

Sometimes we just need to use common sense and tell the code people where to shove their BS. And for many parts of the country, I bet the inspectors would not even be bothered by a cord on the furnace as long as it's not frayed and connected to a dedicated outlet.

Like everything else these days, the laws are designed to make money for someone. Their original intent was to prevent electrocution and fires, but once again, corruption and payoffs win!

Anyhow, a funace on a properly wired cord, plugged into an outlet will function exactly like one that is hard wired!

[trader_4]

What exactly is so hard about installing an interlock slide, a breaker, and an inlet at the panel? It's about the same amount of work, very possibly less, than screwing around with a similar solution at the furnace. And done at the panel, you can then power whatever you want in the whole house with one extension cord, from generator to inlet. Your way you need multiple extension cords to each different area, which is not only a pain in the ass, but less safe too.

Please, stop with the nonsense. It's hard to see how a code prohibition against wiring cords to appliances that are not meant to be moved, don't come listed with cords, etc is about corruption and payoffs.

Yes, and for a similar amount of work, possibly less work, I can have an inlet at the main panel and power not only the furnace but anything else in the house, without running extension cords everywhere. Good grief.

[bob_villa]

Let's keep it simple and not a bitch match...we want to keep the kids warm and the pipes from freezing, K? Put a salvaged power cord on your furnace...this is an emergency and you don't have time to wire the entire house!

[Tekkie®]

Dave C posted for all of us...

This is what; the fifth time this has been asked this month? DAGS

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Tekkie®:

The thread-starter was on 1/26.... They could have that cutover switch installed by now.

[Harry Johnson]

#1 reason to install a power inlet and interlock breaker.

[Art Todesco]

If it has not been done, try this:

It is a mechanical interlock for your existing panel. It allows you to choose which circuits to power or not power. And, if you google "breaker panel transfer interlock" there seems to be others. Nice thing is that you don't have to rewire everything.

[trader_4]

I suggested that from day one, but we never heard back from the OP. My first choice would be one from the panel manufacturer though, because there are no issues about it being listed, code compliant when used with that main panel, etc. If not available, then the Interlockit would be my second choice.

The key to the approach is exactly what you said, which is with the slide, an additional breaker and an inlet, you can power anything in the house, manage the loads from the main panel. It's not much different work than putting in a double throw switch arrangement at the furnace, but the resulting benefits sure are.

[makolber]

Feeding the house is nice, with a safe interlock of course. The only down side i have seen is that it is hard to Know when the grid power comes back on. You have to keep an eye on the neighbors house. Anybody have a solution to that one?

Mark

[Frank]

I have a transfer box which isolates my generator from grid power feed line and just feeds circuits on it. When grid power comes back on, lights or other stuff on lines not covered by the generator will come back on.

[trader_4]

The power company here, when you call to report an outage, let's you put in a phone # or text where they will notify you when it's back on. Couple times I used it, it worked, and it's great because you can be anywhere, but I'm sure it's far from perfect. They also give estimates of how long until it's restored, and that's been in the ballpark too. I can also see a street light, have used that too, but you have to actively check.

[clare]

There are powerline monitors made for exactly that purpose. Reliance electric "powerback" THP108. About $40 at Home Despot.

[trader_4]

That looks like a great find. The only drawback I see is that to install it, you have to wrap the sensing wire around one of the hot legs which is right before the main breaker and always hot, unless you call the utility to cut off power at the meter.

One thing I don't understand. In the install instructions, after it's installed, it says to:

1 - Turn the PowerBack on/off switch to on, the alarm will sound 2 - Turn the main breaker to the off position, the alarm will cease.

How is #2 possible? With the main breaker on or off, there is still voltage present on the service before the main breaker. I don't see why the main breaker would have an effect. And even more bizarre, the whole purpose of the alarm is to sound when power is present and the main breaker is off. Am I missing something or do they have something screwed up here?

[Pico Rico]

Just be careful. Insulated wires are insulated.

"When the main circuit breaker in a generator-ready load center, manual transfer panel or other panel, must be turned OFF during a power outage, in order for a standby generator to supply power to emergency circuits, the PowerBACK will sound a 100dB audible alert as soon as utility power is restored."

Poorly written, but they must mean turn off whatever removes utility power from your panel. I would think that would be the transfer switch. Or it could be a main switch/breaker that will not be fed by your generator.

I still like my solution better.

[Unquestionably Confused]

I think the testing protocol works because the antenna is wrapped around one of the hot wires and is also grounded. As the antenna detects current FLOW when the utility power is on line, you "fool" it into believing the line is dead by opening the main breaker. (Remember, this is not for an interlock type setup, but rather a transfer panel)

Since with the transfer panel you will only be energizing certain circuits, the other breakers are closed as is the Main when the power goes out. When utility power is restored, there will be flow that is detected by the antenna and...

Neat little device.

[Pico Rico]

I don't think so. I think it detects the presence of voltage, not current, regardless of what it says. Otherwise it would be of no use to many transfer switches which disconnect the utility completely and put the generator in its place.

wait: see, I was right!

"When the power indicator wire senses an electromagnetic field from a voltage at the supply wire, the power indicator provides an appropriate audio and/or visual alert signaling that primary power is available at the load center."

patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=17&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1="reliance+controls".ASNM.&OS=AN/"reliance+controls"&RS=AN/"reliance+controls"

[bob_villa]

Holy Shit...right out of the blue! lol

[Unquestionably Confused]

Not sure what the link says as I couldn't get it to open but the electromagnetic field to which you refer above is due to the flow of current through the line. That voltage is present when the main breaker is open but only flowing when it's closed. In the test mode there is no signal until the main breaker is closed.

I think you're correct about any transfer switch that totally disconnects the home from the grid. However, those are, AFAIK, all automatic transfer switches and automatically put the house back on the grid and kill the generator when power returns.

[Stormin Mormon]

Might be possible to interlock the furnace and fridge. Leave lights turned on. Radio turned on nice and loud.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

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