Pulling your meter.

[Argent 88]

Yes that's illegal, but during that ice storm in Texas the power company's kinda looked the other way.
People with generators were doing this and tying into thier house that way, but at least they were smart enough to do this. The easier way was to find your main breaker, some homes have them on the outside of the house.
Turn OFF the breaker and tie into the bottom of it. Or shell out to $$$$$ to buy and install a transfer switch.
That's legal. 

[gene_225]

We had something similar done here in Oregon, but it didn't cost as much because no permit was required. The electrician pulled off some circuits (but not all) and ran each through a double poll switch in a box on the outside of the cabin. Aside from the cost savings it allows me power to some circuits but not all when the generator is on. It also means I can use a less powerful generator than if the whole cabin was on it. Since we have a good wood stove, our electric heat doesn't have to be available when power is out (and the cabin is two rooms). System worked well when power was out for a week last labor day due to the fires here in Oregon.

[Argent 88]

We had something similar done here in Oregon, but it didn't cost as much because no permit was required. The electrician pulled off some circuits (but not all) and ran each through a double poll switch in a box on the outside of the cabin. Aside from the cost savings it allows me power to some circuits but not all when the generator is on. It also means I can use a less powerful generator than if the whole cabin was on it. Since we have a good wood stove, our electric heat doesn't have to be available when power is out (and the cabin is two rooms). System worked well when power was out for a week last labor day due to the fires here in Oregon.

It sounds like he knew what he was doing. He rated the re-connection to what your generator is able to do.
A cabin that small would probably be ok with a 6kw prime power. Does it have propane also? Cooking, water heater, heat ? That would make a big difference. I wish our house had that, it's all electric. I have a 30kw with a duel fuel carburetor on propane for that. It could use gasoline but that stuff is hard to store. Unless you rotate it.

[Argent 88]

I also still have a 12kw air cooled diesel. If I used it for the house as prime power that would be pushing it.
Unless I left a few things off. Ive seen a lot of generators fall flat on their face due to improper sizing.
A good amp clamp is a good thing to have around, along with a good VOM. Fluke.
That bad freeze we had recently put it all to the test.

[gene_225]

We had something similar done here in Oregon, but it didn't cost as much because no permit was required. The electrician pulled off some circuits (but not all) and ran each through a double poll switch in a box on the outside of the cabin. Aside from the cost savings it allows me power to some circuits but not all when the generator is on. It also means I can use a less powerful generator than if the whole cabin was on it. Since we have a good wood stove, our electric heat doesn't have to be available when power is out (and the cabin is two rooms). System worked well when power was out for a week last labor day due to the fires here in Oregon.

It sounds like he knew what he was doing. He rated the re-connection to what your generator is able to do.
A cabin that small would probably be ok with a 6kw prime power. Does it have propane also? Cooking, water heater, heat ? That would make a big difference. I wish our house had that, it's all electric. I have a 30kw with a duel fuel carburetor on propane for that. It could use gasoline but that stuff is hard to store. Unless you rotate it.

Yes, he, the electrition, suggested that approach. We have a 6500 watt Generator, so when power is off, we don't have elect heat, water heater, or kitchen stove. However, I have several camp stoves and we keep hot water on the wood stove when it is running. Our water comes from a neighbor a block away so we got her a 3500 watt Honda (used) to run the well and she got it hooked up, so now we can expect to have water too. During the fires we had water only because we all were really careful about usage. The well has a 70 gal.pressure tank. But our neighbor has four little girls so we all had to work hard not to use any more than necessary. It worked. We do not have a duel fuel generator, just gas. However, I have discovered that a station about 15 miles down the road has "super gas" for about 4.25/gal., meaning no alcohol, so things ought to run much better and the gas should last longer.

[Argent 88]

That's a good accounting about the situation Gene. We keep 1000 gallons on stand by. With a pump and switch valve to rotate it out to the house. I figured you had a about at least a 6kw, it's a very common size.
I had to rig up a few remote ranch houses in Texas who had no incoming power. 7.5kw diesel. Two wire start.
I rigged it up to a twin pole light switch. So all the rancher had to do coming home is turn on the lights.
Did that a few times.

[Moleman]

We lose power several times a year for several hours to several days.  We're on a well and have kids so it's nice to have water.   I used to just flip the main and plug the generator into the welder socket, but that's not to code.  So we added a lockout plate to the main panel and feed the generator through a 50amp breaker that's hooked up to an RV type plug on the outside of the house.  The lockout plate will let either the main or the generator supply power, but not both.  You can install them yourselves and for at least our area that brings it up to code.

Not our panel but same thing.

[Lloyd Smale]

i was a lineman. Lineman get killed by people with generators feeding back into lines. Get a transfer switch!! If you can afford a 5k generator you can afford the PROPER switch for it. To me anything less is like duct taping a radiator hose thats leaking or duck taping a leaking gas line in your house. Sure you might be able to back feed a breaker in your pannel and open the main. Works like a champ. But what if your not around and the power goes out and your wife or kids have to do it. What if you died tomorrow and your wife or kids had to do it. What if you sell your house. Will the next people be sharp enough to know your routine>> If you cant afford a transfer switch that is REQUIRED by law then start your generator and plug your coffee pot right into the generator. Even if you dont kill someone theres a good chance if you make a mistake your going to fry your nice generator. Kind of reminds me of my cheap dad. He wont change his smoke detector batterys every year because there TO EXPENISIVE. He says them will chirp when the batterys go bad. At least he is only rolling the dice with his own life not someone elses.

[gene_225]

Lloyd, sorry the description was confusing to you. The system I have allows some circuits to be either on line power or generator power. NEVER connected to both at the same time. NEVER! EVER! Can't be done by mistake. So when the circuit is on generator power it is completely disconnected from the main panel box. Without a drawing I'm not sure how to make it clearer. Again, sorry I wasn't clearer.

[gene_225]

Maybe this helps: each circuit has its own transfer switch so it's either on line or on generator.

[Argent 88]

If your generator is big enough to run the entire house, a manual transfer swith on the main line coming out of the meter box into the main house breaker is the best way to do it. A lot of these home standby emergency generator packages come with it. They have a weather proof housing and the transfer switch is automatic or manual. I chose to use a manual, Ive had to work on a lot of those automatics, in remote areas for the phone company's. Three lug connections, center is load "house" top is line, bottom is emergency power. Depending on the model and who makes it, still they are labeled.

[Argent 88]

It's ok just to put in a large Appleton type plug for emergency power plug in. A lot of folks do that so they can use their portable. But they are carful of how much load they are putting on it. To much and it will trip the generators onboard breaker. The main thing is like Lloyd said, do not tie the generator into the incoming power company connections. That's a good way to fry your generator, and possibly hurt a lineman.

[Argent 88]

Load shedding, or sharing, a term used for a very large generator to be connected to the power company. But they have to be perfectly synchronized together, no screw ups. In some large metropolitan areas this was done during peak hours, high demand. Electronic governors on these generators have made this possible. It all goes through a large computerized control panel. Some of these new interactor portables have a plug and a cord for doing this with another generator like it. Example : if you have two 6kw's, and link them together you then have  a 12kw total output.

[Argent 88]

Maybe this helps: each circuit has its own transfer switch so it's either on line or on generator.

Gene, as you know it's no brainier once you understand it. I like my manual switch. Handle up, power company position. Center, nothing either way, down generator position . I usually put it in the center then start the ONAN 30kw and let it warm up for a few minutes. The automatics have this and you can adjust it to how ever long you want. They also have the cool down option after the power comes on and the switch back  to that has happened.

[Argent 88]

Did this for forty years. Cat, ONAN, Koehler, Aggreko. We had to work on all of them.  Includeing the switchgear.
Even the junk like Generac. We used to call them Generjunk. And that's what they were.

[Lloyd Smale]

just keep in mind that when you put 120/240 back fed into your service it then goes to your transformer and transformers work just as good backwards. They take 7200 volts and drop it to 120. Back fed the transformer puts 7200 volts back on a line someone may be working on around the corner. Most places its illegal to do it without a transfer switch. I dont know of a single place that doesnt require one on a generator powering your house. Manual ones work fine. It in one pull connects your generator to your house and opens the feed from your meter so it cant happen. I cringe at people that are to cheap to pay to do it right. Manual disconects are very affordable. A heck of a lot cheaper then a generator. Yup you can get away with it if you know what your doing but what happens if you die tommarow and your know it all nephew decides he can get the power back on for your wife. Keep in mind if you do hurt or kill someone your insurance isnt going to pay a dime if its not to code. You will loose everything you have and possible be held criminaly responsible.

[gene_225]

Maybe this helps: each circuit has its own transfer switch so it's either on line or on generator.

[Argent 88]

Very good information here. I have a degree and a license in electromotive applications. Motor driven electric generators. Fancy name lol. Even had a HARK card. Did a whole lot for Motorola.