Honda generator and electrical grid

[cgmartine]

Might I ask a question here unrelated to motorhomes? The topic of portable generators often comes up here and on other forums. I am thinking of buying the Honda "Companion" portable generator, and I am wondering if there is a way, in the event of an emergency, to connect it to the house directly, by having an electrician wire up something like a 30 amp receptable to the house, where I would then plug in the 30 amp cord directly from the generator, to eliminate a bunch of electrical cords to the various items I would intend to power. I know I would be limited to just a couple of items unless I had a second generator, which I am also contemplating in buying. Has anyone done this?

[SoundGuy]

steveh27 wrote:
I have thought of doing the transfer switch to be able to run the furnace if power went out in the cold. Or I could rewire the furnace from direct to a plug so it could be run with an extension cord.

During the summer about the only item we'd like to keep running in the house during a power outage is the kitchen fridge and perhaps the small freezer in the workshop, though I can always use the camper fridge as well and run it on propane. Anything else we can get along without or simply run an extension cord to power a few lights. In winter it's the furnace I'm most concerned about so a few years ago I did just this - cut the 120 vac house feed to the furnace and wired it to a junction box where I wired in a short length of flexible cable terminated with a female connector. The remaining length of furnace cable I wired to a male chassis mount plug mounted next to the furnace. Under normal circumstances the flexible cable remains plugged into the male chassis connector so the furnace is powered by the house system.



Should we ever lose power I can simply run an extension cable from the genset running safely out in the backyard in through the laundry room and plug it into this breakout connection. Turns out this furnace pulls only 550 watts so a 2K genset easily handles the load even if I split the feed and run a cable upstairs to power the fridge and a few lights. If losing power was a regular occurrence I'd wire in a transfer switch but for infrequent use simply running an extension cord from the genset and into the house where it can be split to power a few select items, including the furnace, works just fine. :B

[ktmrfs]

owenssailor wrote:

SAR Tracker wrote:
Here in Central Oregon, we have "emergencies" once in a while. I just run an extension cord inside from the generator to a power strip, running the fridge, freezer, TV, and laptops. Longest I've had to run them is 28 hours. Normally, the generator stays in the garage.

I really hope you shut off the main beaker to your house when you do a jury rigged approach like this. Otherwise you can send 120V power out to the lines where people are working. This could hurt or kill them!!!!!!!!

ah..... what the OP described is safe. by using a power strip NOTHING is connected to the house electrical system. He's NOT using any inside outlets connected to the panel.

[Mortimer_Brewst]

Another related job that’s on my to do list is to redo the labels on the electrical panel. Ours aren’t very legible and some of the descriptions were done poorly. An addition to the house didn’t help matters.

[DiskDoctr]

Dusty R wrote:

steveh27 wrote:
I lost power and used my Honda 2000 for 3 1/2 days. I ran an extension cord into my house & ran more from it to power the fridge, sat dish, tv, computer & a light. I also ran a line into my neighbors so they could power their fridge & a light. I used a 5 gallon external tank with a second genny cap to go for extended use without having to refill the genny too often. I have thought of doing the transfer switch to be able to run the furnace if power went out in the cold. Or I could rewire the furnace from direct to a plug so it could be run with an extension cord.

I saw a furnace in a home once that had a short cord with a male cord cap on it, hanging out of the disconnect switch on the furnace.
What had been done was a 3 way switch was used as a disconnect switch for the furnace and also as a transfer switch. So if there was a loss of power from the utility, one could flip the switch and plug the furnace into a portable generator.
It looked a little strange, but I saw nothing wrong with it.

In that spirit I modified an elderly relative's propane furnace shutoff switch (near the furnace) to include a receptacle and then put a 20amp standard plug on the furnace's power wire.

It normally stays plugged into the switched receptacle, but in a pinch we can run an extension cord to the furnace from a generator, or even from a fire company in a real emergency to power their furnace.

We've used it twice that way over the past 15yrs.

I'm soon to replace OUR electrical box and plan to include an interlock with 60 amp 220V plug for a generator, just in case. It is really convenient to have working lights anywhere in the house. Just know your load when on the genny.

[Dusty_R]

steveh27 wrote:
I lost power and used my Honda 2000 for 3 1/2 days. I ran an extension cord into my house & ran more from it to power the fridge, sat dish, tv, computer & a light. I also ran a line into my neighbors so they could power their fridge & a light. I used a 5 gallon external tank with a second genny cap to go for extended use without having to refill the genny too often. I have thought of doing the transfer switch to be able to run the furnace if power went out in the cold. Or I could rewire the furnace from direct to a plug so it could be run with an extension cord.

I saw a furnace in a home once that had a short cord with a male cord cap on it, hanging out of the disconnect switch on the furnace.
What had been done was a 3 way switch was used as a disconnect switch for the furnace and also as a transfer switch. So if there was a loss of power from the utility, one could flip the switch and plug the furnace into a portable generator.
It looked a little strange, but I saw nothing wrong with it.

[Dutch_12078]

Dusty R wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

cgmartine wrote:
The third option, the breaker interlock, is exactly what I pictured in my mind. I believe I could do it myself, but just to be extra safe, I will hire an electrician to do it for me.

I’d be surprised if you could get an electrician to do that sort of a job. It’s not legal because it’s potentially very dangerous.

Please do it properly and install a transfer switch.

A breaker interlock does the same thing as a transfer switch, and is legal.

Exactly... The interlock doesn't allow the generator supply breaker to be turned on until the main line breaker is turned off, and vice versa.

[steveh27]

I lost power and used my Honda 2000 for 3 1/2 days. I ran an extension cord into my house & ran more from it to power the fridge, sat dish, tv, computer & a light. I also ran a line into my neighbors so they could power their fridge & a light. I used a 5 gallon external tank with a second genny cap to go for extended use without having to refill the genny too often. I have thought of doing the transfer switch to be able to run the furnace if power went out in the cold. Or I could rewire the furnace from direct to a plug so it could be run with an extension cord.

[Dusty_R]

JaxDad wrote:

cgmartine wrote:
The third option, the breaker interlock, is exactly what I pictured in my mind. I believe I could do it myself, but just to be extra safe, I will hire an electrician to do it for me.

I’d be surprised if you could get an electrician to do that sort of a job. It’s not legal because it’s potentially very dangerous.

Please do it properly and install a transfer switch.

A breaker interlock does the same thing as a transfer switch, and is legal.

[JaxDad]

cgmartine wrote:
The third option, the breaker interlock, is exactly what I pictured in my mind. I believe I could do it myself, but just to be extra safe, I will hire an electrician to do it for me.

I’d be surprised if you could get an electrician to do that sort of a job. It’s not legal because it’s potentially very dangerous.

Please do it properly and install a transfer switch.

[gbopp]

Search Youtube, there is a lot of information available for connecting a generator to your house.

There are Transfer Switches and generator Interlock kits. Both make it safe to connect a generator to your electric panel.

[Boon_Docker]

owenssailor wrote:

SAR Tracker wrote:
Here in Central Oregon, we have "emergencies" once in a while. I just run an extension cord inside from the generator to a power strip, running the fridge, freezer, TV, and laptops. Longest I've had to run them is 28 hours. Normally, the generator stays in the garage.

I really hope you shut off the main beaker to your house when you do a jury rigged approach like this. Otherwise you can send 120V power out to the lines where people are working. This could hurt or kill them!!!!!!!!

No need to turn of the main breaker.

You plug the power strip into the generator then unplug the appliances and plug them into the power strip. No way you can send 120v outside the house.

[owenssailor]

SAR Tracker wrote:
Here in Central Oregon, we have "emergencies" once in a while. I just run an extension cord inside from the generator to a power strip, running the fridge, freezer, TV, and laptops. Longest I've had to run them is 28 hours. Normally, the generator stays in the garage.

I really hope you shut off the main beaker to your house when you do a jury rigged approach like this. Otherwise you can send 120V power out to the lines where people are working. This could hurt or kill them!!!!!!!!

[cgmartine]

Mortimer Brewster, that is a great article. The third option, the breaker interlock, is exactly what I pictured in my mind. I believe I could do it myself, but just to be extra safe, I will hire an electrician to do it for me. I am buying the Honda Companion generator next week, and as soon as I can, I will buy the second generator. These generators are supposed to be linked together to give them greater capacity. Here in Southern California, we do have fires, but not those destructive calamities like in the rest of the country, and I just want to be as prepared as possible. Thanks to everyone for their input.

[MitchF150]

Yes, it's called a Generator transfer switch.

I did this myself about 10 years ago and it's great.

it's only a 120v 6 circuit setup, but it keeps my fridges, select lights, computer, TV and fish tank and also some other select outlets going in the house and is a lot better than a running extension cords all over the place.

I've got a Honda 3000i generator and it works great.

[SAR_Tracker]

Here in Central Oregon, we have "emergencies" once in a while. I just run an extension cord inside from the generator to a power strip, running the fridge, freezer, TV, and laptops. Longest I've had to run them is 28 hours. Normally, the generator stays in the garage.