RV genset to power a house

[Billstigger]

After spending the last 2 days with out electricity and having to use our 3500 watt Kipor with a ton of extension cords, I am wondering if
the Kipor could be used to power the house. I was told by a friend that if you turn off the main breaker into the house, use a double male extension cord plugged in to an outside outlet that this would allow you to use your homes wiring powered by the genset. Of course you would have to be very careful with what to turn on to keep from overpowering the genset.
Has anyone on the forum tried this? Is it safe??? The biggest obstacle that I can see is that turning off the main breaker is critical, and you won't know when the power is restored.
Bill

[wa8yxm]

Boogyman or not.. Even if backfeeding your entire neighborhood never so much as injures a soul.....

IT CAN TOTAL YOU GENERATOR. and that's a major kick in the wallet too.

[720Deere]

Sounds about like me in the fall months, RoyB! The toy hauler has a 110 gal fresh water tank which I keep full during hurricane season. We have a 5500w on-board generator with a 30 gal gas tank (also kept full) and a 30 gal gas tank for the "toys" which is usually empty but I fill it up if I know a bad storm is coming. We can probably "survive" for a week or so with the power out before it really gets inconvenient. I usually run an extension cord in through the garage to power the refrigerators in the house. I also still have a pair of Honda 2000s that we use for short term outages. It is nice to be able to take one of the Hondas over to the elderly neighbors and keep their food from spoiling.

[RoyB]

We do it all the time here in Northern Neck VA. Our power goes out for more than a couple of days at least two or three times a years it seems for us.

I use extension cords for my 2KW Generator that sits secured in the tail corner of my truck.

We only need to supply power to the Kitchen area which has a HDTV sitting area. I will also run a second drop back to my radio room where I have an room UPS unit for the computer and radio electronics.

It just takes about 5 minutes to get setup and sure is a blessing to have my war wagon POPUP sitting outside as well. It has an Inverter setup and I can get a few hours of 120VAC out of it as well running off the trailer batteries. When my 2KW Honda generator is running I can also re-charge the trailer as well..

This has really helped us out having this capability for the hurricane that comes up the east coast. We have had an extended power outage for a couple of weeks a few times already.

We end having block parties as out PATIO is all light and the smell of fresh ground and brewed bean coffee brings in the neighbors. We setup the HDTV and all has a good time.

I have also driven my truck over to help some folks and run their fridge a couple of hours a day as well...

The problem we usually end up having is source of gasoline. The whole county goes off line which means the gas stations are without power as well. You have to find the gas station somewhere in the county that has generator power running their gas pumps hehe..

PLAN Bs even work here at house...
Roy Ken

[Dave_H_M]

Apologize - Deleted

[subcamper]

When the power goes out here in the semi-rural area where we live(happens 2 or 3 times a year), I just run extension cords into the house and take turns plugging in things as needed. I converted my furnace from a hardwired setup to a plug-and-outlet setup so I can just plug it into the genny. Usually you just need to plug in a fridge or freezer for only 3 or 4 times a day for 1/2 hour or so each time. The furnace can be run for about a 1/2 hour or so and get the house warm enough for 1/2 day. So if you plan right (and somebody is home) you don't really need a giant generator. We have run for up to 3 days on our RV Champion 3500/400 generator.

I am planning to install a setup like enblethen described, a box inside the house that leads to a MALE plug on the outside of the house so there would be no "suicide" cord. The plug would be a 30-amp twistlock type. The problem with extension cords is finding a way to bring it into the house without having to leave a door or window ajar to clear the cord.

Also, I would never rely on remembering to turn off the main breaker to avoid backfeeding. When power is out you are scrambling to get a genny set up, running and connected. A prime time to forget something important.

As an aside, unless the wires only to your house were broken, I would imagine the second you backfed power into the grid, the genny would see a huge load from other houses still connected to the grid and almost immediately stall.

Steve

[JaxDad]

westend wrote:

Nomad297 wrote:
Call me a scofflaw, but I don't need anybody to tell me what I can and can't do in my own home.

That's a pretty simplistic way of looking at your rights as a homeowner. Those rights are infringed continually by ordinance and laws. The laws regarding powering your house with grid-tied electrical power are there for a reason. If you pursue your intention of powering the grid with an installation that hurts another, there is recourse and deterrence from doing so.
I would discuss the issues with your local utility as they can spell out their relationship with the homeowner and your subsequent "rights".

Hopefully you're one of lucky scofflaws that never electrocute a linesman working on a 'cold' circuit that's back fed through the neutral leg by your generator.

Although I'm sure "It was his right, even if it was wrong." might be kind of catchy on a tombstone.

[RJCorazza]

2oldman wrote:

Ductape wrote:
..the boogeyman stories on this forum are in full circulation..... No one trained in working on live circuitry will let their survival hinge on the action or inaction of others.

This makes sense to me.

Makes a lot more sense than. "Hey Bob, better hurry up on that line before some homeowner fires up his genny."

The whole point is that people make mistakes. I will not have my (totally avoidable) mistake kill someone, even if they made a mistake also. A quick internet search reveals that this is not "boogyman" stuff. People have died from homeowners backfeeding their homes. I am glad the OP has correctly determined that backfeeding is a bad idea. Kudos.

[2oldman]

Ductape wrote:
..the boogeyman stories on this forum are in full circulation..... No one trained in working on live circuitry will let their survival hinge on the action or inaction of others.

This makes sense to me.

Makes a lot more sense than. "Hey Bob, better hurry up on that line before some homeowner fires up his genny."

[enblethen]

You could use less extension cords by building a cable and box assembly.
Get a piece of 10/3 so type cord. You could even us NM 10/2 with ground. Install cord body on end for genset. On the other end get a four square box with double duplex receptacles.
This would eliminate running numerous extension cords to the genset.

[Billstigger]

Seems as if I opened a can of worms. After reading the many replies, I believe I will continue with the extension cords. We don't lose power all that often, even
though the cord are a pain, they do safely get the job done. Thanks for all of the replys, they are very much appreciated........

[mlts22]

Thanks for the GenerLink pointer. The local poco apparently will sell and install one of those. That is the least invasive solution I've seen so far, and even includes a 20 foot cord for the generator.

JMHO, I wonder why more homes don't have something like that as standard equipment.

[westend]

Nomad297 wrote:
Call me a scofflaw, but I don't need anybody to tell me what I can and can't do in my own home.

That's a pretty simplistic way of looking at your rights as a homeowner. Those rights are infringed continually by ordinance and laws. The laws regarding powering your house with grid-tied electrical power are there for a reason. If you pursue your intention of powering the grid with an installation that hurts another, there is recourse and deterrence from doing so.
I would discuss the issues with your local utility as they can spell out their relationship with the homeowner and your subsequent "rights".

[nomad297]

If I had to chose between this:

Kiwi_too wrote:
It is OK to run the house from a genny, *IF* you comply with code and local law. I would bet that most areas require an Interlock or properly wired switch to do this. Once installed thes prevent mistakes.

A dead man's cord is never good.

Or this:

DUNEBUGGYDOUG wrote:
There are two people at my house,my dear wife and myself.We are not drunks and certainly not children.It might not be the perfect set up but works well for us.We have been at this for a few years and she can get powered up just about as fast as I can.I have a 6500 watt genny and we just go about business as usual.We don't try to run all the stuff in house at same time but we don't do that when we are on the grid either.I have # 4 wire from genny to the stove powered female plug and the cord is long enuff for the genny to set outside.I am not saying that this is the correct way to do it just saying it works for us

I do believe I would choose DUNEBUGGYDOUG's way of thinking. Call me a scofflaw, but I don't need anybody to tell me what I can and can't do in my own home.

Bruce

[Jim_Shoe]

In the development where I live, we are all on quarter acre lots. The power on my street used to go out on a pretty regular basis. There are no two windows opposite each other for some cross ventilation. Add the fact that the row of houses behind me were on a different circuit. So when the power on my street failed, I sat in the heat and watched the lights working in the houses behind me. I also wondered what would happen if all the food in my upright freezer would thaw and re-freeze while I was on the road. I started by putting a plastic glass of water in the freezer and putting a quarter on top of the ice so that I would at least know not to eat anything if the quarter was on the bottom of the cup. But that's still a lot of spoiled food.
So I bit the bullet and had a whole house generator installed that was powered by underground natural gas, and had an automatic switch installed that kept my critical circuits powered.
The power still goes off from time to time, although not nearly as often. But
I admit that I smile just a little when that quarter is in the bottom of the cup when I come home from a trip and my digital clocks are blinking. 🙂