Using RV generator as backup for house?

[coolmom42]

My electricity is still on in Middle TN, no worries. But that may not always be the case in the future!

If I have a transfer switch properly installed, is there any reason I can't use the RV generator to power my house?

Water heater and range are gas. City water supply, no well pump. Gas furnace with (and this is the critical thing) an electric blower. 1 refrigerator, 1 small chest freezer. Lighting is mostly LED.


Google tells me that the furnace blower uses around 400 Watts. I'm going to check with the HVAC dude.


The only downside is having the generator running fairly close to the house, but I have multiple CO detectors, and probably would be able to leave it off most of the night.

Any input?

[coolmom42]

gbopp wrote:

theoldwizard1 wrote:
When discussing the connection to your house with your electrician, as about a "generator interlock". A safe solution, that gives you the maximum amount of flexibility of items to power in your house and is lower cost than most "transfer switches".

X2. This may be the best choice.

I will bring this up with the electrician. Thanks for pointing it out. My local guy should know about codes.

[time2roll]

coolmom42 wrote:
I need to run the furnace blower. No way to plug it into an extension cord.

Is it hardwired? What are the electrical requirements?

I have a dozen home furnaces and they all plug into a standard wall outlet up in the attic, garage or heater closet.

Yes I see a packaged unit wants 208-230v and you would need an a generator and extension to match. I would think you would not need to full wattage if just using the furnace. But this looks like a heat pump when I look at an install manual. You may need a large generator for a heat pump. Heat pump is very different from a furnace.

[coolmom42]

enblethen wrote:
I cause those thinking of an interlock system without knowing loads on the circuits involved. Not knowing exact loads are a good way of blowing up an expensive genset.
StevenH27 idea is similar to what I have installed. I installed a switch (double pole/double throw on the furnace housing where the house wiring goes into the furnace wiring connections. Then a short male 15/20 cord hanging out to plug cord into.

I do have a good idea of the loads.

[coolmom42]

opnspaces wrote:

2oldman wrote:
I don't know how you hook a furnace up to an extension cord.

My natural gas forced air furnace is in a hallway closet and uses a standard 120v outlet. So if I wanted to I could just run an extension cord to it.

Mine is outside in a "GasPack" unit. No way to plug it in.

[enblethen]

I cause those thinking of an interlock system without knowing loads on the circuits involved. Not knowing exact loads are a good way of blowing up an expensive genset.
StevenH27 idea is similar to what I have installed. I installed a switch (double pole/double throw on the furnace housing where the house wiring goes into the furnace wiring connections. Then a short male 15/20 cord hanging out to plug cord into.

[coolmom42]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Be aware many RV generators do not provide 240 volts, so you won't be able to run any appliances that call for it, such as most deep well water pumps, etc.

Nope. No 240 needed, I have city water. The only 240 things in the house are the electric dryer and AC. I can manage without the dryer for a while, or go to the laundromat.

[coolmom42]

pfidahospud wrote:

Rover_Bill wrote:

time2roll wrote:
3000 watts should run that house fine. Electrician will probably put the critical items on a 120v sub panel in addition to installing a switch and a power inlet to connect power.

This is the switch that I had installed in my house for use with my 3K inverter generator. Works great and allows you to watch the wattage being drawn on each leg.

Wow. $300 would buy a lot of heavy duty extension cords.

I need to run the furnace blower. No way to plug it into an extension cord.

[time2roll]

2oldman wrote:
I don't know how you hook a furnace up to an extension cord.

As long as the furnace burns another fuel for the heat, a home furnace typically has a 120v fan to move the warm air through the home. Most are 1/3 or 1/2 HP. The controls operate at 24vac.

I quick inspection will be easy to confirm the standard 5-15 plug.

[gbopp]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
When discussing the connection to your house with your electrician, as about a "generator interlock". A safe solution, that gives you the maximum amount of flexibility of items to power in your house and is lower cost than most "transfer switches".

X2. This may be the best choice.

[opnspaces]

red31 wrote:
I use a generator interlock
https://www.interlockkit.com/
https://www.geninterlock.com/
it is manual, installed a 30A 240v plug, an adapter ties both lines together with a 30A TT plug witch can use an RV extension cord to 120v generator.

This allows me to operate the gas furnace's fan and any 120v circuit that I flip ON.

At a later time I can obtain a 240v generator big enough for the air conditioner/dryer/water heater!

Like Red31 I use an interlock although I built mine rather than purchased. I took out an old hot tub years ago so I was able to repurpose the heavy gauge wire from the yard to the breaker panel.I have a Honda EU2000i so I can only run half my house. But this equates to the refrigerator the chest freezer and lights all work. Well with the exception of the bathroom lights as those are on the other leg of the panel. I can tell you it's a great feeling to be in the middle of a power outage and your light switches all work after the sun goes down.
(having internet problems, I'll post a picture when I can)

[opnspaces]

2oldman wrote:
I don't know how you hook a furnace up to an extension cord.

My natural gas forced air furnace is in a hallway closet and uses a standard 120v outlet. So if I wanted to I could just run an extension cord to it.

[KMLsquared]

I do it all the time. My older toy hauler does not have an automatic transfer switch, it has a outlet in a compartment that I plug my shore power plug in. I installed a 30 amp 240VAC twist lock inlet on the side of my house and ran wires to a 30 amp breaker in my distribution panel. I installed a UL approved interlock kit that wont let me close the generator breaker unless the main breaker is open. I made up a 10 ga. extension cord that has an rv 30 amp male plug on one end and the 30 am 240vac twist lock on the other. I connected the hot terminals together to power up both sides of my panel. I cannot use the electric stove or oven as I only have 120VAC from the generator.

[Lwiddis]

I do what Steven does...portable 2000 watt generator takes care of us just fine.

[steveh27]

2oldman wrote:
I don't know how you hook a furnace up to an extension cord.

You didn't check my earlier posted link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2FDO3SVnVE

[hpdrver]

How to you configure the Rv generator to feed the sub panel