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?

[red31]

interlock (all double breakers OFF)

Power Inlet 30 Amp Twist Lock Nema 3R L14-30

AC WORKS brand orange locking adapter (ADTTL1430) is very durable with a new sleek design. It is a NEMA TT-30P to NEMA L14-30. The NEMA TT-30P is a 30 Amp, 3-prong RV male plug. The NEMA L14-30 is a 30 Amp, 125/250 Volt, 4-prong locking female connector and has two hots bridged. This product contains nickel-plated pins and terminals to prevent rusting and a power indicator light. The maximum operating power is 3750 Watts.

TT30 RV extension cord

generator (3500/4000 or single or paralleled 1800/2000 inverter gens)

possible upgrade to 30A 240v gen or dual 50A breakers/input with larger generator

[stevenal]

Veebyes wrote:
Make sure that the switch is OFF when on your genny. Trying to back feed the whole grid won't go well at all.

Making sure by telling folks to make sure does not meet code. An interlock can physically make sure in a code compliant way. See https://www.amazon.com/Challenger-Generator-Interlock-Anodized-Aluminum/dp/B086Q1PBXS/ref=asc_df_B08... for an interlock that will fit one brand of panel.

[Veebyes]

No reason why not. Treat the house like a big RV & be aware of what is on & what is not.

You will need to run a sizeable guage line from the genny to house panel. Connect on the house side of the main panel switch. Make sure that the switch is OFF when on your genny. Trying to back feed the whole grid won't go well at all.

A 3000W genny should power the average home no problem but turn big power hogs such as A/C or electric heat circuits off to be sure. My 3000W portable genny runs everything in my hose just fine, two smallish water heaters & a shallow well pump included. It has been put to good use during hurricane power failures a number of times.

[ktmrfs]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Jeezo
High current starting
Split phase

Most of the higher efficency gas furnaces (>75% or so) have gone to variable speed digital controlled motors. starting currents are way down from the old single or two speed split phase used in past years.

So.... depends on how new your furnace is.

On our furnace with variable speed fan and two stage gas total running current varies between 250W and 695W depending on fan speed, 1st or 2nd stage gas and static pressure. Don't know what the starting current is.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Jeezo
High current starting
Split phase

[2112]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Having never lived with 200-amp service

Furnace fans for gas...

Are they 240 vac?

Mine has 2 blowers, both 120V.

The typical squirrel cage blower to move the warm air into the living area takes 30A to start and runs at about 6A. The draft inducer blower to create negative pressure in the unit uses 6A to start and a little over 2A to run.

[ktmrfs]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Having never lived with 200-amp service

Furnace fans for gas...

Are they 240 vac?

well, it depends. Most gas furnaces run on a dedicated 120V circuit per code. Usually a 20A. However there are exceptions. The "gas pack" external combined furnace/AC unit are usually 240V input, since that is what is needed for the AC side.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Having never lived with 200-amp service

Furnace fans for gas...

Are they 240 vac?

[BruceMc]

You got your white wire...
You got your black wire...
You got your green wire...

Uh... what's this red wire for????

B^)

[Mike134]

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

You've never seen the magic we can do to keep our a** warm when we are building a house. Really quite simple for an electrician.

[enblethen]

Interlocks must not rely on a human factory to prevent feedback. An interlock that has a mechanical device that will not allow both feeds to be energized at the same time and in which is approved by UL and the authority having jurisdiction can be used.

[ktmrfs]

SpeakEasy wrote:
Coolmom - you seem like a very capable person. I think you could easily install one of those EZ Generator transfer switches that someone else gave a link to. This switch is installed on a single circuit on your service panel. It allows you to use your generator to power just that one circuit. Since your generator is 4000w, I think you could run a 1500w electric ceramic heater to at least have some emergency heat in one room. Since a whole circuit is powered, you could also have internet and TV - as long as you chose the circuit that you would power with that in mind.

I installed one of these transfer switches myself a couple years ago for basically the same purpose you are talking about. However, the big difference for me is that I heat with wood, and all I needed power for was the blower on my wood burning fireplace. I have that going, and I also have a few outlets on that same circuit so that I can get the fridge connected (with an extension cord - indoors) and some lights as well.

The EZ Generator company is EXCELLENT in terms of customer service and their very clear and understandable videos. They go into the issue of bonded and floating neutral ground so that you know what to do. The wiring is a very easy install. The total cost for me was in the neighborhood of $100 start to finish. (I wanted mine outdoors so that I wouldn't have to run a heavy-duty extension cord through a window or something. To make the transfer switch weather-proof I had to build a little "shelter" thing for it to attach to the wall of my house.)

-Speak

also installed the EZ generator transfer switch for our furnace. And while I was at it installed a box with two duplex outlets on the same circuit as the furnace. So... in the event of a power outage I can also run an extension cord to the nearby freezer and also to the fridge. That keeps the major things power up.

I did the same thing at our son's house.

The EZ generator has a make before break transfer switch, you choose, panel power, off, external generator power. And as mentioned can be wired correctly to code for either unbonded or bonded neutral generators.

[SpeakEasy]

Coolmom - you seem like a very capable person. I think you could easily install one of those EZ Generator transfer switches that someone else gave a link to. This switch is installed on a single circuit on your service panel. It allows you to use your generator to power just that one circuit. Since your generator is 4000w, I think you could run a 1500w electric ceramic heater to at least have some emergency heat in one room. Since a whole circuit is powered, you could also have internet and TV - as long as you chose the circuit that you would power with that in mind.

I installed one of these transfer switches myself a couple years ago for basically the same purpose you are talking about. However, the big difference for me is that I heat with wood, and all I needed power for was the blower on my wood burning fireplace. I have that going, and I also have a few outlets on that same circuit so that I can get the fridge connected (with an extension cord - indoors) and some lights as well.

The EZ Generator company is EXCELLENT in terms of customer service and their very clear and understandable videos. They go into the issue of bonded and floating neutral ground so that you know what to do. The wiring is a very easy install. The total cost for me was in the neighborhood of $100 start to finish. (I wanted mine outdoors so that I wouldn't have to run a heavy-duty extension cord through a window or something. To make the transfer switch weather-proof I had to build a little "shelter" thing for it to attach to the wall of my house.)

-Speak

[Dave_H_M]

I don't understand the "two" operations to prevent back feed. On the square D that I have the first step is to throw the main feed breaker to off.

Impossible to back feed with a properly set up lock out. :h