*Generator Alternate Power Connections*
By: Shogun
25 August 2005

I’m going to walk you through my power connections and hook up on my generator and the reasons I choose to do it the way I did. Hopefully it will spark your imagination in your own particular situation and ways to work your hook ups for a temporary to a permanent installation. Also keep in mind this has been an on going project.

Please remember electricity is nothing to play with. If a project is above your knowledge and skill level ask for help or wait and hire a professional. Burning down your hard work or getting yourself electrocuted is not conducive to survival preparedness.

Generator hookup was done in several phases based on need and the availability of funds and time. I decided to purchase a Generac 5500/8500 watt generator, this allowed me what I felt was enough power to run the necessary items in the house during an outage. Since I live in a relatively remote area with power lines running through the woods this was an immediate need and it has saved the bacon many times.

At first I just ran power cords off the generator to give us power.

I then ran larger wire # 8 to the shed, feeding the well pump and installed a breaker to isolate the feed line from the house and tied a line in to feed a breaker for the sub panel for the shop, I could also isolate the well at this point.

I tied a generator feed panel into the top of the shop sub panel so that power could be sent to the breakers in the well shed.

At this point I could isolate the power to the well pump or just feed the shop electrical panel or isolate and back feed the main house panel for power to the house.

It should be noted here that back feeding power is not a good idea if you are not sure of the correct manner to do such. Possible repercussions could be a burnt up house, melted main power box, burnt up generator, or worse case you could electrocute a line power worker trying to restoring your power miles away. Proper line, neutral and ground wire observances have to be made correctly if this type of system is to be used. Here would also be a good place to note that in many states (mine included) it is against the electrical code to back feed any panel and the penalties can be severe. Nuff said!!

So at this point I could power my shop (and safe room) or the well or the house independently or all of them at the same time. By cutting off the main house breaker and main disconnect and all sub breakers except the well breaker which back fed the main buses, I could power up only the essentials by using the associated breaker marked in the main panel and sub panel.(being careful not to over load the generator of course)

In my next article I will try to show you how I transfigured from an evil illegal back feeder to an upstanding law abiding and safer survivalist by installing an emergency power transfer system that removed the panel back feeding.


Shogun



www.alpharubicon.com
All materials at this site not otherwise credited are Copyright © 1996 - 2005 Trip Williams. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for personal use only. Use of any material contained herein is subject to stated terms or written permission.