daestrom wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
...
Waldo wrote:

Vaughn wrote:
"Pop" wrote in message
...

Sooo, all that "data" means it's OK to kill someone that way as
long as it's just a once in awhile thing, eh? "Snot my fault; he
shouldn'ta been workin so tired trying to help all dem peoples!"


Oh dear! Whenever this subject comes up, we never fail to get the
same
fodder from the amateur Internet moralists. Nothing is fail safe, I
point my
car at hundreds of innocent people every day and there is nothing to
keep me
from accidentally killing them, save my (very average) driving skills.

Please save the moralizing and stick to the facts.

Vaughn



Well, it amazes me that there are so many people that have
so many excuses for not properly, and safely, connecting
their generators to their electrical systems. They talk
about safely using suicide cords, throwing main breakers and
other hogwash such as using a sign to remind them to throw
the breakers.

There is nothing improper or unsafe about a temporary generator hookup
when done by a competent person. "Throwing the main breaker" is exactly
what some approved transfer switches do, they have two very ordinary
circuit breakers mounted opposite each other and a link bar between the
handles. The only difference between this arrangement and the "turn off
the main and back feed the dryer circuit" temporary connection is the
link bar.


And that inexpensive little link bar is too much trouble to install?

Depends, as long as you have adequate panel space then it's not too much
trouble. The mechanical link bar kits require the breakers to be
positioned opposite each other so you can't use the standard top center
main breaker position. Since the link bar requires one of the breakers
to be off at all times that means you have to have a dedicated back feed
circuit.

Ultimately you need four panel spaces for the two breakers and need to
install a dedicated back feed outlet. Still a cheaper and easier option
than any of the standalone transfer switches. Likely something I will do
when I replace the POS Stab-Loc panel in my current house with a decent
40 space QO panel.


A competent person switches off and tags the main breaker before they
even haul out the generator, double checks it again after turning off
the dryer circuit breaker and connecting the "suicide cable", starts the
generator and then finally reviews the main breaker once more before
turning on the dryer circuit breaker to power the panel.


FYI, tags alone don't meet the OSHA requirements for tag-out/lock-out in
residential setting. Tag-out only works if all employees/personel that have
access to the area receive basic tag-out training. Otherwise, locks are
required.

But that's OSHA. I'm sure you'll argue that such rules don't apply in an
emergency (except to the lineman that forgets a step in their procedure and
ends up dead).

Actually OSHA rules don't apply at all in a non-commercial setting. OSHA
only applies to commercial contractors working in a residential setting,
not to homeowners.

BTW, is powering up your home to save $200 of beef in the
freezer, or watch TV an 'emergency'??

daestrom

Depends on the situation and it's not as clear cut as you might think.

In most circumstances it probably doesn't qualify as an actual
emergency, more of an urgent property protection situation. However
consider the case where you live in the boonies and are getting the
100yr blizzard of doom. In that situation where you may well not be able
to reach a store for days or weeks, preserving your food supplies and
watching TV for news reports and info would certainly qualify as an
emergency.

Pete C.