"Ryan" wrote:

We have an rural machine shed (100 amp single phase) mostly used to store
farm vehicles and also is our workshop where we have the mill, lathe,
welder, etc. It is prone to power outages more and more these days and at we
seem to be working in there everyday so it obviously becomes very
inconvenient when the power is out. As it turns out, we are one of three
properties in a rural area that has "easily tripped" power. We are always
the first to lose power, and the last to get it back up. I'm not sure what
they call it, but the part they always have to fix is on a power pole a few
miles up the road from us, and it looks kind of like a paper clip. Anyways,
usually the power flickers for a bit, then poof, it is off until they send a
service truck out to repair it.

So last month we bought a 7500 watt generator to make life smoother and at
least keep the heat and lights on Here is where my question comes in. Some
of the people around here say you can go to the breaker panel and turn off
the main breaker (from the grid) and make a "cheater plug" to back-feed the
breaker panel thru a 240volt outlet (of which we have several "welder" plugs
that would be ideal for this). What are the thoughts of the group to do
something like this? I understand it is a shortcut, but if one was sensible
about it is this a viable temporary option over the "transfer switch" the
local electrician wants 1000 bucks to install?

Thanks in advance to all helpful posters, Ryan

Well Ryan, everyone is telling you that this is such a bad and
dangerous idea. I hate to buck the trend however, I've done it and it
worked fine.

I'd really like to have a system that automatically kicks in when the
power fails and we all know that that is the right and proper way to
do it. But looks over shoulder when I got the generator the power
was out so I cobbled up a double ended plug in order to turn the
lights on. So far I haven't bothered to go back and do it right.

Don't tell anyone.

George.
(Living on the edge)