Mark1 wrote:

On Dec 12, 11:49 am, "John Grabowski" wrote:
wrote in message

...





My gas furnace is hard wired to the main panel. In the event of an
extended power outage in winter, I'd like to have the option to run it
off my small Honda generator. The only real electrical draw is the
small 110V blower motor.

If we were in for an extended outage right now, I would probably just
jury-rig it with wire nuts and a sacrificed 12ga extension cord. I'd
like something a little more... sophisticated, something that is ready
on a moment's notice.

What if I:
1. Cut the existing hard line above the furnace and install a box with
an L5-20 twistlock socket.
2. Continue the hard line to the furnace from a second box adjacent to
the first.
3. Bug a short piece of 12-3 flexible cord to the hard line in the
second box.
4. Terminate the flexible cord with an L5-20 twistlock plug.

Is this kosher with NEC? Would running flex cable from the socket
clear to the furnace be a more acceptable solution?

A better way is using a flanged inlet such as this:http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCC...ex=10021:22372...
and the double pole double throw switch that Bud suggested:http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCC...ex=10021:22372...

The flanged inlets are also available in twistlock if you prefer. Mount the
flanged inlet in a box right on the furnace and change your existing shut
off switch to the double throw.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

most importantly..
do not even THINK of running the generator in the basement or near an
open window...or
anyplace the CO can get sucked into the furnace.

How will you route the cable in but keep the CO out?

Mark

Here's what I do:

1. Remove the spline in order to open up a small (1 inch is adequate)
corner of the screen on a window ~12 ft. from the EU2000i generator
which sits outside, on a deck, with exhaust pointing into open air.

2. Open the storm window and the inner window to run the two 12 gauge
extension cords (one 50 ft., one 75 ft.) from the generator inside.

3. Shut the storm window so it rests on the cords and put foam backer
rod under the small remaining open space to "seal" it.

4. Do the same with the inner window.

5. Run the 75 ft. extension cord (with an added 1 ft. 12 gauge 3-outlet
extension) upstairs for refrigerator-freezer, radio.

6. Run the 50 ft. extension cord (with an added 1 ft. 12 gauge 3-outlet
extension) to the basement for furnace transfer switch, small chest
freezer, sump pump.

7. Use 25 ft. 12 gauge extension cords, where necessary (for example, to
the furnace transfer switch), to run power from the 3-outlet extensions
to whatever I want to power up in the basement. So nothing is farther
than 76 ft. of 12 gauge extension cord from the generator.

8. Keep battery-operated CO detector in room with window through which
the extension cords from the generator are run. So far ZERO CO level has
been measured in 80 hrs (~20 episodes) of running.