DIYbanter - View Single Post - Help. House Generator Finally Fixed -

TWayne

In ,
typed:
On Sep 26, 12:28 pm, "Twayne"
wrote:
,
Dr Jackal typed:

Stationery Kohler 12Res located outside house. This unit
is for electrical outages only; it is not used 24/7.

It was a bad breaker on the generator itself. The
generator tech didn't have a replacement with him, and
so he provided a "bypass" temporary fix.

You nean he wired around the output breaker? Report
these people/company to your state ag, the BBB and your
locsl code office. No legit tech would do that, so you
mght alert the IBEW also or their local union if you can
figure out who it is.

What makes you think that a guiy working for a local
small business, typical of what you'd find servicing
a home generator is a union member?

What makes you think there is not? You cannot read for crap.

1) Will this band-aid fix cause any problems with
overload,

Of course! A fault of any kind, not just too much
equipment connected, might well turn your genset into a
boat anchor!

I create a fault by pushing the test button on a GFCI
in the bathroom. How is that going to turn the genset
That only creates a fault test for the GFCI, not the genset. Agaiin, you
need help reading. A "fault condtion" in this case could be snything that
puts a short ckt on the generator's output. Squrrels, mole nests in the
wirng, lghtning hit coming in on Hot or Neutral, nothing to do with a GFCI
for s thinking person, along wth: Wires fray and short out/together at the
outlet behind the panel, house miswire, installation miswire, and the lst
goes on and on and include myrad safety issues also.
I get the feeling you don't know what "fault condition" really means,
too. And that you don't read well, seeing only what you want to see. Same
goes for gensets too since you wanted to jump into testing a GFCI, which
would only result in removal of a load from the genset, and is NOT a fault
to the genset, which is after all the subject here.

into a boat anchor? Or I put a 20 amp load on a 15 amp
circuit, how is that going to do it?

Easily POSSIBLE over time, IF the genset output were max'ed at 15A and there
s no other fusing provided.

One of the things you seem to have mssed is that pitiful data given by the
OP can only rsult in general responses to the OP. Your postulations are
silly to start with and only show your ignorance here, I'm afraid.

BTW, I've actually seen the results of a car drivng over the genset cable
when its breaker wasknown to be defective: Lost magnetismm, open rotor/s and
damaged speed control & fried contrl panel (meters, speed OK, etc..
It wasn't worth fixng unless you coulc do t youself & get the parts.

The only likely fault that could turn it into a boat
anchor, based on what we know, is the OP
OVERLOADING the generator when he knows
that a work around is in place. Now I would
never suggest that is safe for the long term,
in an emergency loss of power situation, it
seems OK to me.

It isn't safe for ANY term. No way xan the laws of statstics support that
claim.

assuming I don't use the unit for washer,

dryer, air conditioning, or electric range, but is
connected to everything else including hot water heater?

See para above. A lot of faults can arise besides your
putting too heavy a load on your genset.

All of which are protected against by the
existing breakers, GFCI, etc.

The GFCI, is irrelevent; you must think it's also a circuit breaker for
overloads, eh? I suggest you do some research on the matter.

2) The service co. is notoriously slow and I want the
breaker replaced ASAP. Can the breaker be replaced by an
electrician, or does he need to be a specialist with
experience in dealing with the Kohler panel (inside
house) and automatic transfer switch? Thanks.

THIS is the reason there may be a union involved.

Yes. Don't use it untl it's fixed properly. The Xfer Sw
if it has individual fuses/breakers might help some,
but ... you still have no protection between the gen and
the switch, where most fault conditiions may occur and
that's bad.

What protection does he currently have between the
utility line coming into his house and the panel?

Can't read?

Yes, an electrician can replace the breaker. Anyone
with a REAL background in electriity could fix it,

That would exclude you and anyone with your silly attitude.

bbut at least get an electrician. For the finsl
word on who csn do what repairing it, call your local
code office. They're usually happy to help.

Unbelievable. He can fix it himself if he so chooses.
Why are you always hysterical?

Where did you read that? One of the most dangerous things one without
experience wth electricity is "do it yourself". Only a moron would make such
an assertion as you did without knowing the capablities of someone else,
thus
eventually klling someone if you do so often enough and some poor guy
believes you.

My guess would be that the "tech" you had wasn't
aware of much more than what s toilet lever is used for!

Pretty much as you are.

Your code office
might appreciate hearing your story told in this post,
too.

Yeah, like the local code office is gonna go ape
**** over this and do a big investigation.

What's'a'matter, that thought sort of scare you? Either you're ignorant or
already reported by someone.

Assunptions: You're telling the truth and the tech
actually just wired around the breaker so that line has
no protectiion at the genset. Oh, and don't let
anyone tell you local codes & NEC are not appliicable:
They certainly are!

HTH,

Twayne`

What an gnorant, hysterical ninny!
Why don't you tell us again about how nitrogen must be
recovered from an AC system? idiot.

Ahh, you're also a nymchanger, huh? I never made any such claim and I
suspect you know it.

I've said what needs to be said, so I'm done: Flop around on the dock all
you want.