"rh455" wrote in message
...

Maybe I misunderstood the directions I was given. I was told to turn off
ALL breakers, then the main. Connect the cable to the generator, then
the wall socket. Crank the generator and let it warm up then turn on
only the breakers needed but keeping in mind not to overload the
capacity of the generator. I didn't see the risk of shock while the
main is off and the generator is off. I don't profess to be an
electrician by a long shot. I was thinking that a double or triple pole
master cutoff switch before the meter would make it impossible to
backfeed the utility pole. Is this wrong? I was told that the main
breaker may not have sufficient gap to ensure the electricity won't
"jump" the gap in the main breaker, but a safety cutoff switch has
several inches of clearance between the two.

I did it that way for 3 power outages, and it worked fine. I actually made
up a checklist and really checked it as done.
Assuming you follow the checklist, the main danger is that the main breaker
could be defective and not really open. Sure, you would probably just stall
the generator as it tries to power your neighborhood, but linemen have been
electrocuted this way, so it is a serious possibility.

And, as Tom points out in his reply to a post just above, you could be doing
it when you are tired or drunk and get it wrong, or somebody else could do
it and screw up. Besides, it is illegal, and supposedly the utility will
check houses with lights on; though I expect that is an urban legend.

I bit the bullet and installed a transfer switch a year ago. I haven't had
an opportunity to really use it (knock on wood...), but I feel better about
it as it is pretty foolproof.