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It has been suggested to me by non-experts that I could just plug my generator into a plug socket and I will get power to my house when electricity is off ? I am told that I just have to knock off the electric at the mains and plug in anywhere? Some disagreement that it would do the lights i.e. things on different circuits. Mainly worried about the boiler which is in the attic and of course the freezer and the telly.............and
The generator is 2.7 kilowatts so will manage a lot?
Electrician. But I must admit I do like your spelling of it.
itll make a nice bang thats for sure.
You'll need a proper changeover switch to diconnect the fixed supply first, then connect the generator (and reverse the process).
2.4kW is f... all. Your kettle is most likely 3kW on its own.
(technically your friends are correct to a point, but it'll be as unsafe as a very unsafe thing - you'll have a 13A plug with live pins on it and poor to non-existant earthing!)
If you just rig a plug backwards into a socket, your generator will be attempting to power 1/3 the houses in your street. It will fail.
Unless you need it often, you're better off just rewiring your boiler into a 13A plug instead of a fused spur, then running that, a bunch of (low energy) table lamps and a laptop/telly from an extension cable or two from the genny. Avoids blowing the whole lot up when the power comes back on.
"If you just rig a plug backwards into a socket, your generator will be attempting to power 1/3 the houses in your street. It will fail.
"
only if he doesnt switch off the incoming power at the breaker. - if he forgets he will blow the generator to smitherines when the power comes back on.
midlifecrashes idea is the safest and cheapest on the thread so far.
If you just rig a plug backwards into a socket, your generator will be attempting to power 1/3 the houses in your street. It will fail.
not if you've isolated at the main breaker.
Its very unsafe, but doable. You also need to isolate high draw circuits that you dont want to power automatically - i.e. anything thatr draws large current on a timer such as an immersion.
Just leave, say the lighting circuits live and a socket spur/ring. Throw the breakers on the oven, immersion, kettle etc.
if he forgets he will blow the generator to smitherines when the power comes back on
also the grid monkey clambering around on a snowy pole will get a nasty nip 🙂
trail_rat - Member
itll make a nice bang thats for sure.
I was expecting that comment from you, as you seem to think you are an expert on everything.
There was a thread on this last week....
EDIT: http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/emergency-genarator
a little knowledge and alot of boredom is a dangerous thing as they* say
FWIW ive seen plug to plug in action just fine when no grid electricity supply was involved (none on the island).Doesnt make it right though.
* who they are i dont know 😉
I was expecting that comment from you, as you seem to think you are an expert on everything.
He does appear to know a lot more than you about this......
I was expecting that comment from you, as you seem to think you are an expert on everything.
He is after all one of the few people on here who are actually qualified and working as an engineer...
I had no intentions of not swithching of the mains as I said above. Yes electric is off alot but not normally for long periodsmidlifecrashes - Member
If you just rig a plug backwards into a socket, your generator will be attempting to power 1/3 the houses in your street. It will fail.Unless you need it often, you're better off just rewiring your boiler into a 13A plug instead of a fused spur, then running that, a bunch of (low energy) table lamps and a laptop/telly from an extension cable or two from the genny. Avoids blowing the whole lot up when the power comes back on.
BUT the electric workers at the last 18 hour breakdown said the wiring to the village is 1940s and they will no doubt be in no rush to replace. I did have a plug fitted to the boiler BUT I don't know if it will work. Basiclaly I could supply power to it but not (I think) to the timers. I hope it would still coome on (but don't know) based on the tempreture ie it comes on when tempreture drops in the boiler to 5 degrees.
I had no intentions of not swithching of the mains as I said above.
Still illegal as if you forgot to switch off the mains you could easily kill someone working to try and restore the mains supply and then you'd be up for a manslaughter charge.
You must fit a switch which isolates the mains supply when the generator is connected (break before make). There is a reference to some on the other thread.
footflaps, BEng Electronics, also ex Norweb Sub Station Engineer.....
footflaps - MemberI had no intentions of not swithching of the mains as I said above.
Still illegal as if you forgot to switch off the mains you could easily kill someone working to try and restore the mains supply and then you'd be up for a manslaughter charge.
You must fit a switch which isolates the mains supply when the generator is connected (break before make). There is a reference to some on the other thread.
footflaps, BEng Electronics, also ex Norweb Sub Station Engineer.....
Get a grip of yourself thats why I am asking the question. I was not asking the question, who can be the most s****ing tosser on here! It was question not statement of what I was going to do.
I am now bored and am going outside to dig a well as my water is off. If I don't find water by 5pm I am going to ride to the pub and drink theres and possibly some other stuff called beer.
well.
OP where are you ? ( not on the LOst island are you)
op asks question doesn't like answear then gets arsey either that or i just read that all wrong
p.s either it will be a real bad idea to connect a gennie up in that fashion
fatsimon mk2=2:1 in mech eng,3 city of guilds and 20+ years of being an engineer.