Genset/Residential Hookup

[tigger]

I am looking at hooking up a portable Doonsan 25KW genset to my 50A RV pedestal (installed by an electrician) to supply backup power during an outage. Will install a transfer switch later but for now can shut off the breaker at the transformer pole to prevent backfeeding to the neighbors, etc. Genset cord is #8 wire-8m long. Will not be using the stove during the outage. Only things running will be coffee pot/lights/furnace/water pump(120V)/fridge/freezer and of course the satellite-TV. Any problems with this and are there any precautions I need to worry about? I will be the only one hooking up/disconnecting the genset during the outage.

[TylerThomson]

I am looking at hooking up a portable Doonsan 25KW genset to my 50A RV pedestal (installed by an electrician) to supply backup power during an outage. Will install a transfer switch later but for now can shut off the breaker at the transformer pole to prevent backfeeding to the neighbors, etc. Genset cord is #8 wire-8m long. Will not be using the stove during the outage. Only things running will be coffee pot/lights/furnace/water pump(120V)/fridge/freezer and of course the satellite-TV. Any problems with this and are there any precautions I need to worry about? I will be the only one hooking up/disconnecting the genset during the outage.

Im not sure if there are any laws regarding this but I do know that flip flop boxes with the small number of circuits you require are pretty reasonable. And they are cheap insurance against backfeeding into the grid and killing a linesman.

[trophybook]

You'll be fine. Just no electric stove or dryer.

[Ken07AOVette]

With a 25KW you can also run the stove, welder, compressor

My 17kw runs everything in the house and when I remove the meter on the garage it will run everything there too. I have a gas stove now, less draw as well.

[Dick284]

I dunno where to start, other than to say, engage the advice of a qualified tradesperson before attempting such an install. You should also pull a permit for the work and do your necessary due dillegence before anything

There's so much wrong here, from top to bottom.

[elkhunter11]

A legal installation would require a transfer switch, and a permit. An inspection after the work is done, would then determine if the installation is legal.

[MyAlberta]

A legal installation would require a transfer switch, and a permit. An inspection after the work is done, would then determine if the installation is legal.

Not only legal, but intelligent. Lineman repairing service and you inject, they will come after you with every resource they have.

[^v^Tinda wolf^v^]

I am watching this thread. I had a power outage for a couple hours not long ago and was considering the same thing. I waited two hours then went and grabbed gas for the Gen. just as I was unraveling power cords to start plugging stuff in the power came back on. It made me think that this is one area I haven’t given much consideration. Listening...:thinking-006:

[LSLAKER]

You can install a receptacle on your generator that would accept the cord that now feeds your RV. On a power failure you can unplug you RV from the existing 50 Amp pedestal and plug the cord directly into your generator. No transfer switch would be required.

A 25 KW generator will handle everything that your RV could possible demand. A 5 KW or less generator is all that one would ever need for backup power to a RV and especially for just a power outage.

One can also have a cord correctly sized and with the proper cord ends built to feed the RV from your 25 KW generator but you would be incurring additional costs.

[Dick284]

You can install a receptacle on your generator that would accept the cord that now feeds your RV. On a power failure you can unplug you RV from the existing 50 Amp pedestal and plug the cord directly into your generator. No transfer switch would be required.

A 25 KW generator will handle everything that your RV could possible demand. A 5 KW or less generator is all that one would ever need for backup power to a RV and especially for just a power outage.

One can also have a cord correctly sized and with the proper cord ends built to feed the RV from your 25 KW generator but you would be incurring additional costs.

:angry3:

[Xbolt7mm]

You can install a receptacle on your generator that would accept the cord that now feeds your RV. On a power failure you can unplug you RV from the existing 50 Amp pedestal and plug the cord directly into your generator. No transfer switch would be required.

A 25 KW generator will handle everything that your RV could possible demand. A 5 KW or less generator is all that one would ever need for backup power to a RV and especially for just a power outage.

One can also have a cord correctly sized and with the proper cord ends built to feed the RV from your 25 KW generator but you would be incurring additional costs.

I may have read this different than you but i would say he is trying to feed his house by back feeding power from the 50 amp RV service into his house. Not as a back up to his RV as he clearly said he would not use his electric stove, RV’s have a gas stove and the rv would not back feed to his neighbor. The question I have is the 50 amp RV service is 110 isn’t it ? In that case would it not only make one side of your inside panel box hot? Now if its 220 i would think it would then make both sides of your box hot. If that is the scenario then i would think it would work just fine. Remember that your house may have a 100 amp service and if you exceed the wire rating of 50 amps do to over loading that 50 amp wire you are backfeeding through may get hot,,,,very hot. You could shut off the main breaker in your house and do the pole thing for double lock out. The others are right about the legalities and risks with regards to permits electricians and switch’s. I have done something simular by wiring a plug into my furnace shut off switch on the off side so only the furnace gets fed and then I still shut off the main breaker and all breakers on the same side of the 110 circuit the furnace was on. If i understand correctly what you are trying to do and the 50 amp plug will feed both sides of your panel box, it will work but its against code and is sketchy, I would suggest not poor boying it and go correct

[sparky660]

You can install a receptacle on your generator that would accept the cord that now feeds your RV. On a power failure you can unplug you RV from the existing 50 Amp pedestal and plug the cord directly into your generator. No transfer switch would be required.



A 25 KW generator will handle everything that your RV could possible demand. A 5 KW or less generator is all that one would ever need for backup power to a RV and especially for just a power outage.



One can also have a cord correctly sized and with the proper cord ends built to feed the RV from your 25 KW generator but you would be incurring additional costs.



I think he's talking about supplying power to his house or am I missing something?

[LSLAKER]

I know a few people who live full time on acreages or on lake lots in their RV's. The RV pedestals are fed directly from a service pole.

However, If the intentions are to back feed a house through a 50 Amp RV receptacle then a transfer switch would be required for safety and to meet electrical code.

Have an experienced and qualified electrician install the transfer switch. A 30 or 60 Amp transfer switch (About $225 at Lowes or Home Depot) will transfer all the loads that one would need for a power outage. The 25 KW generator would do the job despite being greatly oversized. Depending on the given circumstances one can expect a bill between $900 to $1500.

Have the electrician take out a permit so that the work will be inspected and approved.

[tigger]

Thanks for the replies/concerns and advice. The 50A RV receptacle is 220V and house is 100A service. Genset will supply 50A power to the house. The wire that supplies power to the RV pedestal is wired/tied into the main power line going into the house via a splitter box, so when the genset is plugged in it is supplying 220V to the house (120V to both sides of breaker panel). Once the breaker is pulled at the transformer no feed from the main ATCO line to the house or vice versa when the genset is started. Start the genset and power the house. I understand the concerns of hooking up a genset to feed the house and putting power down the main line and injuring ATCO personal.

[tigger]

Forgot to add, a transfer panel will be added legally/inspected, but not till spring. Actually unless someone can tell me, I am unaware of a transfer panel being required under the electrical code but never the less one will get installed.

[coolpete1]

i have a small transfer panel and back up power comes from a 10hp briggs generator , i wish i had the water pump hooked in but it runs the furnace , some plugs and the tv.

[tigger]

When my 220V submersible pump quit a number of years ago I replaced it with a 120V pump and installed two 120V male/female plugs in the main wire just so if the power went out I could unplug from the house and plug into a genset. I don't have to water cattle etc. so 120V submersible suits our needs.

[nimrod]

We have a 30kw diesel, hard wired to all the buildings, had the REA come out to check the process I need to do when firing up the generator, transfer switch was originally set up to just fire up the generator when it sensed a power interruption and switch to the generator , but this can not be done now, I need to pull the main breaker on the main before powering up the generator up so I don't energize the line to put the lineman in danger.