OWB/KEEPING IT RUNNING AFTER LOST ELECTRIC

[adamant]

I LOOSE ELECTRIC from time to time. i installed my central boiler at the end of February,at that time the temps. here in n.j. where not that cold so loosing electric at that time was not that big of a issue. i need to think of a way to keep my owb on-line while we have those outages.
I NEED TO FIND OUT A WAY TO:
1. keep the owb running
2. run my forced air heater fan
3. provide electric to my thermostat

i have a Honda EU 2000i generator(2000 watts)

 

[Bob Rohr]

On the wood boiler systems I have installed I wire it all to one cord. This allows a generator and extension cord to power the OWF, pump, air handler, controls, etc.

Add up all of the power consumption of those components. Your Honda may have enough fizz to carry the load. An electrician may be able to get all the "devices" on one breaker for you. The blower motor in the air handler may be the largest draw.

Be sure you disconnect from the power grid when you run the generator. That's the beauty of a single cord to run it all, un plug it from the wall and into the generator and everyone stays safe.

hr

 

[cokehead]

Free advice is worth what you pay for it. 20 amps isn't a lot of power but it is enough for a few key items. With that in mind if you have a generator you can't just power up you house with it without a special switch that totally separates your house from the grid. This is to protect people working on the power-lines. Also if you think about it if the grid power was to come on and be out of phase with your generator that would be a problem too never mind losing power to the grid. What I would do is select a place outside where you can set up you generator. I would run a couple of 20 amp (12-2 wire) lines between the generator and important appliances. (Refrig, boiler, well pump) which are totally separate from your house power. This avoids having to run a bunch of extension cords. During a power outage you simply plug in the frig, well and boiler into the generator circuits. You would have to run the boiler of a 20 amp receptacle and plug wired in such a way as the shut off switches for the boiler would work whether on grid or generator power. Likely you would have to make a few changes. That might violate some code but in my personal unprofessional opinion it would work and be cheaper than getting the special grid separation switch. I guess it would depend on how much doing it right is worth to you. Either way it is going to cost you. Stay Warm, Jonathan

 

[DenaliChuck]

I've got a grid separation switch that cost less than $150. It disconnects the whole house from the grid and connects the whole house to the generator. The user (me or my wife) has to be smart enough to go to the main house panel and turn off circuits that we don't want to run, and not to overload the circuits that we do want to run. Depending on the size of the generator, you might have to turn on the freezer circuit for a few hours while the fridge circuit is off, then switch. Same for the well pump, heating system, electric oven and other large loads.

This is, of course, advice from someone that knows just enough to be dangerous, so user beware!

Chuck

 

[guy01]

If you put little stickers beside the stuff you want running {say orange}you could just turn the other breakers off and kill the incoming power and backfeed from a plug close to the generator --Yes?

 

[Gooserider]

If you put little stickers beside the stuff you want running {say orange}you could just turn the other breakers off and kill the incoming power and backfeed from a plug close to the generator --Yes?

If you don't mind being totally in violation of the law... It is ILLEGAL as well as UNSAFE to backfeed a generator into a house UNLESS the connection is made in such a way that it is IMPOSSIBLE to connect the generator to the grid - IOW, the generator must be either connected to discrete appliances via extension cords, or be connected via way of a UL Listed transfer switch that disconnects the grid before connecting the generator. Any other approach could potentially kill some line worker, not to mention causing your generator to loose it's magic smoke....

However using stickers to indicate which breakers should be turned off when switching over to generator power is not a bad idea - I would actually go for three colors - "essential," "rationed," and "don't use" - "essential" would be the things you HAVE to keep running, such as the heating system and perhaps a few key lighting circuits, "rationed" would be high draw items that need to be powered intermittently, but don't need constant power, such as your freezer and fridge, and non-essential are the circuits you can do without... Since slamming a big load onto a generator at once is hard on both it and the load, I would have a drill on the order of "start generator, connect to transfer switch (still set to grid power); turn OFF *ALL* breakers; flip transfer switch to generator position; then turn ON all "essential" label breakers and NO MORE THAN one "rationed" breaker. Periodically go out and switch "rationed" breakers - say every two hours or so...

Gooserider

 

[DenaliChuck]

Nice description Goose. Hadn't gone that far with the "Standard Operating Procedures" since it has only been my wife and I that have had to deal with it, but the stickers and a description would solve the problem of having a house-sitter being befuddled by the process!

 

[ugenetoo]

to perform the three functions adamant wants done, it seems to me that the one plug system would be the least expensive and most easily understood (especially by other family members!).
hes not asking to run a full system backup generator.

I LOOSE ELECTRIC from time to time. i installed my central boiler at the end of February,at that time the temps. here in n.j. where not that cold so loosing electric at that time was not that big of a issue. i need to think of a way to keep my owb on-line while we have those outages.
I NEED TO FIND OUT A WAY TO:
1. keep the owb running
2. run my forced air heater fan
3. provide electric to my thermostat

i have a Honda EU 2000i generator(2000 watts)

 

[guy01]

So does that mean if I pull the connection ( square box at the top of my breaker box) I could still shock a line worker?

 

[Bob Rohr]

Do it safely. Either the cord idea mentioned above, or a listed disconnect switch that responds within a split second as required by code. Even if you get a workable "homemade" system figured out, the next owner of that home may not get it right and harm or kill someone down wire.

I'd highly recommend you consult with a licensed electrician familiar with generator to power grid interface.

Of course be sure the generator is far enough from the building as to not allow CO into any living space. Another reason to use an extension cord

Folks get sick or die from CO posioning with every ice storm and power outage that hits Missouri. Local news and radio stations caution constantly, but not everyone understands the seriousness of CO.

hr

 

[Gooserider]

So does that mean if I pull the connection ( square box at the top of my breaker box) I could still shock a line worker?

In theory no - once you've pulled the main breaker / fuse you have totally disconnected your house and thus have no potential to shock the line worker.

If the main is pulled properly, it would be technically safe to backfeed. However there are LOADS of incidents where people have backfed and either not known to pull the main, or forgotten to do so in their rush to get power back up. So the codes people have decided that rather than put the line workers at risk of someone neglecting to pull the main, that it is safer to outlaw the practice and require the guaranteed safety of a transfer switch that automatically FORCES the user to disconnect the main in order to connect the generator. When you connect through a transfer switch, either you are connected to the mains and the generator is disconnected, or the main is disconnected before the generator connects.

Gooserider