o/t advice needed
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 200
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From: Olympia Wa
o/t advice needed
I've read alot lately about "backfeeding" with a generator during a power failure, my question, with the main c/b open can voltage backfeed through the ground wire and continue downline.. I've seen yes and I know there is a lot of sound advice here..thanx
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,641
Likes: 21
From: Poway, Ca.
Are you talking about a household auxiliary generator to provide power to your house in case of a power interuption off the pole?
If so, then yes (depending on how it's wired in)
It doesn't run out the ground wires though, thats resudual that can only flow to ground or neutral if you have an appliance on that completes the circuit and allows power to flow in from the common side then out on the neutral (again depending on your neutral/ground configuration flow).
But excess electricity will flow through the power side of your panel, turn the meter back, and run out to the pole just like a solar producer would if it generates an access.
If so, then yes (depending on how it's wired in)
It doesn't run out the ground wires though, thats resudual that can only flow to ground or neutral if you have an appliance on that completes the circuit and allows power to flow in from the common side then out on the neutral (again depending on your neutral/ground configuration flow).
But excess electricity will flow through the power side of your panel, turn the meter back, and run out to the pole just like a solar producer would if it generates an access.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,299
Likes: 1,059
From: NM
I'm not sure what the question is, sounds like some kind of freak situation.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 789
Likes: 2
From: MI..."near" Dearborn...
YES!!!...and...YES!...
DTE Energy will knock on your door around here during an outage if you
have a generator running in your yard with cords running in to your house
BEFORE any linemen climb up a pole!
They want to make SURE you are NOT feeding the service panel...a refridgerator
and some lights are OK...but even then they have asked for a shutdown
during repairs...
Unless there is a "properly installed" whole-house back-up unit, usually
natural gas fired around here, ($)..you can probably understand why
these dudes might be somewhat concerned...
...
-
have a generator running in your yard with cords running in to your house
BEFORE any linemen climb up a pole!
They want to make SURE you are NOT feeding the service panel...a refridgerator
and some lights are OK...but even then they have asked for a shutdown
during repairs...
Unless there is a "properly installed" whole-house back-up unit, usually
natural gas fired around here, ($)..you can probably understand why
these dudes might be somewhat concerned...
...-
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,299
Likes: 1,059
From: NM
That would be prudent, if I were a lineman. I would think in most cases you'd want to feed a sub-panel anyway, specific loads, but you've got to be isolated for any number of reasons (ever see what happens when a generator is put across the line, out of phase?! 
The power company wins that battle)
The power company wins that battle)
See A Man About A Horse
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,939
Likes: 701
From: Mariposa, Ca.
Every year, nearly, there are linemen injured by homeowners who, thinking they know better, or that the rules don't apply to them,hook up generators directly to their electrical panels,without the required transfer-switch or a breaker interlock kit.Hire a qualified electrician.
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,641
Likes: 21
From: Poway, Ca.
If the main breaker is set to the "ON" position, power will back flow through it and the meter to the main line coming off the pole. I have partial solar power here at th eranch and during the day, my meter turns backwards and the excess power flows out to the pole. So yes, if there is a power failure, the linemen have to check the main lines for current before doing any repairs.
Nuetrals and Grounds are wired differently from state to state. In Missouri, the neutral and ground busses in the panle were completely seperate. Neutral went back out to the pole and ground actually went to a burried rod (for lightning rod purposes).
Here in California, the older panels have the ground wires dumping onto the neutral bus and then back to the pole. Newer boxes have a seperate ground bus that actually grounds to the closest 3/4 inch cold water pipe in the house!!!!
Not sure what your applications are.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 200
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From: Olympia Wa
Thanx for all the advice, yesterday i went to the orange box store and got a
6 circuit transfer box. could not bear the thought of accidently sending current down line.
6 circuit transfer box. could not bear the thought of accidently sending current down line.
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