I work on some small engines used for floor buffing machines. I would suggest thinking about converting your engine to run on propane. No need to worry about the stale fuel issues. We service Onan, Honda, Kawasaki, Briggs, and Kohler engines. Any of them would work just fine for occasional use as in a generator.
The kits are fairly affordable and if you are handy with a wrench you can do it yourself. Some kits eliminate the gasoline and others allow you to run gas or propane. It's nice to have options if you're in an ice-storm or similar circumstances.
We get our conversion kits from a company called L.E. Klien in Texas. I think they're in Dallas. Be careful with the emissions though. have it professionally tuned with a CO analyzer and remember that it should only be run outdoors or with serious ventilation.
The Onan engines that I work with (P-248, Elite 124, Elite 125) would not be my first choice. Parts are expensive and they are not as "mechanic-friendly" as the other engines I mentioned. They are not as good as your Dad's Onan. I can't speak for other Onan models though.

 

Back in 99 before y2k scare, I bought a Coleman 4k gen.(4.5 peak) for emergency pwr. I wanted a gen. for a while before that, because of pwr failures. The gen has no no-load governor, but it performs well, although noisey and small gas tank. When I hook up to the house, I unplug the 220v clothes dryer in the basement and plug the gen. into the dryer recptle and back feed to the circuit breaker panel. Two very important things to do with this method is,1.The extension cord from the gen. to the dryer plug is MALE on both ends. 2. you must pull the main breakers in your panel to not put power out on the lines to keep from electrocuting lineman. I turn off circuits in house that I don't want, and leave the others on which include well, refrig, kitchen,and blower for wood furnace if winter. This easy switchover for me and I have written instructions for myself to follow and others also. I just run the generator on 220v and let the pwr panel do the 110v out of phase thing.

 

We're lucky in that our power pole shut-off is a double throw, three position setup. The middle position is off, up connects to the power company, down disconnects from the power company and connects to the generator. As for the double male cord, Northern Tool (and other places) sell special receptacles for using with generators. It is a male that is recessed so the "prongs" aren't exposed. That way you can use a female/male cord. I think the receptacle is around $50 and can be sized to accept standard twist lock plugs.

BTW, I think your written instructions are a great idea! Something I'll have to do soon.

 

One thing I haven't seen yet on this thread is the formula to convert wattage to amperage, (and vice versa).

Remember "wave": Watts divided by Amps = Volts

Likewise, watts divided by volts = amps

So, if you have a generator that is rated at 4000 watts continuous at 125 volts (like mine) and you want to determine the amp load it will safely carry then do the following:

4000 (watts) divided 125 (volts) = 32 (amps)

So, I can safely run a 32 amp continous load on the generator.

With most generators, the continuous rated capacity is 80% of the surge capacity. This keeps intact the general rule of thumb when determining load on a circuit that you use only 80% of the circuit capacity.

 

Hey, thanks for the little crutch for my brain to remember the formula. I used to have to go look it up or call my buddy and ask him.
ps It really is an easy way to hook up the generator without any expense, if you are on a budget. My house overhangs the basement wall on the back by two ft. so I bored a hole in the overhanging ceiling near where the dryer sets and when I need the generator, I just unblock the hole and feed the wire thru and plug it in cause you don't use the elect. dryer when on emer. pwr.

 

I used to have to do the same thing, asking somebody. I found that formula in a book for residential wiring. It's easy to remember.

I know of other people doing the dryer hookup thing. Sounds like you have a good system figured out.

It's just easier for me to hook up to the main power disconnect since the pole is right outside the house. I can wheel the generator up, throw the switch, plug the generator in and start it up. During our remodel, here in a year or two, I'm going to label some of the circuits ('fridge, deep freeze, furnace fan) as "emergency circuits". Then shut off all the others when on generator power. Might help prevent overloading the generator.

Next up: larger gas tank for the generator!

 

That's on my to do list also(larger gas tank). I guess I'll have to live with the noise, but it's outside and pointing away from the house. It was real noisey in May of 03 when power was out for two days and the windows were open.

I want to put some kind of "pilot light" on the main entrance so I can tell when the power does come back on instead of using test light or voltmeter.

 

[QUOTE=farmtwuck]"As for the double male cord, Northern Tool (and other places) sell special receptacles for using with generators. It is a male that is recessed so the "prongs" aren't exposed. That way you can use a female/male cord. I think the receptacle is around $50 and can be sized to accept standard twist lock plugs."

NOTE: These receptacles are called 'motor base plates' and are avail at most RV-motor home parts stores and suppliers, as well as electric supply wholesalers. No need to wait for the mail man if you want one quick...

A simplistic adaptor can also be fabbed using the two male adaptors mentioned in another post. This should be made up using a wire gauge size appropriate for the the intended service. A simplistic rule of thumb (this will get me in some hot water, but since its winter, so what!!!) is 10ga for 30 amp, 8ga for 40 amp, and 6ga for 50 amp circuits. A size over is not a bad thing, however a size under is 'the BAD thing...'

PS (Parting Shot) It is 'obviously' highly reccommended to make the first connection at the receiving point, and the second connection at the distribution point when using a male-male adaptor...

Personally I use the 6.5 Onan in my 40' Chaparral race car trailer for aux power when or if conditions require such. And it is conveniently parked right alongside the service entrance meter and panel... Luck of the Irish I suppose as I did not really plan this out when I added the 1800 s.f. garage and batchelor quarters. Irish? Well really Dutch & German ancestry. This translates to: Dumb Dutchman so you can't teach me anything, and, Hard Headed German so you can't tell me anything...

Go figure, Si???

 

I won't arguethe pro's and con's of the male/male to dryer hookup, it's been covered before, I will point out it's against all electrical codes anywhere.....

 

OK...so what *is* the slick, code-OK way to connect up a generator? Not knowing this is what's been preventing me from getting a generator. Ideally, I'd like to add/modify my master service panel to accept a cable from the generator, but I don't know how this is done, or even *if* it's done.

As far as makes of generators, on paper at least, the Yamahas look terrific, and I have a lot of trust in that brand.

 

Best way is a "Transfer switch", but they are somewhat expensive. That is the only way I know that is code compatible. One other option is to install a subfeed panel and move all the circuits that you want on emergency power to it. Install a 30 A breaker in the main panel, and feed a dryer or range receptacle with it. Now attach a matching plug to the input of the subfeed and plug it into the outlet. When the genset is to be hooked up, unplug the subfeed from the main panel, and plug into a line from the genset. BUT, check your local codes first ......

 

I agree with alchymist, standing there an looking at ashes or getting zapped is not a good thing. If you hook up line to dryer plug first, just maybe the power came back on and now unplugged end is live. Slight chance it is, but you never know. And if you come home with the Misses having a bad hair day, screaming about that darn generator you saved a couple bucks on, well need I say more.

Some codes are smack-daddy, but you should have it checked out or done correctly, not just hunting camp stlye.

Also, if bad does happen and insurance gets involved, you may denied.

 

A 40 amp transfer switch runs around $250, to back feed is a Federal Offense.
Even with a transfer switch you are required to notify your local power company, that's the law, also big fines can and will be handed down if caught with "do it yourself Elmo" installations. You can be held liable for MURDER should a lineman be killed by your illeagal installation or injuries from such installation.
.....=o&o>.....

 

I agree with alchymist on the transfer switch, which I use in my setup.

My 10 gage, 3 conductor with ground (4 total wires) cable, between the gennie & house, has a male end, which plugs into the 30 amp 240 volt outlet on the gennie. The other end of this cable is female, which plugs into a weather proof outlet on the side of my house. This outlet feeds, via a 6 gage, 3 conductor with ground cable, the transfer switch and then on to the subpanel.

The use of a male ended cable to the gennie and female ended to the outlet prevents someone from grabbing a "hot" power cable. The transfer switch is required by electrical code to prevent back-feeding into the power grid or the generator.

The transformer at the street takes 2500 volt (or higher) power and knocks it down to a useable 240 volts at the house. If you backfeed the 240 V through the transformer, it will be "up volted" by a very large factor. Not a fun prospect for the lineman, his family, your family, your insurance company (if they still carry you after an accident), etc.

Try this site for more info (and there is a lot of it out there!) http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/homew...ator/index.htm

BTW, you can buy transfer switches on e-bay if you do a search. I bought mine from this source with great luck. http://cgi.ebay.com/SQUARE-D-QO-50-A...QQcmdZViewItem

Fran

 

In a prev post I elaborated on some info that was previously posted by others to this topic, and added some 'suggested' wire gauge sizes. That post was not intended to be knowall~endall solution to using a genset during power outages. There is simply not enough space here, nor time to cover all the various scenarios one could imagine.

Code was mentioned in sev responses. NEC is the standard used in the US. However local use of same varies from one jurisdiction to another. and from inspector to inspector. So my install,s per code in my area will not neccessarily work or pass inspection in your area, NEC or not! As a state lic contr here in So Calif for over 35 yrs, I have learned to ask for a preconstruction conference with the appropriate inspector. I then go over the typical install process and ask for input as to if he/she has any suggestions or modifications so we can progress with some sort of continuity.

For a completely "legal" install one would need an electrical permit pulled, inspections during, and a final inspection when the project is completed. Some places a home owner can take out the permit and do the work. Other places only a licensed electrician can pull the permit. Go figure?

Insurance Companies will obviously try to evade any claim they can no matter how specious their reasoning is... As a lic contr for over 35 years I have seen the best and the worst of them when dealing with casualty claims.

A couple basic questions for those connected:
Did you use a transfer switch? (Northern Tool, Harbor Freight, etc)
Is your genset in a weather proof location?
Is it permantly mounted and connected?
If away from the house is the connecting wiring in underground conduit?
Or have you simply used an extension cord routed where ever?
If close/next to the house have you used weatherproof liquid/rain tite connectors and flex?

Aw shucks, it's almost midnight and I don't want to expose any more of my ignorance, so thats all,,, sports fans...