What size generator for backup?

[Woolf 8,550]

On 3/20/2017 at 5:38 PM, Paul said:

This is also a dangerous way to do it, as most wire a dead man power cord to accomplish this. This is a cord with two male ends.

hmm Paul one more made a dead mans power cord

and another one use 2 switches, hmmm how easy is it to forget the line switch

or someone else starts the generator and do not flip the mains switch/breaker

line man dead ?

use the correct setup as already indicated in another post, use a DPDT switch and the line man is safe

there is no way that generator power can get to the line that way

[colemanlee 21,437]

17 minutes ago, Woolf said:

 

On 3/20/2017 at 5:38 PM, Paul said:

This is also a dangerous way to do it, as most wire a dead man power cord to accomplish this. This is a cord with two male ends.

hmm Paul one more made a dead mans power cord

and another one use 2 switches, hmmm how easy is it to forget the line switch

or someone else starts the generator and do not flip the mains switch/breaker

line man dead ?

 

Some folks have the common sense to manage all that...of course some do not

[Jawny 4,617]

1 hour ago, fred42 said:

Thats what I did..One extension cord that goes under my house and through a wooden floor into living room..Problem I have,if I want to use the Generator in the garden to run a jackhammer etc its a real pain in the ass as the plug that goes into the genset itself is some type of special plug.. Ive asked in the hardware stores here if they sell them but they all say "No"...

Anyone know where a genset plug can be purchased??

I did find some of these plugs at a hardware/building supply in Ormoc city.  I think it was called Save More or similar.  A large store near the ice plant.  I bought several (pricey at around ₽500 or so). I've attached several choices of extension cords.  This way I can pick and choose what I want to do.  I get high quality cords for my DIY efforts.  Not at all hard to do.

 

[Jawny 4,617]

2 hours ago, Mikala said:

If you're nearby Cebu City, I'm available for advice/guidance. Cost? Free!

Note: there are some VERY decent industrial extension cords on reels available at Belmont Industrial.

I've bought a garden hose reel and use it to store one of my often used extension cords.  

[Woolf 8,550]

Murphy's law is typically stated as: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

[colemanlee 21,437]

Only if you were raised in a county where the government takes care of you from cradle to grave..

[Lee 17,711]

Those of us brought up to think for ourselves and are still alive, apparently were smart enough to figure out and use our generators whatever way we did, and all without killing ourselves or anyone else. 

[shadow 18,483]

9 minutes ago, Lee said:

Those of us brought up to think for ourselves and are still alive, apparently were smart enough to figure out and use our generators whatever way we did, and all without killing ourselves or anyone else. 

I think the important thing here is to be the only one to operate the generator. A local could surely screw this up, no matter how simple.

[thebob 18,260]

21 minutes ago, colemanlee said:

Only if you were raised in a county where the government takes care of you from cradle to grave..

Electrical installation is legally mandated. I'm sure nobody on this forum would condone breaking the law of their host country.

[Paul 55,114]

1 hour ago, Woolf said:

hmm Paul one more made a dead mans power cord

and another one use 2 switches, hmmm how easy is it to forget the line switch

or someone else starts the generator and do not flip the mains switch/breaker

line man dead ?

use the correct setup as already indicated in another post, use a DPDT switch and the line man is safe

there is no way that generator power can get to the line that way

Not sure what you are saying here, as I am just waking from a not-so-restful sleep. But, I don't agree with any type of electric connections that could harm people.

[Paul 55,114]

2 hours ago, fred42 said:

the plug that goes into the genset itself is some type of special plug.

Can you post a photo? 

[Paul 55,114]

2 hours ago, SkyMan said:

I took the male ended cord that is specific to the gen set and added the male end of an extension cord.

That is a quick, easy, and deadly way to power your home with a generator. 

[shadow 18,483]

7 minutes ago, Paul said:

Can you post a photo? 

A lot of gen sets use a three prong twist lock plug;

[Paul 55,114]

1 hour ago, Lee said:

Those of us brought up to think for ourselves and are still alive, apparently were smart enough to figure out and use our generators whatever way we did, and all without killing ourselves or anyone else. 

This may be fine and good, as long as everyone here can be 100% sure that no one else would ever come in contact with their jerry rigging wiring. In the Philippines, one may never be prosecuted for such an irresponsible act. In the US and elsewhere, they damned sure would be.

Folks, please keep in mind that a mere 50 milliamps can seriously hurt you. 100 milliamps can kill you. Doesn't take much, I assure you. this is 1/20th and 1/10th of an ampere, respectively. Doesn't seem like much when talking electricity. 

Let's say a child is playing around the extension cord that is wired with two male ends. That child pulls the plug from the power point in the home and grabs it. Not a pretty site for me to vision. 

20 minutes ago, shadow said:

A lot of gen sets use a three prong twist lock plug;

That's what I was thinking, that he had a genset with a twist-lock, full power socket. But, any hardware store in the Philippines would carry this plug, I am almost certain. 

Edited March 22, 2017 by Paul

[Paul 55,114]

2 hours ago, SkyMan said:

Perhaps some calls to Duterte's corruption hotline would reduce your blackout problems.

An alternative would be to offer a viable solution, rather than an unrealistic one, ya think?