General > General Technical Chat
Noisy power from typical backup generators
<< < (5/19) > >>
Renate:

--- Quote from: IDEngineer on February 24, 2021, 01:24:28 am ---But you cannot run the house from it since it's only a single phase...
--- End quote ---
Sure you can. Just jumper the phases in the main panel.
Hint: Try to remember to pull the jumpers before restoring normal power.
james_s:

--- Quote from: Renate on February 24, 2021, 12:19:42 pm ---Sure you can. Just jumper the phases in the main panel.
Hint: Try to remember to pull the jumpers before restoring normal power.

--- End quote ---

I jumper the pins in the socket on the end of the cord that plugs into the generator inlet. This is a lot safer since the transfer switch is interlocked so the utility power can't backfeed the generator inlet.
IDEngineer:

--- Quote from: Renate on February 24, 2021, 12:19:42 pm ---Sure you can. Just jumper the phases in the main panel.
--- End quote ---
Wait, what? Surely you don't mean paralleling (jumpering) both phases so they act as a single phase?!? How would that work for 240VAC loads? At best they'd see a net 0VAC across their inputs.
Renate:

--- Quote from: IDEngineer on February 24, 2021, 05:31:50 pm ---How would that work for 240VAC loads?
--- End quote ---
It wouldn't.
But at least you could have a lightbulb in every room no matter which phase it was on.
IDEngineer:

--- Quote from: Renate on February 24, 2021, 06:20:31 pm ---
--- Quote from: IDEngineer on February 24, 2021, 05:31:50 pm ---How would that work for 240VAC loads?
--- End quote ---
It wouldn't. But at least you could have a lightbulb in every room no matter which phase it was on.
--- End quote ---
Or you could just buy a two phase generator so that ALL loads would have proper power. It's fun to play "What can I Rube up and make work in a pinch today" but when dealing with line voltages that can be a dangerous game.
Navigation
Message Index
Next page
Previous page
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...

Go to full version
Powered by SMFPacks Advanced Attachments Uploader Mod