Guys,
Do you ever do something for the first time that seemed daunting, turned out to be pretty simple, and then you feel super handy? I haven't stopped patting myself on the back.
After Hurricane Sandy left us without power for 9 hours early Tuesday AM, I decided I was finished holding off on getting a backup generator for the home. We live in an Agricultural zone and, though not far from a pretty big town, we're on well water and propane heat. I've been here for a year and a half and losing power is more troubling than when I had county water.
Anyway, I called a friend, who is a general contractor, and he came by and we discussed options (cheapest) for wiring the home to plug a generator in. Though it requires some safety precautions, he recommended putting in a circuit to backfeed power into my circuit box. If I lose power, I throw the main and then turn on the generator which will power any circuits in the house I select. The generator is not powerful enough to power all so I have to be selective.
At first he discussed putting the generator in the garage and making a 50 foot cable that could be run to the board. As we looked, however, the greenhouse is about 6 feet from where the power comes in the house and I told him I'd prefer an external generator receptacle. I pointed to a box on the outside of the house and asked: "Why don't we put something in like that box there that is protected from the rain. What is that anyway?"
Lo and behold it was an L14-30P receptacle!
The previous owner told me he was backfeeding his generator but I never understood what he meant.
Well, it turned out he had a gas dryer so he didn't need his 30 amp dryer circuit so he had disconnected that fuse an run wires to that fuse. When he sold me the home, he disconnected the wires (except neutral) and left them inside the box. I just had to go buy an $18 60A fuse for the board!
This AM, I connected the wires to the new fuse and they were too short for the location of the two slots I needed so I moved two fuses up (with the main thrown of course), and then snapped in the 60A fuse. It's switched OFF naturally until I need it.
Anyway, it was pretty simple. I thought I'd need an electrician and have to spend a couple $100 for install but this was really easy. My back is starting to get sore from the self-congratulations so I'll stop sharing now...
Do you ever do something for the first time that seemed daunting, turned out to be pretty simple, and then you feel super handy? I haven't stopped patting myself on the back.
After Hurricane Sandy left us without power for 9 hours early Tuesday AM, I decided I was finished holding off on getting a backup generator for the home. We live in an Agricultural zone and, though not far from a pretty big town, we're on well water and propane heat. I've been here for a year and a half and losing power is more troubling than when I had county water.
Anyway, I called a friend, who is a general contractor, and he came by and we discussed options (cheapest) for wiring the home to plug a generator in. Though it requires some safety precautions, he recommended putting in a circuit to backfeed power into my circuit box. If I lose power, I throw the main and then turn on the generator which will power any circuits in the house I select. The generator is not powerful enough to power all so I have to be selective.
At first he discussed putting the generator in the garage and making a 50 foot cable that could be run to the board. As we looked, however, the greenhouse is about 6 feet from where the power comes in the house and I told him I'd prefer an external generator receptacle. I pointed to a box on the outside of the house and asked: "Why don't we put something in like that box there that is protected from the rain. What is that anyway?"
Lo and behold it was an L14-30P receptacle!
The previous owner told me he was backfeeding his generator but I never understood what he meant.
Well, it turned out he had a gas dryer so he didn't need his 30 amp dryer circuit so he had disconnected that fuse an run wires to that fuse. When he sold me the home, he disconnected the wires (except neutral) and left them inside the box. I just had to go buy an $18 60A fuse for the board!
This AM, I connected the wires to the new fuse and they were too short for the location of the two slots I needed so I moved two fuses up (with the main thrown of course), and then snapped in the 60A fuse. It's switched OFF naturally until I need it.
Anyway, it was pretty simple. I thought I'd need an electrician and have to spend a couple $100 for install but this was really easy. My back is starting to get sore from the self-congratulations so I'll stop sharing now...
You're right. It was a 60A breaker. I should know better.
