Re: Reminder: Never connect a generator to home wiring without transfer switch

[Matt Erculiani <merculiani () gmail com>]

In theory, Jay is correct, but assuming that theory will always work in
practice is, in this case, how linemen end up dead. We're all well aware of
never assuming theory = practice, but admittedly the stakes tend to be a
little lower in our world.

Ensuring that a generator physically cannot backfeed is just one layer of
protection against the already very high risk of the job of a lineman. Then
there is, of course, checking for the presence of voltage before starting
work, but it's possible for a generator to start AFTER this check.

Another layer of protection is grounding all conductors prior to beginning
work, so that if power does come back (via the grid or a backfeed) A: The
lineman and bucket is not the best path to ground and B: The source is
tripped.

Reading through that forum post, it sounds like that particular contractor
had a reputation for lacking proper safety precautions, so one or more
safety layers may have been removed, making the risk/impact of any single
mistake much greater than it should be.

-Matt

On Wed, Aug 25, 2021 at 11:25 AM Mel Beckman <mel () beckman org> wrote:

> Jay,
>
> No, because transformers work in both directions :)
>
> Plus, to the previous commenter that talked about “suicide cords”:
> they’’re more correctly termed “homicide  cords”:
>
> “ The lineman killed yesterday was working for Pike Electric and picked up
> a line that was connected to someones house that hooked up a generator and
> did not disconnect from the distribution system. The linemans name was
> Ronnie Adams, age unknown. He had two children and a wife. As far as I know
> he was from Louisiana. They are trying to set up a fund for his family, but
> nothing I have heard of yet. I will let yall know more as I hear of it. I
> wish they would really teach folks the proper connection of generators,
> this was a really tragic and preventable accident. Stay Safe and think
> about it before you do it.”
>
> https://powerlineman.com/lforum/showthread.php?711-Storm-Death
>
>  -mel
>
> On Aug 25, 2021, at 10:12 AM, Jay Hennigan <jay () west net> wrote:
>
> On 8/25/21 07:04, Mark Tinka wrote:
>
> On 8/25/21 15:59, Ethan O'Toole wrote:
>
>
> How would this not load the generator or inverter into oblivion?
>
> Not sure I understand your question. Say again, please.
>
>
> If you fail to isolate your generator from the incoming utility feed so
> that you're back-feeding the utility and the power is out for your
> neighborhood or the whole city, would not the load of trying to light up
> the whole town completely overwhelm your little generator to the point that
> it fails, stalls, or trips its own output breaker?
>
> --
> Jay Hennigan - jay () west net
> Network Engineering - CCIE #7880
> 503 897-8550 - WB6RDV

-- 
Matt Erculiani
ERCUL-ARIN