The best way to connect you portable generator to your home.

[mccunecp]

now you have done it right there are people that are doing it all wrong for back up you need a seperat breaker box to supply the most needed outlets for frige frizer ac unite and or what you need to provide power to and also chose a generator for the circuits you are going to need great video.

[xanataph]

Wow...you Americans are pretty cavalier with your male-to-male extension cords for hookups like this. They are TOTALLY illegal in New Zealand...! heh

[0UT3RL1M1T5]

@xanataph they are illegal here too lol.

[xanataph]

@0UT3RL1M1T5 I guess no one really does it here much. 120 volts can give you a nasty fright, and in some situations be lethal, but with our voltage being 230 volts, electrocution is far more certain...! heh

[0UT3RL1M1T5]

@xanataph Both of them are dangerous enough lol. Apparently 120 VAC mostly hurts, and I know that 230 VAC can kill - I've heard stories, and I've heard it's harder to pull away from 230 volts. DC is just plain dangerous.

[xanataph]

@0UT3RL1M1T5 But you guys have 220 volts available in your homes for high current appliances eh? And that comes from across two phases, yeah?

Our three phase is 400volts between the phases, so that's really lethal. Not something to muck around with. But it is usually only supplied this way to industrial sites, not normally supplied to the domestic premises. Here it's all 230v between phase and earth. They used to bring two phases into houses occasionally, but not any more.

[0UT3RL1M1T5]

@xanataph I didn't know electricity was supplied in multiple phases. Is two-phase like two sine waves but 180 degrees out of phase with one another, so that one would peak while the other is at it's lowest point (on an oscilloscope)? Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of AC? I guess the more phases you have, the more continuous power is supplied.

[xanataph]

@0UT3RL1M1T5 It would have been two phases ov a three-phase system, so the phase angle is 120 degrees. That's why there's 400 volts between the phases and not 460v as one might assume.

[AintBigAintClever]

One addition I'd make to this would be a non-maintained emergency light on the ceiling above the breaker panel. This will illuminate in the event of a power failure, running on its internal rechargeable battery, so you can see what you're doing without having to go and find the torch. Of course a torch would be handy for hooking up the generator, one can be kept by the breaker panel where you can now find it :)

[bubber25]

i bought a cheap 1200 watt gas generator and i want to take it apart. i want to try running the generator using a windmill or a bicycle pedal power. what are my chances at getting some wattage using this method and is it hard to take the generator off the motor?

[xbox360rocksful]

Unless this guy knows what he is talking. He is being an idiot you never plug anything into a generator until you start the motor and let it worm up I know this because I have a champion generator and it says in the owners manual do NOT plus anything into the generator until the motor has worm up for 5 mins. So if people are going to be completely stupid and not read the owners manual thats there damn fault not mine

[TIGHTWADHERMAN]

@xbox360rocksful That is what he did // plug anything into generator till warmed up refers to applied load

with a disconnect inside / / That's what he did // He referred to letting warmup before turning on the disconnect // which is the applied load // Please re watch video

I am Electrician for 25 yrs // They right the manual for laymen

When every using in this method // He should have mentioned check cord for breaks or damage before every use//

[tbird4811]

There's a new product the keeps portable generators safe to use in wet weather. It's called the GenTent and is a safety canopy that connects right to your generator. Pretty cool, look for GenTentSafetyCanopy videos here on youtube or gentent.com

[jehu92844]

I bouthg a generator for my home, I only use it once because my neighbor call the police. I last more in turn on generator than police come to my home.

[ohyrag]

You should never leave a power cord coiled up when using it, it will heat and possible catch fire.

[XboobtubeX]

@ohyrag yea..and why is the cord so long? no need for it to be that long.

[mikeycv1]

thats great but wont your neighbours get pissed at the sound of a motor that loud for hours at a time till the powers back

[mrsixtyvi]

@mikeycv1 If they don't have power they will likely be at your house staying warm and watching your tv.

[Gtbomb1]

@mrturdferguson11 thanks? 

[farstarfilm]

Great vid nice system instead of transfer switch, question If I have a 4400watts generator with three outlets would I need three plugs ?? or which one oullet is good to use? Thanks so much.

[Gtbomb1]

where do i buy this kit?

[mongoosebootrrider]

just plug it into your dryer blug and turn on whichever circuts you want

[snworks]

@mongoosebootrrider - do not do this - very dangerous. causes condition where someone working elsewhere can get electorcuted.

[Dreemwever]

Go with a Interlock Kit...... Quick and EASY install, I have one and it powers my entire house with my 55K Generator. (everything EXCEPT 220 volt). Highly recommend.

[culayta]

How many watt generator do I need for a 60 amp service?

[NETWizzJbirk]

@culayta 60 times 120 volts... 7200 watt minimum... probably more like a 10,000 in reality.

[mrbillpowers100]

Lots of work to move all those circuits and makes a mess of your panel wiring. How about just using an Interlock Kit that you buy on line from Iterlockkit (google it). Works kind the same way but you dont have to choose which breakers to move to the new panel. Meets code and only cost $150. You need to buy the same extension cord and inlet box as this vidio but the install only takes about 1-2 hours.

[Segnet37451172]

what about grid elimination? i want to power my home totally from alternative means. (no grid) the only grid tie inverters i have seen shut off in the event of a power loss for obvious safety reasons. is there a readily available, cost effective system that can do this? take wild AC or DC and invert it to clean AC without involving a grid connection and also powerfull enough to suply an entire home?