![]() Your transformer will step up your 240-volt generator voltage to distribution voltage and send it down the line. Distribution lines typically carry up to 50,000 volts. This energizes your entire house and most likely, your generator cannot handle that kind of load.Įlectricity may travel through your main panel back to the transformer on the pole which works just as well in reverse. Backfeeding means using a homemade generator cord (sometimes called a suicide cord) to plug into an appliance outlet such as your dryer or range. Regardless of what you read on internet forums and DIY blogs, it is dangerous and if you harm or kill a utility worker, you are held responsible. Do Not Backfeedīackfeeding is dangerous and could endanger utility workers. Generator Power Cords and Extension Cords 6. Always use 3-wire extension cords and never attempt to defeat the ground blade. Accidentally overloading the cord is a serious fire hazard and burn hazard. 20-amp outlets require a 20-amp extension cord. Only purchase and use extension cords rated for outdoor use that match the circuit breaker of the generator outlet. Specially designed generator tents made to fit over your generator will protect it from the rain, but follow all safety rules in the manual. Water and electricity are never a happy combination and chances are good that your portable was not designed for use in the rain. ![]() Setting up in the pouring rain is dangerous to you and could damage the generator. Use a carbon monoxide detector indoors to alert you of possible poisoning before it happens. Don’t place the generator where the wind can push the exhaust against windows, vents, doors, or other openings. Don’t forget that your generator exhaust could affect your neighbors too. Differences in air pressure and temperature between the inside and outside can create a draft that pulls exhaust fumes into the home. Keep the generator at least 20 feet away from the house. Every year there, hospitalizations and fatalities occur because someone ran a generator in the basement or other room and thought that opening the window would provide sufficient ventilation. The carbon monoxide in a portable generator’s exhaust can reach lethal levels in a few minutes. Outside Use Onlyĭo Not run a generator inside a house, garage, or shed. GP2200i Parallel Capable Inverter Generator 1. Two years later the power goes out in a storm and they end up outside in the rain trying to remember what to do-a recipe for dangerous mistakes. Most people take their generator out of the box or off the crate, start it once, and then it goes in the garage or shed and waits for the next outage. No one ever picks up an owner’s manual just to have something to read, but the most important safety feature is knowing your portable generator. Portable Generators Safety First Read the Manual With the right connection and generator, your home stays comfortable even in the winter cold or summer heat. When the power is out, portable home generators keep your essential appliances and circuits on. ![]() On a hot day, the food in a refrigerator can start to spoil in just four hours and the freezer might last one day it it's full and was at zero degrees or colder. These are everyday needs that we hardly even think about until something goes wrong. Meanwhile, you’re wondering about the refrigerator and freezer, the sump pump, and keeping your phone charged.īuyer Guide: The Best Portable Generator for Home Backup Very often, it takes more than an hour for the utility to even know what caused the outage. If the outage area is small, it may only take an hour or so for the utility to restore power. They occur during storms, traffic accidents, or when a wandering raccoon decides to snuggle up to transformer for its warmth. Power outages are regional events and can affect just a few homes or entire neighborhoods covering many blocks. No matter the size or capacity, they produce electricity at common household voltages making safety and care important. Smaller portables can supply power one or two appliances and a few lights or charge a cell phone. Although not automatic like a standby generator, portables are a viable solution when utility power fails. A Generac GP6500 with Electric Start Connected and 30-Amp Generator Cord Plugged into a Manual Transfer Switch Inlet Box During a Power Outage!Ī Portable Generator for a House can supply a few essential or critical appliances, or large portions of an entire home during a power outage.
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