Don’t forget about the generator safety tips as well. Always make sure you follow all the generator safety rules whenever you use your generator. Remember that portable generators can be dangerous if not used carefully. Here are the generator safety tips: This is just a safety reminder 1) Please do not allow an unqualified person or your children to operate the portable generator. Just because some manuals don’t say that doesn’t mean it’s safe. That is important against the generator safety rules. We also need to be keeping an eye on our children too. You need to make sure that your children are not playing near the portable generator especially when it’s running so they won’t get electrocuted. Generators pose electrical risks and they can be hot during an operation. Please keep your children away from the portable generator at all times. It is important to keep our children safe especially our little ones. Be aware of all the hazards. 2) Some people use their portable generators indoors which increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s important to have a carbon monoxide if you have a gas generator. Never ever use your generator indoors even if your doors and windows are open and even in the garage is not safe to use a portable generator. Not even at your porch and your deck. It is never safe to use your generator indoors and in enclosed areas of your home. Your generator needs to be 15-20 feet away from your house. 3) 🔥generators cause fire hazards too. Never refuel your generator while it’s running. You need to let your generator cool off before refueling it and before storing your generator. Never overload your generator too. Never ever back feed your generator. You should never plug your generator into a wall outlet. Also never store propane tanks indoors. Please keep flammable things away from the generator as well and please don’t smoke cigarettes near the generator. Having a fire extinguisher next to the generator is also important against the generator safety rules. 4) generator operation; make sure your hands are dry before touching the generator. Never use your generator in wet conditions. Don’t let your generator get wet. You need a generator tent if you need to use your generator during wet weather. Please don’t wear loose clothes when operating the generator. Turn on your generator before plugging in appliances. Use the right cord for your generator. Please do not use worn out cords. ua-cam.com/video/I1jT3ANENvI/v-deo.html and here is a video more about keeping others safe when using generators and also about our family’s safety. Hope this helps
We have used the ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
Thanks , I’ve been thinking how to tie in my generator without the transfer switch . Mostly just need my well pump and fridge working. Your safety redundancy is outstanding and is taken seriously! Keep making em upside down , makes people think.
For any DBs that "can't watch this video", just close your eyes. All the correct information you need to know is spoken clearly and accurately. Seriously get a life and stop hating on a guy that is helping people! GREAT VIDEO MAN, thank you!!!
PS - It's pretty clear he used a cell phone do make the video and and was holding it "upside down" according to the cell phone maker...cause you know there is an upside down when holding a rectangle!!
So how did you wire your L14-30 plug with 4 prongs to a 10/3 cord; did you just not connect the ground or neutral prong? How would that affect, if at all, the generator grounding and the issue of floating or bonded neutral?
no ... the generator has to stay right side up but you have to turn yourself upside down. I'd recommend practicing your headstands before hurricane season.
when using this type of cord (for safety purposes) first thing to do is turn off the main breaker...plug into generator then plug into stove outlet..this way there is no power on either end of the cord..after plugging in the cord on both ends you turn on the generator. Of course you know that you have already switched off every breaker in the main panel.. After starting the gen turn on any choice of breaker that you need. when power is restored to the home shut off the gen disconnect the cord from dryer plug then from the gen...then turn on the main breaker and turn on the rest of the breakers one at a time...if you do all of the above there is no way you can get electrocuted. or short circuit your cord....
@@TheFlatlander440 most likely the street lights will be on or your neighbors will have lights on. If you live in the sticks just follow the steps above.
@@TheFlatlander440 Check the main power lines in your panel before main breaker with a plastic voltage detector. They will detect thru the insulation on the wire they make a beeping sound . very inexpensive.
Best explanation for this procedure. Excellent explanation. Yeah, it is not legal and can, if done negligently, end up in death or property damage. But then again, so can speeding down a highway at 80 mph, but shit, we do it all the time and do it safely. Myself, I'm installing a transfer switch or the Generlink. The Generlink is $650.00 and should not cost more than a couple bills to have an electrician pop it into your meter. The transfer switch kit is only a couple hundred and I think you can install it yourself; that is if you are a legit tradesman or a reasonably experienced DYIer that knows how to drill masonry, pop in breakers and pull and terminate and connect wiring legs.
Yeah we get, the video is upside down people, give the guy a break. I simply locked the screen and turned the phone. The information on this video is PRICELESS! Very informative and to the point. For someone who isn't to sure of the steps, you laid it out as easiest as possible. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Sorry it was upside down. If had any clue it would get this magnitude of views I would have re-made it. I could fix it, but then I would have to re-post it.
@@leelecjax loved reading many of these comments.... also, I have panel main breaker and outside main breaker...so backfeed would not occur....could test by turning main breakers off and see if any voltage is coming into panel from outside transformer line ..if not.. backfeed would not be going in the other direction to the lineman....no different than turning mains off and working on wiring...you check with a meter..so should a lineman do the same
I made up 50 feet from gen of 4/10 gage wire for a dryer hookup. Haven't tried this setup yet but like he says when using test the cable and plug for other than normal heat. The gen itself has a dedicated breaker.
I'm an electrical lineman. If EVERYONE who uses a generator will open the main breaker in the panel, I could care less that a generator is being used. If someone fails to open the main, the generator will go back through the service wire, and go through the transformer on the pole and make the primary wire that we work on hot. In my case that would be 14400 volts. And that will kill me graveyard dead while I'm working in a storm to restore power to customers. I beg everyone for the safety of your electrical lineman and the safety of the people around powerline that's laying on the ground to please open the main. If you have down powerline in your yard and fail to open the main you have put the lives of you family in serious danger.
This video is a perfect example on why you Should hire a Certified Electrician to install a safe Transfer Switch for your portable generator. I did not feel 1 ounce of confidence with this Guy that his process would keep me safe as well as the Utility workers. I've already received a few estimates and its worth the $300 to do this safely and legally. To many accidents waiting to happen with these DIY videos.
Would you recommend if i needed a longer say 30ft cable for back feeding, would you recommend a larger wire or is the 10 gauge still good enough??? Maybe a 8 gauge wire for longer cables i am thinking?
General rule of thumb @ 240V is to increase the wire by one size every 100'. I just ran this on the Southwire voltage drop calculator and you'll need to go to #8 @ 115'.
If you had just a 3500watt generator with two 15Amp plugs could you back feed a house using two regular outlets and two cables from the generator 15amp plugs??? or would this be too dangerous since the generator can produce 25 or 30amp and most likely all power would be going thru one or the other wire.
One question. Being that you used the 10/3 wire it's ok to skip the "green" ground cord on both sides of the cord? I just bought my generator so it does have the gfci 120v plugs and my dryer uses a 3 prong so the breaker panel would be internally grounded. Does that sound about right?
If you backfeed using a 120V outlet on the generator then you're only going to be powering up half of your panel. Your panel uses 2 legs and you'll only be back feeding 1. The breakers alternate legs so circuit 1 is leg 1 ... circuit 3 is leg 2 ... circuit 5 is leg 1 .. etc ... so if you only backfeed leg 1 then you'll only be able to power every other circuit essentially and make sure you don't turn on any 240V double pole breakers or you could potentially damage equipment. In your situation you would definitely use all 3 wires and makeup the ground on both sides.
That twist lock plug has hot-hot-neutral-ground lugs and the 3-prong dryer plug has hot-hot-neutral...so do you just leave the ground lug open on the twist lock? What is the implication of the generator being ungrounded? I have the old 3-prong style dryer plug and was thinking of pulling a new circuit and installing a 4-prong outlet. I know code for new construction is 4-prong, but existing 3-prong is grandfathered in. Just wondering how concerned I should be about using an ungrounded feed from the generator. Thanks.
Think about what your generator is doing when you're not using it to back feed your house and you just plug an extension cord in and go run some power tools or something? Is the generator "grounded"?
Recently purchased a generator. Installed interlock device as safety feature instead of a transfer switch. Also installed generator receptacle inside a detached garage so I could plug the generator cord in without being exposed to bad weather. Spent approximately $150 in parts for this set up, not including 25' cord so the enerator can be a safe distance from house and garage when running. Had not thought about moving one of my fire extinguishers closer to generator receptacle, but will be doing so based on your video.
After the break in period of a generator should you switch over to full synthetic oil or would it make any difference I broke mine in on conventional 10W-30 I was just wondering if I should switch over to full synthetic now
Corvettes and Ferrari come with synthetic as the factory fill. Don't break in on synthetic is a stupid old wives tale. What's going to happen? Your engine will never wear out? Lol
I dis-regarded the ground wire and utilized the (2) hots and a neutral. I'm not driving a ground rod @ the generator so an extra grounding electrode conductor wouldn't accomplish much. Also the grounds and neutrals are bonded together in the generator and bonded together in my main panel so essentially they're one and the same. The only reason we really differentiate between neutrals and grounds is because we expect unbalanced current to flow on the neutral wire so we insulate it. The bare grounds just bond metal parts that shouldn't carry any current under normal conditions. 60+ years ago they were treated the same and thus the reason I only have a 3 wire dryer outlet. (my house is old).
How many watts do you recommend my generator be for an average sized home to run the essentials? Fridge, gas furnace, electric water heater, a few lights. Thanks!
NO NO NO NO NO. A "suicide cord" is *never* safe. For less than $100 you can buy an inlet receptacle and an interlock -- why mess around with dangerous dryer-outlet backfeeds? You may say "I know what I'm doing and will remember to turn off the main" but in an emergency situation you might not be at your best. It will be dark, the ground may be wet, or you may be incapacitated and another member of your household might try to set it up. Don't risk it!
Not against doing things "properly", but it's ridiculous that "panel interlock kits" are $60-70 and consist of a plate that slides back and forth. For what they are, they *should* retail for $10 or so...and that's generous. Walk down the electrical components aisle of any home center and throw $60-70 worth of items like switches, receptacles, and gang boxes into a shopping cart and compare that to a piece of sheet metal cut to a certain shape with some slots in it to allow it to slide back and forth on some screws. It's unfortunate that manufacturers and regulatory agencies allegedly "want" people to do the "right thing" and then price that "right thing" the way they do. Kind of reminds me of restaurants they want to promote "healthy eating" and do so by offering the customer a choice between a $12 salad or a greasy $4 burger.
@@scottlarson281 Agree with Scott. A transfer switch should be $15, but they charge you $200. A freaking 30amp inlet is nothing more than a $3 plug, but they charge $50!! The reason people cheat is because doing is right is a screw job.
@@BillyBobDingledorf I call mine a jumper cord, made it ~ 19 years ago and it has never shocked anyone. In fact it's no more dangerous than taking the cover off the electrical panel. You don't do either one if you don't know what you are doing. My jumper cord runs under the garage door so the world can't accidentally mess with it and the NEC doesn't regulate extension cords.
@@shofar-man.. Actually the NEC does cover extension cords in article 400 under permitted uses of flexible cable. (temporary use) Routing cable under doors and through windows is specifically mentioned, along with PROPER termination. (meaning types of plugs / outlets) Having a cable with 2 males ends running under your garage door would certainly make them cringe.
I bought a 10-4 cable from harbor freight, but my drier inlet is a three prong. Is it safe to cut the ground off and not use it since the generator itself is technically grounded? What would you do here. It’s a rental house so really don’t want to change the drier inlet to four prong. Correction... it’s actually one of the hot wires not in use
Stop your complaining about the video being upside down . Put your screen in lock mode and flip your phone - geez Good content and overview - thanks for positing this .
So my Generator like most of them out there has 240 voltage out put and my TV and other devise are 110 voltage and I saw a cord for that is that means its only for A/C anf cookstove unites?
Great video and commentary the whole way through. Just curious how a 4 prong gen connector mated up to the 3 prong house/dryer end..? 440 volt would have 2 hots i nuetral,and 1 ground wouldn't it? so what voltage actually pushed into your main box? and...putting your dryer circuit (440 v) on gave power to all 440 switches when flipped on,but what about your 120 side? thanks for any insight.
240V single phase service - 2 hots, 1 neutral, 1 ground. I connect the generator to the 3 wire dryer plug using 2 hot legs and a neutral and disregarded the ground. The portable generator isn't acting as a separately derived system so its not required to be grounded and bonded independently. When you back feed the main panel, it has a grounding electrode system you're utilizing whether its the utility feed or the generator feed, and your neutrals and grounds are bonded together at the first point of disconnect so they have continuity. A 4 wire cord and a 4 wire dryer outlet is preferred, but my house only has a 3 wire service from the street to the meter and from the meter to the panel and the dryer plug has functioned for 50 years as a 3 wire so it'll be fine.
@@leelecjax Thanks Bro. I got my backfeed cable made and tried,but hooked up a grounding rod and used heavy gauge car jumpers to it and my gen anyway...you know your stuff.
Question, how did you go from 4 wire to 3? I have a 4 wire generator to a 3 wire? Did you put both neutral and ground together? I am not a electrical guru... I have a 4 wire cord and want to wire it to a three wire dryer head, do it put the ground and the neutral together?
correct ... just tie the neutral and ground together. On an old 3 wire dryer circuit the ground and neutral are one and the same and once you get back to your service disconnect the grounds and neutrals are bonded together and one and the same. Its not a good practice though because old 3 wire dryer circuits use a bare ground wire for the unbalanced neutral current so ultimately the code changed to require 4 wire circuits utilizing an insulated neutral.
This is a bit dangerous, take the dryer receptacle out and see what size grounding wire they gave you. . . And if its bare. . . That will be your new "neutral" wire when generating, both hot legs of the plug will be returning to the generator down that perhaps smaller wire that is really only designed to be there to trip the breaker, not hold load current. If its a big insulated wire (like my welder outlet I installed with 6/3), then you're golden.
Thanks for putting this video together. I agree that it would have been better to have the video right side up but then again, it's pretty clear what needs to be done. Not sure why people are being so sarcastic and negative. If they don;t like your video, they can always move on to another
At some point in the future I'll re-make it and include all of the legal methods as well. I never posted this video ANYWHERE so I'm kinda surprised it went semi-viral. Not sure how everyone found it.
what if my largest plug on generator is a 25amp/240volt instead of the 30amp/240 volt like on smaller generators with 4000watt output? I assume back feeding would be even safer because the house 30 amp wires would never have too much current going thru since generator can only produce 25 amps at 240?????
I have a 20 amp 240 volt air compressor in my garage that takes that black 3 pronged plug. I assume I can backfeed through that?? It’s easier access than the dryer. Also, what gauge wire would I need for a 40 ft extension cord to backfeed?
You can but then you need to make sure you're using a 20A outlet on the generator, not a 30A outlet or you could overload your 20A air compressor circuit and cause a fire etc. 20A needs #12 and 30A needs #10.
The service coming into your house from the utility company is 240V. The generator is no different. Its (2) 120V phases/legs/lines and the potential between the (2) phases is 240V. You have an A Phase (line/leg 1 often denoted as L1) and a B phase (line/leg 2 often denoted as L2) and your panel bus separates them. Your 2 pole breakers are plugged into both phases which makes them operate @ 240V and your 1 pole breakers are only plugged into 1 phase and operate @ 120V.
Yes, I did. I used the 50-amp bi-pole breaker slot originally installed for an electric oven circuit as the generator feed into the box; all works fine. Just make sure you identify whether your generator has a grounded neutral or a floating neutral, which will dictate how you want the feed to be hooked up.
My backyard where my generator will be to my dryer outlet is quite a bit of distance. I was thinking about purchasing 40 foot cord to make. Will this longer distance create more of potential to cause fire hazard? is it recommended to keep the distance of the cord to the generator as short as possible? great video and great info. thanks
An interlock on your main breaker is a good way to go. If you can back feed a dryer plug you can install an interlock. Not practical at a rental house though.
I wouldn't mind but how do I find one for my panel and when I do, will I have to relocate the back-fed breakers to fit the interlock latching location, Me: just keep the main breaker off till the generator is shut down and unplugged, and bring me up a beer while you're down there...
Yes when using an interlock the back feed breaker has to be in the first slot just below the main breaker shutoff. So you have to move some circuits out of the way when you install it.
Ecospider5, I still cant do it, I had brought out a 50 amp line to my garage just for my mig welder, That line has nothing else connected and is perfect for back feeding but if I use an interlock I couldn't use that line for anything else and I need it, I'm a mechanic and will just back feed if I need it.
I can also go through my range correct?? I always hear dryer and never hear of using a range. My range plug is a 4 prong 240v circuit. The range is on the first floor is why I’d rather use it. Thanks for the great video.
Yes ... and furthermore if you have a 50A range outlet and a nice big generator with a 50A outlet then you could theoretically backfeed 50A through your range plug vs 30A through your dryer.
What about backfeeding with 120V into a 120V house outlet using the same procedure? In that case would it be beneficial to feed in two 120V cords from the generator?
Theoretically that would work but definitely not recommended. Your house is fed with (2) 120V legs .. .one on the A phase and one on the B phase ... presumably your generator would have (1) receptacle on each phase and you could run (2) cords to your house but you would have to ensure that you're back feeding receptacles in your house that are on different phases. If you back feed 2 receptacles on the same phase from (2)different phases on the generator its going to create a phase to phase fault which is the worst kind of fault and it will physically blow up and melt your wiring. Again its fundamentally possible but definitely not recommend. Too many variables to remember and too many catastrophic things that can go wrong if you screw up.
You make the best explanation possible about the hazards and illegalities of this process that I have seen on UA-cam and YET the comments fly from so many. You negative commenters must have the bucks to spend for 5K dollar standby systems done right (and the ensuing maintenance contracts). All for the chance that you may need it 3 or 25 hrs. a year, or not at all. If one doesn't understand the concept of the MAIN BREAKER, stay away from anything electrical and use candles. . . . . . smh
Thanks for the kind words. I just wish I had filmed it right side up. LOL. I find it funny how many people take time out of their day to complain about something that THEY chose to watch, FOR FREE. They act like I held them down and FORCED them to watch this video and then asked for a critique. lol.
@platnumpimp32 I also find those 3 prong 220/240v outlets tie the case of the outlet to the ground prong right there at the outlet, so if it has metal conduit all the way back to the panel technically its also acting as a neutral and is conducting current. I knocked the connection out on my welder outlet for that reason so all neutral is on the green wire inside the conduit, the outlet is still grounded through its conduit to the main panel which is bonded. I used 6 gauge thinking the welder outlet may need to pass through to a high amp car charger soon. Some old 3 prong dryers may have a smaller weaker ground conductor not up to the job of acting as the neutral for both hot legs combined and be a fire risk definitely worth popping the outlet out to check what it is.
Suggestion - for a temporary situation or a permanent solution, get a Generlink meter base adaptor. Would recommend the 40 amp unit. Safe, very easy to use, super easy (5 min.) for the electric company to install. I have no ties to the company. I bought one and it's a great solution. Using it with my Generac standby genset. Simply plug it in when needed, unplug when done.
yeah ... in a perfect world I'd have a 4 wire dryer outlet and the generator would need a ground rod to be code compliant but I dont have either of these conditions present so I just let it float. The building wiring is still connected to a grounding electrode system so the breakers in the panel should still operate as intended in the event of a fault and the breaker at the generator will still function in the event of an overload.
@@leelecjax Thanks! Look what I found on Amazon. I just ordered this and it seems to have solved my problem with out me monkeying around with the wiring and my questionable talent. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077951MQ4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I wish these was a description for the cable. I made a cable. Connecting X and Y were obvious. I connected the W on the 3 prong dryer plug to the Ground on the Generator plug. It should NOT be the Neutral right? Thanks
Nice informative video. I have a manual transfer switch for mine and have the generator set up in my shed (with ventilation fans/louvers and an exhaust system installed), but loved the info on plugging up through the dryer outlet. Also, thanks for the info on the fire extinguisher. I'll be picking one up on my next visit to HD.
How? If you're going to plug into a dryer outlet, or any outlet, don't you need a male plug? If you wire in a seperate connection box to accept a female cord end wouldn't the outlet have to be male contacts?
you'd have to change your dryer receptacle to an "inlet" and then change your dryer cord from a male to a female and that would make it code compliant when combined with a breaker interlock on the panel. Im going to be changing the panel soon and will make a new code complaint video when I do showing all of this.
I can't find this cable for generator anywhere. Just male to female. You need male to male. Any suggestions on the correct cable to buy to make this go from generator to dryer outlet? L14-30 to what??
Good info. But there is not a thousand reasons; cords overheat due to too much current or a poor connection. The conduction loss on a cord that short is supper low. *** As you explained, there is another way to do this; Some people run a 240v cord from the generator to the dryer receptacle. This way works well if your house is wired correctly. I prefer to do it the right way and run the electrical myself. I got my generator after Erma. No power for 5 days. The hardware to connect it to my house, was not available at that time. I bought a 240 volt 40 Amp circuit breaker and installed it in my main power box. A 240v to 120v cord came with the generator. I cut the 120 volt side of this cord off, and use the other side to connected 240v from my generator to the circuit breaker. For my temporary installation, the cost was $15 for the breaker. This safely connected the generator to the house, but left a 240 volt cord hanging from my main box. After the hurricane, I ran the cord inside electrical conduit, and then poured a concrete slab with a big chain in it so I could secure my generator. I will build a well ventilated enclosure on the slab. I did this because I didn't want my wife having to drag a 200 pound generator out of the big shed every time we lost power. ******* There is no interlock on my system to make me disconnect from the main power, but leaving the main breaker on is what causes a lot of these fires you were talking about. The generator circuit breaker and main power circuit breaker should never both be on at the same time; this is a no brainer. Those are the only two breakers I touch. Breakers are not designed to be used as a switch, so if I were you, I would avoid this type of use as much as possible. This will limit the damage to fewer breakers. If your generator is less than 6500 watts, you may need to turn the stove and AC breakers off also. I am an Electrical Technician for 40 years.
I wired it @ 240V, 1P, 3W, 30A and used 10/3 SJ cord. I would prefer to have a 4 wire dryer plug and use a 4 wire cord but re-wiring my dryer would be very difficult in my house. What size breaker is in your generator protecting the 240V plug you're using? It doesn't make a difference but I'm curious why you elected to put a 40/2 in your panel instead of a 20/2 or 30/2 or whatever matches whats in your generator?
I own a Coleman Powermate 5000 RW and 6250 Maximum watts. In a power outage, what should this generator be able to run at the same time? I have propane fire place and stove. I'm more interested in the Fridge, cable, TV, Internet, and some lights. Can this Generator handle all of these.
The loads you mentioned are very small and most generators can handle those loads. You probably won't be able to run your AC and Water Heater with that generator but its possible. It doesn't hurt to try. Worst thing that happens is you trip the output breaker on the generator and then reduce the load and try again. My 7000W generic would run my AC and the rest of my house but I would have to turn off the AC in order to run my water heater or stove.
Install an inlet on the outside of the house and an interlock device on the panel. An interlock device is legal. It prevents the generator breaker and the main from both being on at the same time.
It's also cheaper than a transfer switch. I have a bracket on my panel that I can insert a pad lock that will prevent the main breaker from being turned on while the generator is still in operation. If that main breaker is off you will not harm the power line techs.
Not everyone has the capability for an interlock. I live in a duplex where the only main disconnect is outside at the meter, but the main panel is in the garage without a main disconnect. They don't make interlocks for that type of situation/panel/meter base. However, I wouldn't use a suicide cord under any circumstances. If a transfer switch is too expensive then get the single circuit or two pole cheaper ones if you have a critical 120/240v load. Or just run cords. Stress leads to mistakes and when the mistake is back feeding you don't want that kind of responsibility/liability. Not to mention no insurance company anywhere would cover an electrical fire where non code/illegal backfeeding was involved. Do it right at the scale you can afford.
I feel confident how to keep things safe with this backfeed technique. My issue now is building the cord. I would love a tutorial on how to build the cord.
1) It's not enough to say you'll always, ALWAYS, cut the main. That no-one, ever, maybe someone in your family, will ever turn the main on during a blackout while you're on the john on to see if the power's come back on. That the dozens of people who watched this video will ALWAYS cut the main, and disconnect the generator before turning it back on. That your uncle Charlie won't be home when the power goes out and go downstairs to check the panel, find this and fire it up. 2) You are building a suicide cord, and realize it, but it is an unacceptable shock hazard. Your cousin Jimmy decides to check if the power's come back on, remembers the thing about the main, goes downstairs and pulls the plug from the generator first to make it safe to throw the main and check for grid power "real quick," puts down the now HOT generator plug on the ground and SPARK - burns down your house. If he's lucky enough to not touch the thing. ZAP. 50 amps. Hope he makes it. 3) You've got a 50 amp breaker acting as a main for your whole house. Not safe. Do you know how to do the complicated calculation for how many breakers you can have for a rated main? It's not as easy as just adding it up. Bet you didn't know that. 4) That cord - will you make sure you incinerate it before you die? Because someday someone may find it and try and use it. What if you die in a car accident tomorrow. Who's going to find this setup next? 5) The sine wave from a gas generator is "dirty" and can hurt sensitive electronics like your TV and computer. 6) Your safety list comment doesn't explain how to safely disconnect the whole thing. This is just as important as plugging it it. 7) Someday your house might burn down. From a bad socket connection somewhere. The insurance guys will find this cord. That may be enough to deny your claim. Hope you have enough social security. 8) You call an electrician when you decide to build a detached garage. He sees this cord and pulls your meter. 9) What else haven't you thought of? That's the best one, you don't know. You're not an electrical engineer.
@@jonseason8170 1&2 - this is for people who live alone and are in complete control of their lives and don't have an uncle jim bob or cousin jimmy mucking things up. 3 - Its not safe for a 50A breaker to protect your whole house? What happens if you overload it? The breaker trips. Doh! 4- You act like someone will find the cord, have no clue what its used for and decide to randomly plug it in? Uhhhh. The world isn't built to be 100% fool proof. 5- Based on that analysis we should NEVER hook a generator to our house regardless of how we connect it because the sine wave is dirty? Uhhhh. 6-I thought I clearly explained which end to unplug first? I'll have to re-watch it. 7-The insurance company isn't going to deny your claim because they found a suicide cord hanging in your garage unless they can prove it started the fire, and even then good luck denying that claim. Stupidity isn't typically a valid reason to deny a claim. After all, thats why we buy insurance to start with. We typically don't need to use it when we're doing something smart. 8- I have no clue where your from but I can PROMISE you that no electrician will EVER pull my meter for ANY reason. A linemen working for the utility company maybe, but an electrician, never. 9-How do you know I'm not an electrical engineer? We could sit around and dream up crazy scenarios all day. I covered the dangers and legalities quite well. This method isn't for everyone and should only be used as a last resort in extreme situations. Personally I've only had to connect my generator once in the last 10 years so its not a high priority in my life and I could do all the work myself if I felt inclined. This works for me for now but when I build the house of my dreams I'll definitely install a transfer switch and separate my emergency and non-emergency circuits and do it right.
No... as long as you're back feeding at 240V it will energize the entire panel. The panel is fed with 2 hot legs and they alternate going down both sides ... so the first breaker on each side uses Leg 1 .. second breaker uses Leg 2 ..etc ... the 240V breakers are double pole breakers that plug into both legs regardless of their position in the panel. If you tried to back feed your panel @ 120V then you would only be energizing leg 1 or leg 2 and only half the panel wouldn't work but it would be every other breaker that doesn't work .. not the entire left side or the entire right side.
So u didn’t explain which three wires you used out of the four choices on the gen. Does that mean look at gen wire diagram and chose two 120 volts as legs and one neutral and or ground?
I connected the (2) 120V legs and the neutral on the generator end and disregarded the ground. Technically I'm not driving a ground rod at the generator end anyways so it wont do much good and your house is already grounded via a ground rod.
And that my friend is why you do not Backpage feed through your house through your dryer plug or outlet do it the correct and safe Way and run you a breaker through your fuse box to a designated generator box you won't have that problem
yes plus I wanted the 30A of capacity .. if you back feed it through a typical receptacle you'll be limited to 20A along with only back feeding one leg which gives you every other breaker like you're saying.
WOW, so much negativity. Guy made a mistake with camera. I simply turned OFF rotation function on phone...problem solved. As far as content, not many others explain about leaving any end of cord unplugged.good point. I start my generator and let it warm up a bit. While running, I shut off main and all breakers and place tape over it. I then set up my cords. Shut off generator, plug in BOTH ends of cord, then restart generator. I start with main rooms, kitchen, bthrm, then go from there. As long as fridge running Im happy.
Guys, the reason this video is upside down is because he has viewers in Australia, too.
Sounds good to me.
Zach, I like your comment.
Hahahahaha
@ZacharyRogriguezVlogs Hey quit picking on us under downers.
I had to stand on my head to watch this video, but I liked the information
I keep flipping the phone. HAHa
Don’t forget about the generator safety tips as well. Always make sure you follow all the generator safety rules whenever you use your generator. Remember that portable generators can be dangerous if not used carefully. Here are the generator safety tips:
This is just a safety reminder
1) Please do not allow an unqualified person or your children to operate the portable generator. Just because some manuals don’t say that doesn’t mean it’s safe. That is important against the generator safety rules. We also need to be keeping an eye on our children too. You need to make sure that your children are not playing near the portable generator especially when it’s running so they won’t get electrocuted. Generators pose electrical risks and they can be hot during an operation. Please keep your children away from the portable generator at all times. It is important to keep our children safe especially our little ones. Be aware of all the hazards.
2) Some people use their portable generators indoors which increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s important to have a carbon monoxide if you have a gas generator. Never ever use your generator indoors even if your doors and windows are open and even in the garage is not safe to use a portable generator. Not even at your porch and your deck. It is never safe to use your generator indoors and in enclosed areas of your home. Your generator needs to be 15-20 feet away from your house.
3) 🔥generators cause fire hazards too. Never refuel your generator while it’s running. You need to let your generator cool off before refueling it and before storing your generator. Never overload your generator too. Never ever back feed your generator. You should never plug your generator into a wall outlet. Also never store propane tanks indoors. Please keep flammable things away from the generator as well and please don’t smoke cigarettes near the generator. Having a fire extinguisher next to the generator is also important against the generator safety rules.
4) generator operation; make sure your hands are dry before touching the generator. Never use your generator in wet conditions. Don’t let your generator get wet. You need a generator tent if you need to use your generator during wet weather. Please don’t wear loose clothes when operating the generator. Turn on your generator before plugging in appliances. Use the right cord for your generator. Please do not use worn out cords.
ua-cam.com/video/I1jT3ANENvI/v-deo.html and here is a video more about keeping others safe when using generators and also about our family’s safety. Hope this helps
Forget about the video, your audio is worthwhile for me to listen through the whole thing. Thank you Sir.
We have used the ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
This guy is so talented. He did all of this while hanging upside down like a vampire going to sleep
So this is how spider-man sees things...
Thanks , I’ve been thinking how to tie in my generator without the transfer switch . Mostly just need my well pump and fridge working. Your safety redundancy is outstanding and is taken seriously! Keep making em upside down , makes people think.
love this comment, a safety redundency with a widow maker power cord! Nice!
Me too
For any DBs that "can't watch this video", just close your eyes. All the correct information you need to know is spoken clearly and accurately. Seriously get a life and stop hating on a guy that is helping people! GREAT VIDEO MAN, thank you!!!
PS - It's pretty clear he used a cell phone do make the video and and was holding it "upside down" according to the cell phone maker...cause you know there is an upside down when holding a rectangle!!
Sorry, just couldn't finish watching! I was getting a serious case of vertigo trying to watch upside down!
thanks! I thot there was something wrong w/ my set!!
Back feeding causes constipation you are supposed to chew your food! 😀
¡ʎoɾuǝ puɐ sǝʎǝ ɹnoʎ ǝsolɔ ʇsnſ
@@igor1467 😁
Really wasn't much to watch after the beginning. Good to just listen to.
So how did you wire your L14-30 plug with 4 prongs to a 10/3 cord; did you just not connect the ground or neutral prong? How would that affect, if at all, the generator grounding and the issue of floating or bonded neutral?
Do I have to turn the generator upside down for this to work?
nice riff
Lol
No, but you do need to move to Australia.
no ... the generator has to stay right side up but you have to turn yourself upside down. I'd recommend practicing your headstands before hurricane season.
That's affirmative.
when using this type of cord (for safety purposes) first thing to do is turn off the main breaker...plug into generator then plug into stove outlet..this way there is no power on either end of the cord..after plugging in the cord on both ends you turn on the generator. Of course you know that you have already switched off every breaker in the main panel.. After starting the gen turn on any choice of breaker that you need. when power is restored to the home shut off the gen disconnect the cord from dryer plug then from the gen...then turn on the main breaker and turn on the rest of the breakers one at a time...if you do all of the above there is no way you can get electrocuted. or short circuit your cord....
How do you know when power is restored if you're connected to a generator?
@@TheFlatlander440 most likely the street lights will be on or your neighbors will have lights on. If you live in the sticks just follow the steps above.
Correct and very good summary of the video.
@@TheFlatlander440 Check the main power lines in your panel before main breaker with a plastic voltage detector. They will detect thru the insulation on the wire they make a beeping sound . very inexpensive.
Thanks for explaining the elphant in the room when no one would show us the right way of doing this when like you said people are doing it
Yes everyone does it but this is a great video explaining the pitfalls. Very common sense I don’t care about the upside down bit.
Best explanation for this procedure. Excellent explanation.
Yeah, it is not legal and can, if done negligently, end up in death or property damage. But then again, so can speeding down a highway at 80 mph, but shit, we do it all the time and do it safely.
Myself, I'm installing a transfer switch or the Generlink. The Generlink is $650.00 and should not cost more than a couple bills to have an electrician pop it into your meter. The transfer switch kit is only a couple hundred and I think you can install it yourself; that is if you are a legit tradesman or a reasonably experienced DYIer that knows how to drill masonry, pop in breakers and pull and terminate and connect wiring legs.
Dude……your advice is awesome….Im no expert but you hit on tons of great advice
Yeah we get, the video is upside down people, give the guy a break. I simply locked the screen and turned the phone.
The information on this video is PRICELESS! Very informative and to the point. For someone who isn't to sure of the steps, you laid it out as easiest as possible. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Do you do everything upside down?
Great video. Even though I watched your upside down generator the whole time. Loaded with great information for a novilest
Sorry it was upside down. If had any clue it would get this magnitude of views I would have re-made it. I could fix it, but then I would have to re-post it.
@@leelecjax loved reading many of these comments.... also, I have panel main breaker and outside main breaker...so backfeed would not occur....could test by turning main breakers off and see if any voltage is coming into panel from outside transformer line ..if not.. backfeed would not be going in the other direction to the lineman....no different than turning mains off and working on wiring...you check with a meter..so should a lineman do the same
Very detailed descriptions which answered all my questions!
I had to fly to Australia to watch this
would you say that it would be safest to have a 30 amp fuse on your cable since there is no fuse in the dryer line for long way till your braker box?
I made up 50 feet from gen of 4/10 gage wire for a dryer hookup. Haven't tried this setup yet but like he says when using test the cable and plug for other than normal heat. The gen itself has a dedicated breaker.
I'm an electrical lineman. If EVERYONE who uses a generator will open the main breaker in the panel, I could care less that a generator is being used. If someone fails to open the main, the generator will go back through the service wire, and go through the transformer on the pole and make the primary wire that we work on hot. In my case that would be 14400 volts. And that will kill me graveyard dead while I'm working in a storm to restore power to customers. I beg everyone for the safety of your electrical lineman and the safety of the people around powerline that's laying on the ground to please open the main. If you have down powerline in your yard and fail to open the main you have put the lives of you family in serious danger.
I've heard that even with the main power off electricity can still back feed thru the ground wire is that true?
what exactly are you talking about opening the main breaker, do you mean turn the main breaker off is that what you mean
Michael Rose Yes, even with the main breaker open. Power can still back feed thru the ground or neutral wire. Yes?
Yes, opening the main breaker is the same as turning it off. Contacts must be closed or (on) for electricity to flow
This video is a perfect example on why you Should hire a Certified Electrician to install a safe Transfer Switch for your portable generator. I did not feel 1 ounce of confidence with this Guy that his process would keep me safe as well as the Utility workers. I've already received a few estimates and its worth the $300 to do this safely and legally. To many accidents waiting to happen with these DIY videos.
Would you recommend if i needed a longer say 30ft cable for back feeding, would you recommend a larger wire or is the 10 gauge still good enough??? Maybe a 8 gauge wire for longer cables i am thinking?
General rule of thumb @ 240V is to increase the wire by one size every 100'. I just ran this on the Southwire voltage drop calculator and you'll need to go to #8 @ 115'.
If you had just a 3500watt generator with two 15Amp plugs could you back feed a house using two regular outlets and two cables from the generator 15amp plugs??? or would this be too dangerous since the generator can produce 25 or 30amp and most likely all power would be going thru one or the other wire.
One question. Being that you used the 10/3 wire it's ok to skip the "green" ground cord on both sides of the cord? I just bought my generator so it does have the gfci 120v plugs and my dryer uses a 3 prong so the breaker panel would be internally grounded. Does that sound about right?
If you backfeed using a 120V outlet on the generator then you're only going to be powering up half of your panel. Your panel uses 2 legs and you'll only be back feeding 1. The breakers alternate legs so circuit 1 is leg 1 ... circuit 3 is leg 2 ... circuit 5 is leg 1 .. etc ... so if you only backfeed leg 1 then you'll only be able to power every other circuit essentially and make sure you don't turn on any 240V double pole breakers or you could potentially damage equipment. In your situation you would definitely use all 3 wires and makeup the ground on both sides.
man...thank you so much.lots of good tips bro. thank you for posting.
That twist lock plug has hot-hot-neutral-ground lugs and the 3-prong dryer plug has hot-hot-neutral...so do you just leave the ground lug open on the twist lock? What is the implication of the generator being ungrounded? I have the old 3-prong style dryer plug and was thinking of pulling a new circuit and installing a 4-prong outlet. I know code for new construction is 4-prong, but existing 3-prong is grandfathered in. Just wondering how concerned I should be about using an ungrounded feed from the generator. Thanks.
Think about what your generator is doing when you're not using it to back feed your house and you just plug an extension cord in and go run some power tools or something? Is the generator "grounded"?
Recently purchased a generator. Installed interlock device as safety feature instead of a transfer switch. Also installed generator receptacle inside a detached garage so I could plug the generator cord in without being exposed to bad weather. Spent approximately $150 in parts for this set up, not including 25' cord so the enerator can be a safe distance from house and garage when running. Had not thought about moving one of my fire extinguishers closer to generator receptacle, but will be doing so based on your video.
After the break in period of a generator should you switch over to full synthetic oil or would it make any difference I broke mine in on conventional 10W-30 I was just wondering if I should switch over to full synthetic now
Corvettes and Ferrari come with synthetic as the factory fill. Don't break in on synthetic is a stupid old wives tale. What's going to happen? Your engine will never wear out? Lol
i see you went from a 4 prong down to a 3 prong. did you ground your generator to an earth ground outside or just run your generator ungrounded?
How did you connect the 3 wire cord to the four prong male for the generator?
I dis-regarded the ground wire and utilized the (2) hots and a neutral. I'm not driving a ground rod @ the generator so an extra grounding electrode conductor wouldn't accomplish much. Also the grounds and neutrals are bonded together in the generator and bonded together in my main panel so essentially they're one and the same. The only reason we really differentiate between neutrals and grounds is because we expect unbalanced current to flow on the neutral wire so we insulate it. The bare grounds just bond metal parts that shouldn't carry any current under normal conditions. 60+ years ago they were treated the same and thus the reason I only have a 3 wire dryer outlet. (my house is old).
How many watts do you recommend my generator be for an average sized home to run the essentials? Fridge, gas furnace, electric water heater, a few lights. Thanks!
Just wondering about floating neutral or bonded generator whats your take on that? Im about to start the same type of project . Thank You
NO NO NO NO NO. A "suicide cord" is *never* safe. For less than $100 you can buy an inlet receptacle and an interlock -- why mess around with dangerous dryer-outlet backfeeds? You may say "I know what I'm doing and will remember to turn off the main" but in an emergency situation you might not be at your best. It will be dark, the ground may be wet, or you may be incapacitated and another member of your household might try to set it up. Don't risk it!
Not against doing things "properly", but it's ridiculous that "panel interlock kits" are $60-70 and consist of a plate that slides back and forth. For what they are, they *should* retail for $10 or so...and that's generous. Walk down the electrical components aisle of any home center and throw $60-70 worth of items like switches, receptacles, and gang boxes into a shopping cart and compare that to a piece of sheet metal cut to a certain shape with some slots in it to allow it to slide back and forth on some screws.
It's unfortunate that manufacturers and regulatory agencies allegedly "want" people to do the "right thing" and then price that "right thing" the way they do.
Kind of reminds me of restaurants they want to promote "healthy eating" and do so by offering the customer a choice between a $12 salad or a greasy $4 burger.
@@scottlarson281 Agree with Scott. A transfer switch should be $15, but they charge you $200. A freaking 30amp inlet is nothing more than a $3 plug, but they charge $50!!
The reason people cheat is because doing is right is a screw job.
@@BillyBobDingledorf I call mine a jumper cord, made it ~ 19 years ago and it has never shocked anyone. In fact it's no more dangerous than taking the cover off the electrical panel. You don't do either one if you don't know what you are doing. My jumper cord runs under the garage door so the world can't accidentally mess with it and the NEC doesn't regulate extension cords.
@@shofar-man.. Actually the NEC does cover extension cords in article 400 under permitted uses of flexible cable. (temporary use) Routing cable under doors and through windows is specifically mentioned, along with PROPER termination. (meaning types of plugs / outlets) Having a cable with 2 males ends running under your garage door would certainly make them cringe.
@@rupe53 I don't think the NEC is discussing temporary extension cords, it's more like flexible fixture cords.
I bought a 10-4 cable from harbor freight, but my drier inlet is a three prong. Is it safe to cut the ground off and not use it since the generator itself is technically grounded? What would you do here. It’s a rental house so really don’t want to change the drier inlet to four prong.
Correction... it’s actually one of the hot wires not in use
Stop your complaining about the video being upside down .
Put your screen in lock mode and flip your phone - geez
Good content and overview - thanks for positing this .
Tried that with my laptop. It didn't go well
The first thing you say is how to do it safely and then you introduce the two male plugs on your extension cord. Nice!
Just don't let them touch anything and you'll be perfectly safe. ;)
So my Generator like most of them out there has 240 voltage out put and my TV and other devise are 110 voltage and I saw a cord for that is that means its only for A/C anf cookstove unites?
Great video and commentary the whole way through. Just curious how a 4 prong gen connector mated up to the 3 prong house/dryer end..? 440 volt would have 2 hots i nuetral,and 1 ground wouldn't it? so what voltage actually pushed into your main box? and...putting your dryer circuit (440 v) on gave power to all 440 switches when flipped on,but what about your 120 side? thanks for any insight.
240V single phase service - 2 hots, 1 neutral, 1 ground. I connect the generator to the 3 wire dryer plug using 2 hot legs and a neutral and disregarded the ground. The portable generator isn't acting as a separately derived system so its not required to be grounded and bonded independently. When you back feed the main panel, it has a grounding electrode system you're utilizing whether its the utility feed or the generator feed, and your neutrals and grounds are bonded together at the first point of disconnect so they have continuity. A 4 wire cord and a 4 wire dryer outlet is preferred, but my house only has a 3 wire service from the street to the meter and from the meter to the panel and the dryer plug has functioned for 50 years as a 3 wire so it'll be fine.
@@leelecjax Thanks Bro. I got my backfeed cable made and tried,but hooked up a grounding rod and used heavy gauge car jumpers to it and my gen anyway...you know your stuff.
Was he backfeeding the video??
he has his 2 hots mixed up
Question, how did you go from 4 wire to 3? I have a 4 wire generator to a 3 wire? Did you put both neutral and ground together? I am not a electrical guru... I have a 4 wire cord and want to wire it to a three wire dryer head, do it put the ground and the neutral together?
correct ... just tie the neutral and ground together. On an old 3 wire dryer circuit the ground and neutral are one and the same and once you get back to your service disconnect the grounds and neutrals are bonded together and one and the same. Its not a good practice though because old 3 wire dryer circuits use a bare ground wire for the unbalanced neutral current so ultimately the code changed to require 4 wire circuits utilizing an insulated neutral.
This is a bit dangerous, take the dryer receptacle out and see what size grounding wire they gave you. . . And if its bare. . . That will be your new "neutral" wire when generating, both hot legs of the plug will be returning to the generator down that perhaps smaller wire that is really only designed to be there to trip the breaker, not hold load current. If its a big insulated wire (like my welder outlet I installed with 6/3), then you're golden.
So did you make your own cord? Or can you buy it?
How do you backfeed to two main panels? I have two in my house and I need one switch to work on the second panel and it wont come on.
Do you have two meters?
Will this backfeed method work outside of Australia?
You haters are just ignorant. The video is obviously filmed in Australia.
Thanks for putting this video together. I agree that it would have been better to have the video right side up but then again, it's pretty clear what needs to be done. Not sure why people are being so sarcastic and negative. If they don;t like your video, they can always move on to another
At some point in the future I'll re-make it and include all of the legal methods as well. I never posted this video ANYWHERE so I'm kinda surprised it went semi-viral. Not sure how everyone found it.
what if my largest plug on generator is a 25amp/240volt instead of the 30amp/240 volt like on smaller generators with 4000watt output? I assume back feeding would be even safer because the house 30 amp wires would never have too much current going thru since generator can only produce 25 amps at 240?????
I have a 20 amp 240 volt air compressor in my garage that takes that black 3 pronged plug. I assume I can backfeed through that?? It’s easier access than the dryer. Also, what gauge wire would I need for a 40 ft extension cord to backfeed?
You can but then you need to make sure you're using a 20A outlet on the generator, not a 30A outlet or you could overload your 20A air compressor circuit and cause a fire etc. 20A needs #12 and 30A needs #10.
Im confused on the whole 240 going in and not frying the 110 stuff? Im trying to figure this out. Thanks
The service coming into your house from the utility company is 240V. The generator is no different. Its (2) 120V phases/legs/lines and the potential between the (2) phases is 240V. You have an A Phase (line/leg 1 often denoted as L1) and a B phase (line/leg 2 often denoted as L2) and your panel bus separates them. Your 2 pole breakers are plugged into both phases which makes them operate @ 240V and your 1 pole breakers are only plugged into 1 phase and operate @ 120V.
How long is your cord to keep the generator outside away from the house and running to the dryer plug
Is it OK to use a 50-amp bi-pole breaker to back feed the main panel... I have a 50-amp circuit for a stove.
I have the same question. Did you ever find out?
Yes, I did. I used the 50-amp bi-pole breaker slot originally installed for an electric oven circuit as the generator feed into the box; all works fine. Just make sure you identify whether your generator has a grounded neutral or a floating neutral, which will dictate how you want the feed to be hooked up.
My backyard where my generator will be to my dryer outlet is quite a bit of distance. I was thinking about purchasing 40 foot cord to make. Will this longer distance create more of potential to cause fire hazard? is it recommended to keep the distance of the cord to the generator as short as possible? great video and great info. thanks
An interlock on your main breaker is a good way to go. If you can back feed a dryer plug you can install an interlock. Not practical at a rental house though.
I wouldn't mind but how do I find one for my panel and when I do, will I have to relocate the back-fed breakers to fit the interlock latching location,
Me: just keep the main breaker off till the generator is shut down and unplugged, and bring me up a beer while you're down there...
Yes when using an interlock the back feed breaker has to be in the first slot just below the main breaker shutoff. So you have to move some circuits out of the way when you install it.
Ecospider5, I still cant do it, I had brought out a 50 amp line to my garage just for my mig welder,
That line has nothing else connected and is perfect for back feeding but if I use an interlock
I couldn't use that line for anything else and I need it, I'm a mechanic and will just back feed if I need it.
I back fed my rv works great also I dont try and cut everything on at one time either
have 5000 watts generator with 20 amps with 4 pron what type of cord do I need and how many feets?
This guy knows his shit. Period.
I really appreciate that. As you can see I've only got about 500 hateful comments on a video that I've never shared ANYWHERE. lol.
I can also go through my range correct?? I always hear dryer and never hear of using a range. My range plug is a 4 prong 240v circuit. The range is on the first floor is why I’d rather use it. Thanks for the great video.
Yes you can.
Yes ... and furthermore if you have a 50A range outlet and a nice big generator with a 50A outlet then you could theoretically backfeed 50A through your range plug vs 30A through your dryer.
where did you get the two male ended cord? Did you have to build it yourself?
Yes. They're dangerous for the reasons stated in the video so no one sells one and you have to make it yourself.
What about backfeeding with 120V into a 120V house outlet using the same procedure? In that case would it be beneficial to feed in two 120V cords from the generator?
Theoretically that would work but definitely not recommended. Your house is fed with (2) 120V legs .. .one on the A phase and one on the B phase ... presumably your generator would have (1) receptacle on each phase and you could run (2) cords to your house but you would have to ensure that you're back feeding receptacles in your house that are on different phases. If you back feed 2 receptacles on the same phase from (2)different phases on the generator its going to create a phase to phase fault which is the worst kind of fault and it will physically blow up and melt your wiring. Again its fundamentally possible but definitely not recommend. Too many variables to remember and too many catastrophic things that can go wrong if you screw up.
You make the best explanation possible about the hazards and illegalities of this process that I have seen on UA-cam and YET the comments fly from so many. You negative commenters must have the bucks to spend for 5K dollar standby systems done right (and the ensuing maintenance contracts). All for the chance that you may need it 3 or 25 hrs. a year, or not at all. If one doesn't understand the concept of the MAIN BREAKER, stay away from anything electrical and use candles. . . . . . smh
You use extension cords. It's cheap. You don't backfeed - if you want the convenience of that, do a transfer switch.
Wxman46, you may want to read my long comment I posted a few minutes ago..... starts with "I have to comment on this "cheap" DIY stuff".
YES! Thank you for that.
Thanks for the kind words. I just wish I had filmed it right side up. LOL. I find it funny how many people take time out of their day to complain about something that THEY chose to watch, FOR FREE. They act like I held them down and FORCED them to watch this video and then asked for a critique. lol.
@platnumpimp32 I also find those 3 prong 220/240v outlets tie the case of the outlet to the ground prong right there at the outlet, so if it has metal conduit all the way back to the panel technically its also acting as a neutral and is conducting current. I knocked the connection out on my welder outlet for that reason so all neutral is on the green wire inside the conduit, the outlet is still grounded through its conduit to the main panel which is bonded. I used 6 gauge thinking the welder outlet may need to pass through to a high amp car charger soon. Some old 3 prong dryers may have a smaller weaker ground conductor not up to the job of acting as the neutral for both hot legs combined and be a fire risk definitely worth popping the outlet out to check what it is.
Suggestion - for a temporary situation or a permanent solution, get a Generlink meter base adaptor. Would recommend the 40 amp unit.
Safe, very easy to use, super easy (5 min.) for the electric company to install.
I have no ties to the company. I bought one and it's a great solution. Using it with my Generac standby genset. Simply plug it in when needed, unplug when done.
I am looking into one
How are you wiring the 4 prong to the 3 wire dryer plug? Floating ground?
yeah ... in a perfect world I'd have a 4 wire dryer outlet and the generator would need a ground rod to be code compliant but I dont have either of these conditions present so I just let it float. The building wiring is still connected to a grounding electrode system so the breakers in the panel should still operate as intended in the event of a fault and the breaker at the generator will still function in the event of an overload.
@@leelecjax Thanks! Look what I found on Amazon. I just ordered this and it seems to have solved my problem with out me monkeying around with the wiring and my questionable talent. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077951MQ4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I wish these was a description for the cable. I made a cable. Connecting X and Y were obvious. I connected the W on the 3 prong dryer plug to the Ground on the Generator plug. It should NOT be the Neutral right? Thanks
WHAT IS DANGEROUS?? NOTHING IF YOU ONLY CONNECT OR DISCONECT CABLE WHEN MAIN BRAKER AND GENERATOR IS OFF.
Nice informative video. I have a manual transfer switch for mine and have the generator set up in my shed (with ventilation fans/louvers and an exhaust system installed), but loved the info on plugging up through the dryer outlet. Also, thanks for the info on the fire extinguisher. I'll be picking one up on my next visit to HD.
You could possibly make a connection box with a male and female ends that are protected. Where you wouldn’t have exposed male ends.
How? If you're going to plug into a dryer outlet, or any outlet, don't you need a male plug? If you wire in a seperate connection box to accept a female cord end wouldn't the outlet have to be male contacts?
you'd have to change your dryer receptacle to an "inlet" and then change your dryer cord from a male to a female and that would make it code compliant when combined with a breaker interlock on the panel. Im going to be changing the panel soon and will make a new code complaint video when I do showing all of this.
I can't find this cable for generator anywhere. Just male to female. You need male to male. Any suggestions on the correct cable to buy to make this go from generator to dryer outlet? L14-30 to what??
So where do I get that cord with both plugs in it? I can't find one anywhere.
They are illegal, so you'll have to make one.
When all is said and done, it is called a “suicide cord” for a reason !
Thanks for the video.... Informative and highlights the risks.
I'd like to see how you made the cable connections of the L14-30 to the 3 wire 10-3 dryer cable...i.e the pinout/map
Probably two hots and a neutral and said fuck the ground.
Good info. But there is not a thousand reasons; cords overheat due to too much current or a poor connection. The conduction loss on a cord that short is supper low. *** As you explained, there is another way to do this; Some people run a 240v cord from the generator to the dryer receptacle. This way works well if your house is wired correctly. I prefer to do it the right way and run the electrical myself. I got my generator after Erma. No power for 5 days. The hardware to connect it to my house, was not available at that time. I bought a 240 volt 40 Amp circuit breaker and installed it in my main power box. A 240v to 120v cord came with the generator. I cut the 120 volt side of this cord off, and use the other side to connected 240v from my generator to the circuit breaker. For my temporary installation, the cost was $15 for the breaker. This safely connected the generator to the house, but left a 240 volt cord hanging from my main box. After the hurricane, I ran the cord inside electrical conduit, and then poured a concrete slab with a big chain in it so I could secure my generator. I will build a well ventilated enclosure on the slab. I did this because I didn't want my wife having to drag a 200 pound generator out of the big shed every time we lost power. ******* There is no interlock on my system to make me disconnect from the main power, but leaving the main breaker on is what causes a lot of these fires you were talking about. The generator circuit breaker and main power circuit breaker should never both be on at the same time; this is a no brainer. Those are the only two breakers I touch. Breakers are not designed to be used as a switch, so if I were you, I would avoid this type of use as much as possible. This will limit the damage to fewer breakers. If your generator is less than 6500 watts, you may need to turn the stove and AC breakers off also. I am an Electrical Technician for 40 years.
You should make a video. Dorian is at my doorstep.
I wired it @ 240V, 1P, 3W, 30A and used 10/3 SJ cord. I would prefer to have a 4 wire dryer plug and use a 4 wire cord but re-wiring my dryer would be very difficult in my house. What size breaker is in your generator protecting the 240V plug you're using? It doesn't make a difference but I'm curious why you elected to put a 40/2 in your panel instead of a 20/2 or 30/2 or whatever matches whats in your generator?
Do you think that I can run my entire house including my AC central unit with a Costco Firman 9400 watt 7500 running watt Generator??
I have the exact same model. I have been looking at a soft starter for my central air that will allow you to run most central air units
I have an RV outlet on the back of the house and an RV outlet on my generator. Can I use this outlet instead of the Dryer outlet?
Yes. Same concept applies.
Aren't RV outlets typically 120v? I really don't know but I have seen them on 120v generators.
I own a Coleman Powermate 5000 RW and 6250 Maximum watts. In a power outage, what should this generator be able to run at the same time? I have propane fire place and stove. I'm more interested in the Fridge, cable, TV, Internet, and some lights. Can this Generator handle all of these.
The loads you mentioned are very small and most generators can handle those loads. You probably won't be able to run your AC and Water Heater with that generator but its possible. It doesn't hurt to try. Worst thing that happens is you trip the output breaker on the generator and then reduce the load and try again. My 7000W generic would run my AC and the rest of my house but I would have to turn off the AC in order to run my water heater or stove.
Install an inlet on the outside of the house and an interlock device on the panel. An interlock device is legal. It prevents the generator breaker and the main from both being on at the same time.
It's also cheaper than a transfer switch. I have a bracket on my panel that I can insert a pad lock that will prevent the main breaker from being turned on while the generator is still in operation. If that main breaker is off you will not harm the power line techs.
Not everyone has the capability for an interlock. I live in a duplex where the only main disconnect is outside at the meter, but the main panel is in the garage without a main disconnect. They don't make interlocks for that type of situation/panel/meter base. However, I wouldn't use a suicide cord under any circumstances. If a transfer switch is too expensive then get the single circuit or two pole cheaper ones if you have a critical 120/240v load. Or just run cords. Stress leads to mistakes and when the mistake is back feeding you don't want that kind of responsibility/liability. Not to mention no insurance company anywhere would cover an electrical fire where non code/illegal backfeeding was involved. Do it right at the scale you can afford.
How you connect the 3 prone wire head to the 4 prone cable?
I feel confident how to keep things safe with this backfeed technique. My issue now is building the cord. I would love a tutorial on how to build the cord.
That cord isn't safe under ANY circumstances. That's why it's called the "suicide cord".
There is no safe way to use this cord. Your an idiot if u make one. Get a transfer switch or interlock
1) It's not enough to say you'll always, ALWAYS, cut the main. That no-one, ever, maybe someone in your family, will ever turn the main on during a blackout while you're on the john on to see if the power's come back on. That the dozens of people who watched this video will ALWAYS cut the main, and disconnect the generator before turning it back on. That your uncle Charlie won't be home when the power goes out and go downstairs to check the panel, find this and fire it up.
2) You are building a suicide cord, and realize it, but it is an unacceptable shock hazard. Your cousin Jimmy decides to check if the power's come back on, remembers the thing about the main, goes downstairs and pulls the plug from the generator first to make it safe to throw the main and check for grid power "real quick," puts down the now HOT generator plug on the ground and SPARK - burns down your house. If he's lucky enough to not touch the thing. ZAP. 50 amps. Hope he makes it.
3) You've got a 50 amp breaker acting as a main for your whole house. Not safe. Do you know how to do the complicated calculation for how many breakers you can have for a rated main? It's not as easy as just adding it up. Bet you didn't know that.
4) That cord - will you make sure you incinerate it before you die? Because someday someone may find it and try and use it. What if you die in a car accident tomorrow. Who's going to find this setup next?
5) The sine wave from a gas generator is "dirty" and can hurt sensitive electronics like your TV and computer.
6) Your safety list comment doesn't explain how to safely disconnect the whole thing. This is just as important as plugging it it.
7) Someday your house might burn down. From a bad socket connection somewhere. The insurance guys will find this cord. That may be enough to deny your claim. Hope you have enough social security.
8) You call an electrician when you decide to build a detached garage. He sees this cord and pulls your meter.
9) What else haven't you thought of? That's the best one, you don't know. You're not an electrical engineer.
@@jonseason8170 1&2 - this is for people who live alone and are in complete control of their lives and don't have an uncle jim bob or cousin jimmy mucking things up. 3 - Its not safe for a 50A breaker to protect your whole house? What happens if you overload it? The breaker trips. Doh! 4- You act like someone will find the cord, have no clue what its used for and decide to randomly plug it in? Uhhhh. The world isn't built to be 100% fool proof. 5- Based on that analysis we should NEVER hook a generator to our house regardless of how we connect it because the sine wave is dirty? Uhhhh. 6-I thought I clearly explained which end to unplug first? I'll have to re-watch it. 7-The insurance company isn't going to deny your claim because they found a suicide cord hanging in your garage unless they can prove it started the fire, and even then good luck denying that claim. Stupidity isn't typically a valid reason to deny a claim. After all, thats why we buy insurance to start with. We typically don't need to use it when we're doing something smart. 8- I have no clue where your from but I can PROMISE you that no electrician will EVER pull my meter for ANY reason. A linemen working for the utility company maybe, but an electrician, never. 9-How do you know I'm not an electrical engineer? We could sit around and dream up crazy scenarios all day. I covered the dangers and legalities quite well. This method isn't for everyone and should only be used as a last resort in extreme situations. Personally I've only had to connect my generator once in the last 10 years so its not a high priority in my life and I could do all the work myself if I felt inclined. This works for me for now but when I build the house of my dreams I'll definitely install a transfer switch and separate my emergency and non-emergency circuits and do it right.
Does this only energize one side of the panel that the dryer outlet is on?
Dryer uses both sides of the panel
No... as long as you're back feeding at 240V it will energize the entire panel. The panel is fed with 2 hot legs and they alternate going down both sides ... so the first breaker on each side uses Leg 1 .. second breaker uses Leg 2 ..etc ... the 240V breakers are double pole breakers that plug into both legs regardless of their position in the panel. If you tried to back feed your panel @ 120V then you would only be energizing leg 1 or leg 2 and only half the panel wouldn't work but it would be every other breaker that doesn't work .. not the entire left side or the entire right side.
Great info. I don’t think most people are aware of that suicide plug and its hazards.
Just keep both ends plugged in, never a problem.
Gotta be smarter than what you are working with!
So u didn’t explain which three wires you used out of the four choices on the gen. Does that mean look at gen wire diagram and chose two 120 volts as legs and one neutral and or ground?
I connected the (2) 120V legs and the neutral on the generator end and disregarded the ground. Technically I'm not driving a ground rod at the generator end anyways so it wont do much good and your house is already grounded via a ground rod.
Your generator will have a 240v receptacle if it's a 240v generator.
Good reminders and tips. Thanks
THIS GUY JUST SAVED ME 2K
THX BROSKI
What do you do with the ground? Isolate it or tie it into common?
You sound like you could give us some tips on how we could win a bid at an auction.
And GFCI/AFCI receptacles and breakers are only meant to be fed in on direction. This would come into play if you have a 120V generator.
And that my friend is why you do not Backpage feed through your house through your dryer plug or outlet do it the correct and safe Way and run you a breaker through your fuse box to a designated generator box you won't have that problem
All this coming from the dude with a upside down video. I’m sure I’m going to take advice from you
LOL... Best Every... lol..True that....
Lol , the judge would be like. What about this video made you feel like this was safe 🤣
The cool part is no one asked you to watch it or take my advice so no worries.
Awesome thanks!
You can't buy that cord it's against code. You should have explained how you connected the twist lock plug to the other end of the dryer cord.
I couldn't watch the video but my pet bat was able to.
"extra redundancy"
Your generator has 2 hots with a ground and a neutral. You dryer has 2 hots and a ground. Did you just leave the neutral off?
How did you technically wire a 4 prong gen plug to a 3 prong dryer to not damage generator??
You tie the ground and neutral together in the 3 wire dryer plug.
Am i supposed to run my generator upside down? I wont start when i do this.
Did you use the dryer plug because a single pole would only power every other breaker so the 2 pole dryer breaker gave you Every breaker
yes plus I wanted the 30A of capacity .. if you back feed it through a typical receptacle you'll be limited to 20A along with only back feeding one leg which gives you every other breaker like you're saying.
WOW, so much negativity. Guy made a mistake with camera. I simply turned OFF rotation function on phone...problem solved.
As far as content, not many others explain about leaving any end of cord unplugged.good point. I start my generator and let it warm up a bit. While running, I shut off main and all breakers and place tape over it. I then set up my cords. Shut off generator, plug in BOTH ends of cord, then restart generator. I start with main rooms, kitchen, bthrm, then go from there. As long as fridge running Im happy.
Do you live in Australia?
Why am I standing on my head to watch this video?
your a idiot I guess LOL
Ty, nice succinct video !