nanog mailing list archives

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


From: Michael Thomas <mike () mtcc com>
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2021 11:23:26 -0700


On 8/25/21 11:11 AM, Jay Hennigan wrote:

The question that Ethan raised makes sense, however. If power to several blocks is out and I connect my little 2KW Honda to my house wiring without a transfer switch, because transformers work in both directions my generator will see the load of the whole neighborhood. This will immediately and severely overload the generator and at best cause it to stall out or trip its output breaker, at worst to fail catastrophically.

I know that a nearby house burned down and was blamed on back feeding the grid. I assume that it failed catastrophically. Bad idea all around.

Mike


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