generator

Tom,

I would be interested in any references for your assertion. If any utility workers were killed, there has been a huge cover up in the electric utility industry where I work. If they were killed, they were in violation of OHSHA and most electric utility safety practices that require that they treat all conductors of 480 volts or higher as live unless they first test and then ground them or use hot line work techniques. It is the height of ignorance to assume that any utility would rely on an uneducated customer to prevent a back feed from his or her generator for the safety of the lives of its workers.

Please give me some evidence or stop spreading misinformation and old wive's tales. I would like more than one instance of evidence since you used the plural.

Regards,

John Phillips

I don't advocate any of these jackleg ways of connecting generators (Florida electrical professionals say as many people were hurt by generators AFTER Andrew than were hurt in the storm) but I have also wondered how much of this "dead lineman" stuff was true. I have to believe the locked rotor current of the 3 neighbor's A/C units, refrigerators and freezers on my pole pig would be enough to trip out any but the biggest gen set.

I am also curious how they deal with those folks who do intentionally and legally back feed the grid with home generated power.

I am not familiar with utility practices and have a question about this.

Is it typical for a lineman after a storm to restore fuses and service disconnects without practicing the safety procedures (testing for the presence of voltage, proper gounding, etc.) that you mentioned?

Improper backfeeding of service conductors is and should be considered a crime with severe penalties, of course.

I'm just wondering if some of the experts in the field would suggest that perhaps a change in procedure for utility crews such as increasing training to be aware of,and test for, potential backfeeding situations might help prevent some of these incidents where a lineman was killed or injured. Are you saying that some utilities are deficient in this training?

Beachcomber

A net-metered RE system must have an inverter/automatic transfer switch that automatically disconnects from the grid in the event of a loss of utility power. Utilities invariably require an accessible, well labelled disconnect outside the house, near the service entrance.

The utility generally inspects the installation VERY closely before allowing you to connect such a system to the grid.

Bob Weiss N2IXK

If fused disconnect switches are not capable of picking up load, then the circuit should be tested for potential before it is closed. Recognize that it will normally take a very large generator to be able to back feed any section of distribution line. There are several houses on the low voltage side of my own 13.8kV to 240 volt transformer and my 5kW unit is not capable of back feeding them. There are hundreds of houses in the line segment between disconnects.

No.

Regards,

John Phillips