Posted by Platt on June 4, 2006, 5:35 am
Living on the Texas Gulf Coast we found it necessary to buy a generator
this year. We are completely equipped except for the power cord.
I was told to buy a 240v cord with male receptors on both ends. During
an emergency: start the generator for about 5 minutes, turn off the
main power at the fuse box and all fuses. Plug one end of the cord
into the generator and then plug the other end into our dryer power
outlet. Go back to the switch box and turn on any 120v areas of the
house that I will be using power. (Basically the bedroom and kitchen).
Is this feasible? And does any one know where I can buy this cord?
Any other suggestions? Thanks!
Posted by GrtArtiste on June 4, 2006, 6:38 am
Platt wrote:
> Living on the Texas Gulf Coast we found it necessary to buy a generator
> this year. We are completely equipped except for the power cord.
> I was told to buy a 240v cord with male receptors on both ends. During
> an emergency: start the generator for about 5 minutes, turn off the
> main power at the fuse box and all fuses. Plug one end of the cord
> into the generator and then plug the other end into our dryer power
> outlet. Go back to the switch box and turn on any 120v areas of the
> house that I will be using power. (Basically the bedroom and kitchen).
> Is this feasible? And does any one know where I can buy this cord?
> Any other suggestions? Thanks!
Who gave you this advice? I'll wager that it wasn't an electrician. I
STRONGLY SUGGEST that you consult a qualified electrical contractor on
proper use of a generator during a power outage. Follow ALL the
instructions that came with the generator. When it comes to
electricity, those who don't know or aren't sure should not experiment.
Doing so puts both life and property at risk.
GrtArtiste
Posted by Nick Hull on June 4, 2006, 7:34 am
> Living on the Texas Gulf Coast we found it necessary to buy a generator
> this year. We are completely equipped except for the power cord.
>
> I was told to buy a 240v cord with male receptors on both ends. During
> an emergency: start the generator for about 5 minutes, turn off the
> main power at the fuse box and all fuses. Plug one end of the cord
> into the generator and then plug the other end into our dryer power
> outlet. Go back to the switch box and turn on any 120v areas of the
> house that I will be using power. (Basically the bedroom and kitchen).
> Is this feasible? And does any one know where I can buy this cord?
> Any other suggestions? Thanks!
>
It's called a 'suicide' cord and you cannot buy one because of
liability. If you are clever enough to use it safely you are clever
enough to make your own. No one will advise you to use one, but
sometimes it is an expedient.
--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/
Posted by Eric Sears on June 4, 2006, 7:37 am
>I was told to buy a 240v cord with male receptors on both ends. During
>an emergency: start the generator for about 5 minutes, turn off the
>main power at the fuse box and all fuses. Plug one end of the cord
>into the generator and then plug the other end into our dryer power
>outlet. Go back to the switch box and turn on any 120v areas of the
>house that I will be using power. (Basically the bedroom and kitchen).
>Is this feasible? And does any one know where I can buy this cord?
>Any other suggestions? Thanks!
Platt
Unfortunately asking a question like this on THIS newsgroup is going
to get you LOTS of negative feedback! - probably for good reason!
To answer your questions however -
"Is this feasible"? - yes, lots of people have done it (provided they
know what they are doing) - that doesn't mean its a good idea!
"Where can I buy the cord"? - I should think its impossibe. And if you
don't know enough to make one, you don't know enough to be doing it!
"Any other suggestions" - well doing it can kill people (linesmen;
people in your house who don't understand about live "plugs" when they
are pulled out).
It can also "smoke" your generator (BADLY) if you do something wrong -
and I guess potentially even appliances. I suppose its not beyond
reason that you could "smoke" your house - though I would think that
safely devices would cut things first.
Other suggestions - just get some multi-boxes and extension cords, and
run whatever you need to run from them. Sorry, but you won't be able
to run "hardwired" devices.
Alternatively, ask an electrician to install a "transfer switch", for
at least the circuits you want to be able to run (that's the correct
and best option).
I should point out that I am in NZ where we don't have this "double
voltage" system in houses. Everything generally runs on single phase,
230v - which makes life easy for generators. (Usually only businesses
use two or three phase power). So whether hooking up 240v in the way
you describe will actually "work" - I can't be sure. Others know much
more.
Best wishes
Eric Sears
Posted by GeekBoy on June 4, 2006, 1:01 pm
>>
>>I was told to buy a 240v cord with male receptors on both ends. During
>>an emergency: start the generator for about 5 minutes, turn off the
>>main power at the fuse box and all fuses. Plug one end of the cord
>>into the generator and then plug the other end into our dryer power
>>outlet. Go back to the switch box and turn on any 120v areas of the
>>house that I will be using power. (Basically the bedroom and kitchen).
>>Is this feasible? And does any one know where I can buy this cord?
>>Any other suggestions? Thanks!
> Platt
> Unfortunately asking a question like this on THIS newsgroup is going
> to get you LOTS of negative feedback! - probably for good reason!
> To answer your questions however -
> "Is this feasible"? - yes, lots of people have done it (provided they
> know what they are doing) - that doesn't mean its a good idea!
> "Where can I buy the cord"? - I should think its impossibe. And if you
> don't know enough to make one, you don't know enough to be doing it!
> "Any other suggestions" - well doing it can kill people (linesmen;
> people in your house who don't understand about live "plugs" when they
> are pulled out).
> It can also "smoke" your generator (BADLY) if you do something wrong -
> and I guess potentially even appliances. I suppose its not beyond
> reason that you could "smoke" your house - though I would think that
> safely devices would cut things first.
> Other suggestions - just get some multi-boxes and extension cords, and
> run whatever you need to run from them. Sorry, but you won't be able
> to run "hardwired" devices.
> Alternatively, ask an electrician to install a "transfer switch", for
> at least the circuits you want to be able to run (that's the correct
> and best option).
> I should point out that I am in NZ where we don't have this "double
> voltage" system in houses. Everything generally runs on single phase,
> 230v - which makes life easy for generators. (Usually only businesses
> use two or three phase power). So whether hooking up 240v in the way
> you describe will actually "work" - I can't be sure. Others know much
> more.
It is really not double voltage.
2 - 120volt lines are run together on the appliance
> Best wishes
> Eric Sears
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> this year. We are completely equipped except for the power cord.
> I was told to buy a 240v cord with male receptors on both ends. During
> an emergency: start the generator for about 5 minutes, turn off the
> main power at the fuse box and all fuses. Plug one end of the cord
> into the generator and then plug the other end into our dryer power
> outlet. Go back to the switch box and turn on any 120v areas of the
> house that I will be using power. (Basically the bedroom and kitchen).
> Is this feasible? And does any one know where I can buy this cord?
> Any other suggestions? Thanks!