Powering your home during power outages

[Lost But Happy]

FYI - Amazon day is here. I just bought a pair of 100AH LiFeP0 batteries for $140 each.
That gives us 600 amp-hours of silent reserve power. I have a 300W solar panel, but am thinking of getting another one for $219.

Along with the high-efficiency 4,000W inverter, they will run our essentials, at least for awhile. That will supplement the generator nicely for long term issues.

Would you have a linky to the batteries??

 

[Lost But Happy]

Would you have a linky to the batteries??

Never mind. Just saw your other thread lol

https://www.tinboats.net/threads/amazon-day-time-usb-lithium-on-sale-50ah-79-100ah-140.52171/

 

[moedelawn]

I have a 3-speed PTO- L-540 RPM, H- 860 RPM and belly- 2650 RPM I never use high for regular implements, but that might be perfect for a generator set.

My only question is will it produce "clean" or "dirty" power? Dirty power can damage electronics and hurt certain things like refrigerator compressors. I need to look into that. Right now, diesel is $2.89/gallon, but one gallon will run my tractor for hours. Diesel may be a cost-efficient source, but I don't have real-world figures to know for sure.

The 540 at the pto runs through a gearbox to turn the generator at 3600 rpm. The ones I’ve seen claim under 6 percent total harmonic distortion which should be okay with most electronic devices.The lower the better. They have them with avr and without. It would be best to get it with it. FYI I have no experience with the pto generator but my coworker has a tractor and was looking into it. Diesel is the most efficient fuel as far as gallons per hour but as stated it depends on how much the fuel costs that you use.

 

[Crazyboat]

The 540 at the pto runs through a gearbox to turn the generator at 3600 rpm. The ones I’ve seen claim under 6 percent total harmonic distortion which should be okay with most electronic devices.The lower the better. They have them with avr and without. It would be best to get it with it. FYI I have no experience with the pto generator but my coworker has a tractor and was looking into it. Diesel is the most efficient fuel as far as gallons per hour but as stated it depends on how much the fuel costs that you use.

I'm fairly ignorant when it comes to electricity, but isn't 6% rather high? I thought I read somewhere that power from the power company comes in around 3%. I'll see if I can look it up.

EDIT:
How much total harmonic distortion is acceptable?


The limits on voltage harmonics are thus set at 5% for THD and 3% for any single harmonic. It is important to note that the suggestions and values given in this standard are purely voluntary. However, keeping low THD values on a system will further ensure proper operation of equipment and a longer equipment life span.

On another answer page I got under 6% is acceptable, So there is that.

 

[Lost But Happy]

Get a battery backup with a built-in line conditioner (for your electronics) and you won't have to worry about it. Heck, the computer and router/modem will stay online while you are powering up the gen/PTO.

 

[Bantou]

I haven't made it through the entire thread yet so hopefully this has already been covered; but, just in case:

ANYTIME YOU HOOK UP AN ACTIVE BACK UP POWER SYSTEM TO YOUR HOUSE, ISOLATE YOUR HOUSE FROM THE POWER GRID.

If you don't, you will back feed onto the main system. Best case scenario, you burn up your back up system because the line is grounded out. Worst case, you kill the guys working to restore your power. Transformers work in both directions. If you send 120/240 to the transformer, it comes out at whatever the main line voltage is (in my area that is either 7,200V or 14,400V depending on location).

 

[GTS225]

And by charging those wires, you'll be giving free energy to your neighbor, assuming there's not a transformer just for your residence. You'll be pushing the 120/240 into the wires through your main breaker, and that will in turn, find it's way to a neighbor's panel, and he/she will think the power is back up.
Main breaker in the off position is your friend.

Roger

 

[Bantou]

And by charging those wires, you'll be giving free energy to your neighbor, assuming there's not a transformer just for your residence. You'll be pushing the 120/240 into the wires through your main breaker, and that will in turn, find it's way to a neighbor's panel, and he/she will think the power is back up.
Main breaker in the off position is your friend.

Roger

If the fuse over your transformer is still good, it will try to feed the entire primary circuit. Your house just became the substation until something (usually your generator) gives out.

 

[thill]

I can't imagine someone not knowing that, but good reminder!

 

[Bantou]

I can't imagine someone not knowing that, but good reminder!

I worked for the local power co-op for a number of years. You’d be surprised at what your “average” person doesn’t know.

I got called multiple times for an outage in one room of a house. Every time, all of the other rooms in the house had power and meter read hot but the customer was convinced that their power was out. I usually had to show them the tripped breaker before they would believe me that it wasn’t on our end…

Your “average” person is just barely smart enough to come in out of the rain and has just enough common sense to know the difference between breathing and swallowing. (Years of dealing with the public may have jaded me just a little though lol)

 

[KMixson]

Your “average” person is just barely smart enough to come in out of the rain and has just enough common sense to know the difference between breathing and swallowing. (Years of dealing with the public may have jaded me just a little though lol)

Yes. I have come across some that I am amazed they are able to walk upright. It boggles the mind.

 

[Ray Clark]

We upgraded our backup generator in 2019. The previous generator, a stationary 7KW unit that predated our ownership of the property, was all manually switched. When we moved in, I had an electrician friend come over and we worked out a safe step-by-step process for the start up and cutover. I had to install an indicator light that would show me when street power was available.

That whole process was 13 steps. I never did like it and the generator was problematic.

 

[Bantou]

The automatic switch gears have come along way and I believe it is standard practice to install one with a new generator/solar now. I know when I worked for the co-op, we required them on all new installs. I know several people that have a double male extension cord to backdoor their generator in through a wall socket though. As that is far outside of the established electrical codes, I will neither confirm nor deny if I have a similar apparatus and dedicated plug rated to handle the amperages involved lol.

 

[GTS225]

Ahhh, yes......"suicide cords".

Roger

 

[Bantou]

Ahhh, yes......"suicide cords".

Roger

Done by someone with the proper skills and knowledge, they are reasonably safe. Problems start when your average person sees it and decides that it’s a good idea.

 

[Crazyboat]

I worked for the local power co-op for a number of years. You’d be surprised at what your “average” person doesn’t know.

I got called multiple times for an outage in one room of a house. Every time, all of the other rooms in the house had power and meter read hot but the customer was convinced that their power was out. I usually had to show them the tripped breaker before they would believe me that it wasn’t on our end…

Your “average” person is just barely smart enough to come in out of the rain and has just enough common sense to know the difference between breathing and swallowing. (Years of dealing with the public may have jaded me just a little though lol)

Exactly, most people today (city/suburb) folks can't change their own tire or oil let alone hook up a generator properly. I would be among the latter. I'd just plug my fridge lamp and extra goodies into a power strip and run extension cords here and there until the power came back.

 

[thill]

Mine back-feeds through my 240V welder plug out in the shop. That way, we can use any circuit in the panel that we want.

The way to use "suicide cords" safely is to turn off the main breaker AND the breaker to the circuit you tie in through. Plug everything in and THEN start the generator. Then you turn on the circuit it's plugged into, and you have power.

Not something I would recommend to anyone. Just get a switch box and be safe.

 

[GTS225]

The biggest problem with suicide cords are they they will hang around after you're gone, and there's no telling who will get 'hold of it.

Roger

 

[airshot]

Looking around at the average folks today and the amount of common sense people display, .....I can only imagine the " safety" manual that would be required that the average Joe would never read....ouch..makes my head hurt thinking about all the house fires that could happen !!!

 

[Crazyboat]

Looking around at the average folks today and the amount of common sense people display, .....I can only imagine the " safety" manual that would be required that the average Joe would never read....ouch..makes my head hurt thinking about all the house fires that could happen !!!

At least I have enough common sense not to touch things I don't understand.