I haven't had time to visit the group much lately, but I'm still here, and still preparing for TEOTWAWKI... ... as well as more practical, short-term survival issues, like the all-too-frequent power outages here during blizzards and ice storms in recent years (global cooling?). I live in Northern NY State, where we seem to have a 2-6 day power outage at least once every year or two, usually during the coldest part of winter. I picked up a Generac, industrial generator, 5kw (sustained), powered by a 10hp Robin gasoline engine. I'm told it will run for 12-14 hours straight on one 5-gallon tank of gas and an oil change. I keep it in a shed about 10 feet from my house. Plenty of gas, oil,  and stablizer on hand. The generator has four, breaker-backed outlets: two 110's and two 220's, one a NEMA L6-30 amp, same as the clothes dryer recepticle I installed in my _base_ment a few years back. My housed is heated with a boiler and _base_board radiators. Hot water and stove are courtesy of natural gas. In the past, I've heated the house with the stove-top (oven won't light without power to the sensor), and I _REALLY_ don't like the idea of an open flame in my kitchen for several days in a row, especially while sleeping. The cost of having a professional panel-box job done to meet code is _OUT_ of the question. I don't have the $$$ and I only need once every year or two -and  only if the power is out for more than 5-6 hours. I've been reading extensively about backfeeding to the 220-volt recepticle and at least one person in every forum says NEVER do it! You'll kill youself, and/or a lineman, blow up your generator, burn your house down, catch scabies, etc.! But SERIOUSLY... as long as I don't forget to open the main breaker before hooking up to the generator and disconnecting the generator before closing the main breaker (and I WON'T forget), what are the real dangers to backfeeding??? I've talked to a few people who've done this all their lives without incident.  Any professionals out there who can tell me the truth without getting hysterical??? Here's my plan... When the grid goes off: 1)  Build a 40' cord (10/3 Romex) with male NEMA L6-30s (maybe 50s) at each end. 2)  Throw (open) main 3)  Throw (open) all other breakers 4)  Fire up generator and let run for 5 minutes to stablize current 5)  Plug in cord, first to house recepticle, then to generator. 6)  Close  220 breaker on main box 7)  Close breaker to furnace circuit (circulation pump/thermostat), refrigerator, and circuits to flourescent lights in kitchen and bath 8)  Run an extension cord into the house from the 110 outlets on the generator to power individual appliances one or two at a time as needed (TV, computer, radio, etc. - NO Microwave) When the grid comes back up: 1)  Open 220 breaker 2)  Turn off generator 3)  unplug cords to generator at both ends 4)  Close main breaker I honestly don't see how I can feed power back into the grid by mistake, unless, like I said, I forget to open the main- which I WILL NOT do.  I live alone, so there's no danger of anyone else F***ing things up. What is the REAL danger in doing this? *  Overheating the panel??? *  Main breaker failure???? (But HOW????) Thanks for any REALISTIC advice. Well, given that you already know this is against code.... Here are some items to double check. *Always* plug the 'suicide cord' into the load first before the generator (plug into dryer receptacle first).  Otherwise, the exposed blades on the plug at that end will be 'hot' from the generator when you go to pick it up. If your cord includes a neutral, then you don't really need a separate 110 cord.  Just turn on 110 branch circuits one at a time and they will get powered from the neutral and one of the 'hot' leads in dryer circuit. Since the service panel neutral will be connected to grounding rod (if *that* part of your installation is code compliant), then that will probably be enough of a ground for you.  Of course, if the neutral lead from generator to dryer rect or from dryer to service panel opens up, you may have some mismatched voltages on any 110 circuits. Of course, if you just run extension cords into home (110 & 220 versions) and unplug equipment from house wiring and plug into extension cords, you don't have any problems at all.  Put suitable plug/recpt on your furnace and you can run that on an extension cord too.  No code problem, little hazard at all. daestrom P.S.  And why not microwave? P.P.S.  *NOBODY* ever *intends* to forget to open the main.  And yet..... (sh__ happens).

But SERIOUSLY... as long as I don't forget to open the main breaker before hooking up to the generator and disconnecting the generator before closing the main breaker (and I WON'T forget), what are the real dangers to backfeeding??? That you, or someone WILL forget to open that breaker and kill someone. At which point the heavens will open and your life (and the wife and kids of the dead people) will be turned to shit, now and forever amen. Not to mention if the power comes on, and you happen to still be connected..the transformer on the pole explodes milliseconds after your genset turns into a small but lethal fireball. Go to Home Depot, etc and buy a transfer switch. They are commonly available now for less than $200.  You can do it yourself if you are handy. Oh..and never check for gas leaks or the level in your fuel tank with a lit match.  _base_d on your post..I had to add that, in order to save your life or the life of someone else, as it appears you dont think very far ahead.  Shrug. Gunner At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child - miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosphy of sniveling brats.

P.P.S.  *NOBODY* ever *intends* to forget to open the main.  And yet..... (sh__ happens). Yes. Granted. But that only happens to stoopid people. Right? Many stupid people are to stupid to know that they are stupid. Refusing to listen to others warnings regarding standard safety procedures is commonly a sign of stupidity.

1)  Build a 40' cord (10/3 Romex) with male NEMA L6-30s (maybe 50s) at each end. Make this cord go into your breaker box feed, and instead of buying two mail connectors, just buy a female plug and put it on the meter side. Then just unplug the breaker from the meter and plug it into the generator. Trailer house supply houses have plugs just for power entire houses. Why insist of doing something that can get someone else killed if you foul up? Are you some kind of irresponsible jack ass?

What is the REAL danger in doing this? Life in prison for manslaughter / negligent homicide if you get it wrong and the fact that you will have destroyed a life and probably a family. N