OT: generator for ice storm

[Brad]

> Just don't feed your entire house off a 18 guage extension cord!
> 
> I'm used to fixing electrical disasters at work, so I have an eye for what 
> doesn't work.  Use connectors rated for at least the circuit breaker 
> rating, use heavy guage wire (10 guage is plenty for 30 amp overload) and 
> route your wiring neatly and you should have any problems.
> 
> I'm not sure if a generator hooked up to a live circuit will sync or not. 
> The peaking generators I worked with only kicked the main breaker when it 
> was synced at engine temperature.  I guess if a circuit breaker the size 
> of a television can protect a 1,600,000 watt load if it was out of sync, I 
> don't see your house blowing up over an comparibly insignificant 5,500 
> watts.
> 
> If you are feeding your neighborhood, your generator's circuit breaker is 
> likely to trip.  That's a large load.  Worst case you could burn out every 
> electrical device in your neighborhood, because all their electric motors 
> are off frequency and undervoltage.
> 
> If you have a voltmeter that measures frequency, be sure to check that it 
> doesn't get too carried away from 60Hz and 120 volts.  AC motors 
> syncronize to the frequency.  70Hz may start to magnetically slip inside 
> and burn up, especially if the voltage hasn't been increased to match the 
> frequency curve.  If the generator's frequency can't be controlled, you 
> will be witnessing a fun science experiment in action.
> 
> UPS supplies are nice with a generator.  Have them next to important 
> things like your televisions and lights if you need to refuel.  If you 
> have a really big UPS, you can cover the whole house.  Such units complete 
> with switchgear are becoming popular surplus items.  One of the guys on 
> the list gave me a few 10KVA units (3,000 pounds each!)  They recreate a 
> perfect sine wave at an exact voltage and frequency of your choice, 
> regardless how wild your generator gets.
> 
> Its nice running everything in the house when the power is out.  Being in 
> the dark with the one you love in front of the fireplace may be romantic, 
> but it becomes a chore real quick!
> 
> -=Duane
> http://dattaway.org
> 
> 

Thanks Duane.  I am running about 10-12 feet of 10 gauge water resistant
wire in a window and into the ac breaker.  I will have the black wire
connected to one breaker, the red wire into the other breaker, and both
the green and white connected to the grounding block in the box.  

When I throw the main, am I totally off the grid?  Is there any chance
that poor wiring in the house could make this unsafe?  I have a new 120
amp service that was inspected by the city, but I cannot swear all the
wiring in the house is the greatest...it's an older home.

BTW, I am the one on the list that gave you those UPS's...sounds like
they are getting good use.

Thanks,

Brad