Bought my generator a year ago, figured they would be in short supply, prices have gone up.

So Wednesday the TV stations were covering emergency preparations, and there was a 15 min bit on generators. Lots of people buying them. I looked at all the carts of stuff people were buying with their generators as they were interviewed. Not one had the generator oil or cable and connectors needed to wire it in. I figured If they didn't know they needed that stuff, it was pretty good that their generator wouldn't be working, because they probably didn't know to disconnect the house from the grid before powering up, and would fry a lineman. I was feeling pretty smug. Was going to fill the gas cans in November, but decide to do it the next day on the way to work.

The yesterday, Floyd arrived and the wife calls and says the power is out. I go home, dig around in the dark garage and get the cable (big around as my thumb) and connectors (going to plug it into the clothes dryer connection). So I mess around and get the cable assembled, Back into the dark garage. Can't find the oil. I know I bought it. Get the big flashlight and Y2K batteries out of the dark basement. Find the oil (Wife "organized" the garage over the summer.) Got it all now. Generator, cable, gas, oil. Power goes on.

Wife says it's time for dinner. Run a test some other time. Sigh.

Walked over and tried to plug the cable in the generator. 220 female connector for the generator looks like the one for the dryer, but isn't. Got to get another new plug. I AM going to run that test soon.

Lesson learned, if it isn't tested, it isn't going to work.

-- ng (cantprovideemail@none.com), September 17, 1999

Answers

And all of 1999 for testing !!!

We interrupt this program to inform you that tests have been rescheduled for January 1, 2000. Happy New Year ;^)

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), September 17, 1999.

While finishing my basemant this year I ran a 10 guage, 3-conductor cable through the ceiling from the breaker box to a big 220 volt socket in the garage. An electrician friend installed a 30 amp breaker across both "sides" of the breaker box and attached a sheet of instructions inside the box written in very large, bold print. Step# 1 Throw the MAIN switch at the top to disconnnect the house from the grid. Step# 2 Switch generator breaker on. Step# 3 Go out to garage, plug male-to-male cord into generator and to 220V. socket in garage, locate generator in a safe place and start it up. Enjoy WHOLE house energized by generator. Now before all you Flamers flame me for having a potentially dangerous set up (the fact that the genset could send electricty back through the grid if the MAIN switch is not turned off) I have enough common sense, as well as knowledge about household electricty, not to let that happen. If the power were to go out while I'm not around I still don't need to worry because my wife is not strong enough to start the generator by herself. And if she were to recruit one of the neighbors to help, they would see the instructions posted at the breaker box and simply follow the procedures. The cost for the wire, plugs, breaker was about $50, far less than one of those idiot boxes that don't require you to think, just throw a switch.

-- rick (I'mset@home.house), September 17, 1999.

We were lucky this time. Power went off about a half dozen times, but only about 10 minutes max. We did have the Coleman going right next to the gen. If the power was off for more than about 1/2 hour, the sump would have been full, and it's no fun pumping that sucker out by hand!

SAFETY is very important!!!!! I think we're going to need all of the utility workers that we can find soon. We don't need to fry any of 'em by backfeeding your gen to the neighborhood!

Tick... Tock... <:00=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), September 17, 1999.

You are right about testing! I bought a large, expensive maglight flashlight at Sams club early in the spring.....Luckily, I did remove it from the package and test it - and it was defective! I had to return it for another one.....

-- mmmm (mmmm@aol.com), September 17, 1999.

The point about testing is crucial. Whether it is trying type of food that you are considering buying or testing your genertor, it is critical to test your contingency plan. Failure to test just means that your plan will fail... Testing gives you a chance to fix whatever you messed up...before you also have to deal with the disaster at the same time! A lot of the organizations that are writing Y2K contingency plans are not testing them. (Most organizations don't test their contingency plans...based on my auditing experience).

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), September 17, 1999.

Ng

I am glad you are preparing for Y2K but I am worried about your sequence of steps for hooking your electrical generator to your homes circuits. I am afraid your procedure still might kill a utility worker and you might damage/ruin the things you intend to power with your generator.

Here is your sequence :

Simply throwing your panel's MAIN switch is NOT adequate. You still could kill a utility worker because some of the circuits on your distribution panel may NOTgo through your panels MAIN disconnect switch. Often the circuit breakers for your furnace circuit, kitchen range circuit and air conditioner circuit connect to the "feed buses" in your panel. My homes Square D Company panel is this way. (Look at the diagram for the bus connections on your distribution panel's door because what I call here feed bus and circuitr bus might be reversed in your panel configuration.). The utility power feed is clamped directly onto the "upper bus" The MAIN switch connects / disconnects these "feer buses" to the panel's "circuit" buses which feed the circuit breakers for the other house circuits. The MAIN switch does not connect/disconnect the feed bus circuits - only the circuit bus circuits.

But the former owner of my house had also improperly (and naively) connected some house circuits to circuit breakers on the "feed bus". If I had plugged my generator output cable into a wall outlet on one of those improperly connected feed bus circuits I would be feeding 110 volts through the circuit breaker, the feed bus, then out through my home's big electrical feed cables to my neighbors and through step up transformers to utility workers. I might easily find my self guilty of man slaughter.

What is the solution? Simple. First take the cover off of your electric meter box and pull out the meter mechanism. Of course it is against utility company regulations but if Y2K hits, the localutility guys will thank you for not frying them. Secondly throw OFF each and everyone of your individual circuit breakers. Next go around your home and unplug everything - even those items you intend to power with your generator.

Do the following steps if you intend to power one of your circuits by plugging an extension cord from your generator into a wall outlet on that circuit. Plug your male-to-male extension cable (it is called a 'dongle' by computer networking geeks) into an outlet for your home. A male-to-male extension cord is dangerous to handle if either male end might be 'hot' with voltage. But throwing the circuit breakers and removing the utility meter will guarantee the circuit is not hot.

Your generator is not yet connected to anything. Note that it takes a few minutes for a generator to warm up and produce "clean" 110 volt power. Unclean power damages motors in your appliances and ruins electronics. So now start up your generator and give it a chance to warm up and stabilize its output voltage.

Now plug your extension cord into your generators output receptacles and throw the switch on the generator. Now go inside your home and plug in or turn on, one at a time, the things in your home you need to power with your generator. If your generator starts to falter or the lights flicker you know your generator is overloaded.

When your generator needs more gasoline you must shut down your generator or risk a deadly explosion. Do not pour gasoline into your generator's tank while your generator is running. Gasoline fumes are much more ignitable than the gasoline liquid. Explosions and burns are extremely nasty and you might not get any help from a fire department or hospital. Refuel the generator and wait a few minutes until the gas fumes have dispersed.

Shortly before refueling your generator, you should disconnect or power down all items in your home that you have been running off your generator. Why ? An electrical generator produces very "unclean" power when it starts up, shuts down or when there is a big change in the load of things it is powering.

Final point. Generators produce poisonous fumes. You might consider running a small house fan off your generator power outlet to continuously blow the generator exhaust fumes away from your home.

You are no good to your family if you are dead or disabled.

Regards, Ron

-- Ron (judy_sander@hotmail.com), September 18, 1999.

Previously posted at:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001QOU

I was gone 13-17Sep99 at Disney World. On 14Sep99 the Disney resort posted a memo on our door reading: Dear Guests:

Due to the proximity of Hurricane Floyd, the possiblitiy is imminent that ... blah blah ... do the following:

1. Due to high winds ... we advise you to stock non-perishable food items and keep them in your room.

2. Keep away from windows and stay on the far side of the room.

3. Keeep your connecting room doors open during periods when privacy is not necessary.

4. So that we may reach you in the event of an emergency, do not double lock your guest room door.

5. Leave your guest room blinds or drapes closed and all patio furniture in the room.

6. Fill your bathtub with cool water for an emergency back-up supply, should that be necessary.

7. Do not leave your room until personally notified.

Sincerely, General Manager

I especially liked "1. stock non-perishable food" and "6. fill your bathtub". Of course, I'm in Florida and all my preps are back home in Canada.

What's the difference between Hurrican Floyd and Y2K? Point 4 for Y2K should read:

4. Triple lock your door, lock and load your gun :-)

-- Cable_man (tlangan@iname.com), September 18, 1999.

Check out:

http://209.52.183.182/Generator/readers_rigs.htm

My favourite generator story is about the phone call I made to my brother-in-law while I was doing a final test before putting it away for long term storage. I was on the phone bragging about how I had my furnace, microwave, coffee maker, lights, refrigerator, freezer, TV and computer working all at the same time. I also had a 240 volt baseboard heater working. With a cup in hand, I told my brother-in- law to come over for "generator coffee" which I had just brewed. Through the whole conversation you could hear the drone of the generator in the background. All of a sudden it went quiet. It ran out of gas!

-- Cable_man (tlangan@iname.com), September 18, 1999.

Ron is correct. There are a number of safety issues to be considered when dealing with generators being connected to a home's wiring system. Not only are you to be concerned with KILLING linemen (women) but you may also do yourself in if you are not careful. You may even fry your generator if, while running it, the utiity comes back on line and you forgot to disconnect (via the main breaker) from the utility. This is a possibility if the utility power is available only intermitently and you are switching back and forth between utility and generator.

If you are unfamiliar with electrical systems, by all means contact a Professional.

If you would like more info on various aspects (care and feeding) of generators, check out "The Juice Page". Here's the link...

http://209.52.183.182/agitator/juice_page.htm

-- John F. (millenniumadrenaline@hotmail.com), September 19, 1999.