Diesel vs Propane Home Backup Generator

[D2Cat]

Sounds to me like the answer would be to relocate the generator closer to the house, buy the mentioned switching device, and be safe with less cost.

 

[torch]

I guess I should have been dead long ago.
Nearly everything with airplane operation requires the use of checklists!
There are few truly automatic interlocks.

New generator checklist:
1) buy appropriate generator
2) buy interlock safety switch
3) hire licensed electrician to install above.

A pilot, doesn't get to pick and choose which checklists he or she agrees with. I mean seriously, you wouldn't take off without, say, flaps installed for example, right? Every piece of hardware that is required by the FAA or other authority having jurisdiction is there for a reason. Generally arising from the hard lessons of past experience. Yes, you might get away with it -- until you don't. In this case, the AHJ has specified the installation must conform to the rules set out in the NECC. There's your checklist.

Back to the original subject: failed diesel installations can burn down the house (or barn, or whatever). Failed gas installations can blow up the neighbourhood. I've been to a few of those, both NG and LPG fueled including the Etobicoke Mall and Sunrise Propane.

Come to think of it, both of those resulted from failing to follow proscribed regulations.

 

[fried1765]

New generator checklist:
1) buy appropriate generator
2) buy interlock safety switch
3) hire licensed electrician to install above.

A pilot, doesn't get to pick and choose which checklists he or she agrees with. I mean seriously, you wouldn't take off without, say, flaps installed for example, right? Every piece of hardware that is required by the FAA or other authority having jurisdiction is there for a reason. Generally arising from the hard lessons of past experience. Yes, you might get away with it -- until you don't. In this case, the AHJ has specified the installation must conform to the rules set out in the NECC. There's your checklist.

Back to the original subject: failed diesel installations can burn down the house (or barn, or whatever). Failed gas installations can blow up the neighbourhood. I've been to a few of those, both NG and LPG fueled including the Etobicoke Mall and Sunrise Propane.

Come to think of it, both of those resulted from failing to follow proscribed regulations.

I surrender!
You are correct.
Checklists are unreliable for all uses, except for aircraft.
Now...... I must go test run my 30+ year old electric start, Honda 6.5 KW, water cooled, OHV, generator, to make sure all is well !

 

[lynnmor]

Sorry Lynn I wasnt yelling at you, sometimes I just yell,, a product of being old.. Now, running a gen set to the house, you need to figure the distance = line loss, so you can figure out how large the wire should be, the longer the run the larger the wire.
And when you run the line, you run it in to 2 separate breakers assuming you ran 240 VAC to the house.

This is called back feeding annnnnnnd is frowned upon, with out an inter lock. However when the main breaker is thrown into the OFF or OPEN position , the gen will not back feed in to the main power grid. Many, many people do it this way, now is it legal,,, ahh not so much, does it work yes it does.
Anyone that does it this way would be in violation of the NEC, and open to legal actions should any thing transpire,,,,,, and like they say it is only illegal if you get caught

There is not one inch of wire installed on my property that was done by anyone but me. There was an inspection done that was required before the poco would connect. I have the main panel installed at one end of the house and power goes to the opposite end thru the garage, then thru the machine shop and on to the barn. The only "safe" method would be an interlock at the main panel shutting down the power to the outbuildings. I choose to simply use my checklist and not be paranoid about this. It sure is nice having the generator and fuel at the barn.