Jan, At a minimum, use an appropriate interlock on your service panel. They can even be made DIY from a flat piece of stock and this shows that you at least attempt to make it safe. For an example see this Ebay listing of an interlock to create a transfer switch on a GE Panel: http://www.ebay.com/itm/GE-200B-General-Electric-GE-Generator-interlock- kit-200A-Panel-Transfer-Switch-/291005581147
There are plenty other possibilities - two opposite dual ganged breakers can be interlocked to create a transfer switch and it is even simple to wire up an automatic transfer switch using 2 standard contactors with 240V coils. Preferably one has an additional NC (normally closed) contact that can be used to sense when the grid has powered down and this contactor is disengaged (coil to utility input), with the NC contact in series with the second contactor coil and powered by the genset, it will close the second contactor as soon as the genset is started but will drop the genset contactor out as soon as the grid comes back. Totally safe and automatic transfer for a low cost with 2 standard contactors. Why live dangerously? Note that if you have a 200A service and the genset can deliver 60A then you can a 200A and a 60A contactor in this setup, they do not need to be equal in current. The utility contactor should have the extra NC contact to open the genset contactor when the grid is on. If you can find a DPDT contactor that makes an even easier setup - connect both the coil and the NO contacts to the genset, the NC contacts to the grid and the center connection to the house (service panel input). When you start the genset it disconnects the grid and connects the home to the genset automatically. I see that David Rhoden also uses the manual interlock on the service panel similar to what I quoted as first option. Cor van de Water Chief Scientist Proxim Wireless office +1 408 383 7626 Skype: cor_van_de_water XoIP +31 87 784 1130 private: cvandewater.info http://www.proxim.com This email message (including any attachments) contains confidential and proprietary information of Proxim Wireless Corporation. If you received this message in error, please delete it and notify the sender. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, or copying of any part of this message is prohibited. -----Original Message----- From: EV [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jan Steinman via EV Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 2:37 PM To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List Subject: Re: [EVDL] What You Need To Know To Wire A Garage EVSE > From: EVDL Administrator via EV <[email protected]> > > Nor do I see much hazard in adding a cord and plug. Y'mean like the cord and plug I wired to go into the dryer outlet... with a 15 kW generator on the other end? :-) I am careful to follow a certain sequence that begins with throwing the main breaker and genset breaker, then plugging the plug into the dryer outlet and the genset BEFORE turning on the genset breaker. That does make it hard to know when the power comes back on, though. Gotta keep an eye on the neighbour's lights. I've thought about sticking a little NE-2 bulb or Sonalert on the utility side of the main breaker, but haven't worked up the nerve yet. :::: Jan Steinman, EcoReality Co-op <http://www.ecoreality.org/> :::: _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/ Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA) _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/ Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
