I guess one thing about the parallel wiring system usually you use a make after break double throw switch so you cannot put power on the mains.
The switch is designed such that it cannot make both contacts at the same time. I wonder why you did not go that route? Before I moved out here, I lived in FL. I was getting ready to put in a gen set and have backup power. Storms take out the power all of the time, lot of ESD, and FL lightning is pretty famous, always sacrifice at least 4 golfers in the early part of the rainy season to the lightning god. Indeed Tampa or someplace near- by (it moves around the area year by year) is considered the lightning capital of the country. I was getting ready to get one of those switches and install it. Since the install- ation was behind the meter and meter switch box I could put it in my self and have a certified electrician check my work. That was it. Big thing was that the switch be designed to where it could not connect gen set power to the mains. Those switches are very common. That is what I would have done and that way not have to go around moving all of the plugs. I would have non-essential parts of the home on circuits that I can isolate out so I am not powering a bunch of stuff I do not need. I was going to use a manual transfer as I wanted to be able to do a quick gander at things prior to doing the transfer. All of the important stuff was on UPS anyhow so it was not a big deal. On Wed, Apr 5, 2017 at 2:43 PM, Denis Heidtmann <[email protected]> wrote: > Very innovative wiring, John. And I like the idea of a natural gas > generator. Much less hassle and maintenance than gasoline. I have a small > gasoline generator but it has not been run in a number of years. Hard to > justify spending the $ for a switch to natural gas. > > -Denis > > On Tue, Apr 4, 2017 at 8:33 PM, John Jason Jordan <[email protected]> wrote: > > > On Tue, 4 Apr 2017 18:47:32 -0700 > > Denis Heidtmann <[email protected]> dijo: > > > > >Both your main storage and your backup run from the same power line in > > >the same house. What is the likelihood lightning or some other major > > >event could affect both at the same time? Low, but backups are > > >intended as insurance for low-likelihood events. Then there is > > >crypto-lock. I do not know about how that works and how different > > >backup schemes protect against it. > > > > First, my house has a 7500 watt natural gas powered generator on the > > covered back patio. It is not wired to a transfer switch that > > automatically turns it on and switches the house wiring to it in the > > event that PGE fails to send me its usual electrons. Instead, it is > > wired to various outlets around the house that say 'generator only on > > the cover plate. If the power from PGE fails then I have to go out to > > the back patio, turn on the generator, then go back inside and move > > everything that I need to have running to a 'generator only' outlet. > > > > In the meantime, the computers, routers, switches, internet devices, and > > even the stereo are all running on major APC UPS systems - three of > > them. They will power the electronics for a couple hours, so I don't > > need to be in a hurry to turn on the generator. And to keep the > > electronics running after I decide that I need to turn on the > > generator, all I need to reconnect to the 'generator only' outlets is > > the power cords from these UPS devices, plus the refrigerator, > > freezer, and some table lamps. I chose to wire the generator this way > > rather than using an automatic transfer switch is because 1) automatic > > transfer switches are expensive and, 2) automatic transfer switches > > require a permit. > > > > Regarding the permit, I had a very heated debate with the City of > > Portland, which ultimately I won. My major point was that my wiring was > > not connected in any way to the grid, hence it was impossible for it to > > electrocute a lineman working on a power pole out in the street. It is > > a completely private system. It helped my argument that I did all the > > wiring in my house myself and it all passed code inspections. > > > > As for lightning strikes, since all the electronics are running off the > > UPSs, and they have pretty good surge protection, I am not overly > > worried. > > > > Now, it's possible for something to happen that I have not foreseen, > > but then, you take some risks getting out of bed in the morning. You > > even take risks if you stay in bed. In the final analysis, we are all > > dead. In the meantime, I am satisfied with the precautions that I have > > taken. :) > > _______________________________________________ > > PLUG mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug > > > _______________________________________________ > PLUG mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug > -- Chuck Hast -- KP4DJT -- Glass, five thousand years of history and getting better. The only container material that the USDA gives blanket approval on. _______________________________________________ PLUG mailing list [email protected] http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
