# Danger in Backfeeding



## bluewing04 (Apr 28, 2010)

is there any danger in backfeeding your circuit box with a generator, while your main breaker if off.


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## Tarr Balls (Feb 10, 2010)

I am not an electrcian.

The power company does not want you to backfeed for safety reasons regarding their employees.

If your main breaker is in good working order it will prevent backfeeding into the power companys grid.

Otherwise the power company guys may receive an unexpected shock when working on equipment they believe to be dead or not live.

Beside the main breaker, you may have to turn off other breakers/circuits that would overload your generator.


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## carryyourbooks (Feb 13, 2009)

when ike did its damaged, there were a few deaths to lineman that died as a result of people backfeeding their generators through their dryer plugs.


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## Tarr Balls (Feb 10, 2010)

carryyourbooks said:


> when ike did its damaged, there were a few deaths to lineman that died as a result of people backfeeding their generators through their dryer plugs.


Thats why these are sold
http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/brand/reliance-transfer-switches.php

and good electrcians install them.

Dont try to do more than you understand.


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## jwomack (Jun 16, 2009)

if you have to ask, the answer is YES! consult a liscensed electrician and have him install an appropriate transfer switch


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## Pier Pressure (Aug 30, 2009)

carryyourbooks said:


> when ike did its damaged, there were a few deaths to lineman that died as a result of people backfeeding their generators through their dryer plugs.


This is so true, if you dont know what your doing with electricity, then dont mess with it. 
Now if you pull your meter you should be fine, but be carefull.


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## ElmerFudd (Feb 10, 2006)

bluewing04 said:


> is there any danger in backfeeding your circuit box with a generator, while your main breaker if off.


Depends on where you are measuring "danger".

If the main is off, there should be no danger to anything or anyone upstream of the breaker.

There is the chance of feeeding through 2 pole devices (dryers, stoves, AC's) depending on how things are hooked up from the generator, and what you are trying to feed.

If you have questions or reseverations about doing it your self, I would call for help. Nothing wrong with making sure that you dont hurt your self, family or property with a bad install job.


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## Sugar Land YAK (Jun 19, 2004)

*Lowes*

Lowes has this, I believe their price is $290.



Tarr Balls said:


> Thats why these are sold
> http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/brand/reliance-transfer-switches.php
> 
> and good electrcians install them.
> ...


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## Getursmokeon (Jan 18, 2010)

*back feeding*

My brother is a head lineman and say back feeding is very dangers to the linemans, as they are many times not expecting the line to be hot and get electricuted. My opinion is that you wish to do it you need an electrician to do it right so you are not sending power back on the grid and kill some who is just trying to help.


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

I was taught to always assume that the line is hot. Check it before you touch it to make sure it is a cold line. I do it every time I work on any kind of wiring. Even if I was the one that flipped the breaker.


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

This issue has been discussed at length in various other threads, but bottom line is if you aren't a competent electrician, hire one. Not only can you kill a lineman but you can kill yourself and possibly your family through fires from wires overheating, etc. Please do not try this as a simple DIY project, it is NOT.


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## Bassman5119 (Feb 26, 2008)

Bobby said:


> I was taught to always assume that the line is hot. Check it before you touch it to make sure it is a cold line. I do it every time I work on any kind of wiring. Even if I was the one that flipped the breaker.


Problem is though, lineman pulls up, checks line with meter, line is cold, starts working on it, goofy DIY'er fires up generator, boom, dead lineman. I pulled my meter during Ike, but am leaning toward one of the disconnects in the attached link. Don't want to share a prison cell with Thunder-**** because I did something stupid and killed a guy. And it will be involuntary manslaughter if you are caught...


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## dicklaxt (Jun 2, 2005)

Here's another thing people don't think of or know of,,,,,,, if your breaker were closed and your generator was putting out 240 volts,you are then feeding 240 volts into the originally designed 240 volt secondary output terminals of the transformer on the pole in your backyard or someplace close by,,,,, you are now using that output terminal as an input terminal and the high voltage side of that transformer lets say is designed for 4160 volt input you are now using it as a output where you are putting out 4160 volts from the transformer primary windings by backfeeding it with 240 volts and changing its use to a boost transformer,,,,,,,this would be a pretty quick happening before it cleared itself but it doesn't take long to cause upstream problems.



dick


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## ClayExplorer21 (Jul 19, 2010)

You cannot back feed onto there lines you could kill someone. If you have a big stationary generator you will need a transfer switch installed by a electrician. If it is portable then you can use the main breaker as the transfer switch turn it off then turn on the generator hooked up with a cord. But the plug must be installed by a electrican or atleast someone that knows what he is doing you could potentially kill someone.


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