Started By
Message

Backfeeding Generator

Posted on 7/11/19 at 9:34 am
Posted by Ice Cream Sammich
Baton Rouge
Member since Apr 2010
10129 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 9:34 am
This is all hypothetical and a Interlock kit is placed on the breaker panel making everything legal.

I am too late getting a generator for this storm, but will have one for the next one. I am looking at a 9000w / 12,000w surge generator from HD. The generator has a 30A outlet and a 50A. The generator has a maximum output of 36A through the 50A.

Can I backfeed a 30A dryer outlet using the 50A plug? Reason I want to use the 50A is because I will be using a 50' 50A cord and know there will be resistance and loss that distance. The 50A outlet on the generator is 120/240, this is fine to use, right?

Generator
Posted by tenfoe
Member since Jun 2011
6915 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 10:06 am to
If you have time to prep and can afford a 9000w generator, you should pay an electrician to fix you up a proper connection to avoid backfeeding through a dryer plug
.
Posted by Boat Motor Bandit
Member since Jun 2016
1891 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 10:11 am to
Yes you'll be fine with the 50 amp 120/240. But honestly I wouldn't use the dryer and any other big amp draw at the same time. Like AC and the dryer at same time may trip you on a small 9000 with your regular draw of lights and appliances. I wouldn't put anything less than a 12.5 with a 15 surge on a home.
Posted by Ice Cream Sammich
Baton Rouge
Member since Apr 2010
10129 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 10:20 am to
Dryer and water heaters are gas. Won’t be washing clothes or running central ac.

Just fridges, freezers, lights during day.
Large window unit at night.
Posted by No8Easy2
in these ( . ) ( . ) 's
Member since Mar 2014
11757 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 10:27 am to
Commercial electrician for LUS
Yes you can do this, just make sure you have a generator breaker installed for the interlocking kit
And don’t ever use the word “backfeeding” around an electrician, we don’t like it...
Posted by SpeckledTiger
Denham Springs
Member since Jul 2010
1482 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 10:32 am to
I installed a proper transfer switch on a subpanel. The piece of mind of knowing it was done correctly and not killing a lineman was worth the cost.
Posted by Ice Cream Sammich
Baton Rouge
Member since Apr 2010
10129 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 10:34 am to
quote:

Commercial electrician for LUS

Perfect. So, a generator that puts out 36A going through a 50' cord will not overload a 30A dryer receptacle?
Not running any larger appliances nor central AC, so I dont see it ever calling for full 36A anyways.

quote:

And don’t ever use the word “backfeeding” around an electrician, we don’t like it...


Understandable. Please give preferred term.
Posted by No8Easy2
in these ( . ) ( . ) 's
Member since Mar 2014
11757 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 11:11 am to
quote:

generator that puts out 36A going through a 50' cord will not overload a 30A dryer receptacle?


The generator is only putting out the required draw of the dryer, standard dryer is 30A
So you’re fine just make sure that 50’ extension cord is rated for that load


quote:

Preferred term


you used the word correctly
It’s just after almost every outage we see what back-feeding does , people do some stupid shite



Posted by Ice Cream Sammich
Baton Rouge
Member since Apr 2010
10129 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 11:34 am to
quote:

So you’re fine just make sure that 50’ extension cord is rated for that load

50A cord plugged into 50A outlet on generator. Generator only feeds 36A MAX. Using 50A and not 30A outlet due to length of cord and figured 50A would carry it better. Will step down to a 30A 4 prong plug for dryer.
Posted by Hammertime
Will trade dowsing rod for titties
Member since Jan 2012
43031 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 11:42 am to
Just get a breaker, some wire, and wire it to your panel. That way, you'll be staring at the main shut-off when you go to hook up the generator
Posted by NASA_ISS_Tiger
Huntsville, Al via Sulphur, LA
Member since Sep 2005
8150 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 2:31 pm to
quote:

It’s just after almost every outage we see what back-feeding does , people do some stupid shite


Yeah..here's a story of "stupid shite". 4/27/2011 all of Madison County Alabama got hit with tornadoes and the whole county was out of power for a week. There was an idiot in the trailer park we lived it at the time who forgot to kill his main. He powered up the generator and for a split second powered up everyone in the park until the overcurrent kicked in. He "Backfed" the grid. Total idiot. I'm glad there wasn't a lineman working on the line had it been like a transformer or something local to blow...he might have hurt the guy. That's the kind of backfeeding idiot stories I've heard.

We just ran our to surge protectors and lots of extension cords until we could get it done right. Swapped the circuits at night for AC and back in the daytime for the Frig and TV.
Posted by No8Easy2
in these ( . ) ( . ) 's
Member since Mar 2014
11757 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 3:07 pm to
Yes sir been doing this 20yrs and those are the kind of stories and stuff that happens almost every time the power goes down, people just have this misconception of what it’s doing outside of their homes and have no idea of the danger of hooking up that generator to their panel incorrectly
shite I’ve had to replace meter boxes because people pulled it and tried to tie in an extension cord
And those damn male to male “ suicide cords” no just no
Posted by alphaandomega
Tuscaloosa-Here to Serve
Member since Aug 2012
15594 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 3:31 pm to
I have a Generac with auto switch. My neighbor does not and we lost power for a week or so a couple of years ago. He pulled his meter and wired a generator into his panel and . He made a plastic cover to cover the lugs where the meter had been.

Seemed shady but I guess it worked. After he removed the meter and hooked up his generator he used a clamp meter to verify there was no reverse feed.


Posted by thejudge
Westlake, LA
Member since Sep 2009
14711 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 9:46 pm to
I can't install an interlock where my main cutoff is.

I do have all the proper hardware ( no suicide cord)as well as labels everywhere to kill the main first. In addition I lock my panel shut once I kill the main so no one has access except me while my generator is running.
Posted by mdomingue
Lafayette, LA
Member since Nov 2010
37462 posts
Posted on 7/12/19 at 8:27 am to
Your title and description here are horrible. People reading it are understandably thinking you want to power your dryer with the generator. Context clues make me think you want to backfield your electrical panel (not backfeed your generator) with your generator through your dryer plug/breaker.

Can you do that? Yes.

Are there risks? Yes

Could the generator output enough current to trip the 30 amp breaker, definitely, it just depends on what you try to run and when things kick on.

So a word or 2 of advice, don’t plug in your generator or turn on you dryer breaker until you have turned off you main breaker to the panel, even if the electric has failed. Do not turn your main breaker back on until after you have unplugged the generator and tripped you dryer breaker. Other wise, you could back feed your generator and you definitely don’t want to do that.

Posted by Hammertime
Will trade dowsing rod for titties
Member since Jan 2012
43031 posts
Posted on 7/12/19 at 9:27 am to
quote:

don’t plug in your generator or turn on you dryer breaker until you have turned off you main breaker to the panel
This is why I always set people up with an extra breaker in the panel. It's easy to plug a plug in and forget about it. When you're looking at your breaker box to connect the generator, you are looking at your main breaker. Plus, you shouldn't be switching everything on at the same time, so you're gonna be in the box anyway
Posted by DownshiftAndFloorIt
Here
Member since Jan 2011
69006 posts
Posted on 7/12/19 at 10:20 am to
This is something that I ain't helping people do via internet. I'll come to your house and do it for you but if you dont understand how this works please dont try it. You can kill yourself or someone else if you do it wrong.

Again, if you're reading a message board to get advice on how to do this, you dont understand it well enough and should not be doing it
Posted by mdomingue
Lafayette, LA
Member since Nov 2010
37462 posts
Posted on 7/12/19 at 10:35 am to
quote:

This is something that I ain't helping people do via internet. I'll come to your house and do it for you but if you dont understand how this works please dont try it. You can kill yourself or someone else if you do it wrong.

Again, if you're reading a message board to get advice on how to do this, you dont understand it well enough and should not be doing it



I go back and forth, should probably have said the OP should get competent help with him onsite. My concern is always that the guy will do it anyway which is why I offer advise but you are probably wiser in your approach.
Posted by DownshiftAndFloorIt
Here
Member since Jan 2011
69006 posts
Posted on 7/12/19 at 10:56 am to
quote:

My concern is always that the guy will do it anyway


Same. I go back and forth with it also. Info is all over google both correct and incorrect.
Posted by No8Easy2
in these ( . ) ( . ) 's
Member since Mar 2014
11757 posts
Posted on 7/12/19 at 12:55 pm to
I told him I’d go help for smoked meat and white cans
Patiently Waiting.....
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 3Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookXInstagram