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Twist-Lock vs Normal Plugs and Outlets on 220V Tools

Stuart Ablett said:
Don, in the event of a power outage you "Back Feed" power into the panel?

Do I understand this to mean that you have power flow from the generator through a regular outlet on the wall somewhere so that all the circuits in your workshop, or house have power?

If that is true, I sure hope you turn the main breaker off at the service, so that your house is isolated from the grid completely, because if you don't do that, some lineman up on a boom truck fixing the problem could get killed. There are also some other issues dealing with how the one outlet is hooked up to the panel and how the 240v from the generator gets fed in and becomes 120v etc.

If it was me, I'd just use extension cords, or I'd spend the money and get a transfer switch installed.

FYI :wave:
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Trust me stu, the main goes off as well as all of the AC units and the other major electric loads. I only have 8000 watts to play with so it some lighting, refrigerators and a few fans.
 
Don Baer said:
Trust me stu, the main goes off as well as all of the AC units and the other major electric loads. I only have 8000 watts to play with so it some lighting, refrigerators and a few fans.
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I figured as much Don, but I had to ask to check, I'm the son, grandson, nephew, brother, and cousin of electricians, so I'm a bit sensitive to these kinds of issues :D..... shocking as that might be :rolleyes: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
 
Don Baer said:
My portable generator, a Coleman Powermate uses the non twist type, That why I went with then in the shop, I have a double ended cord so I can back feed the power panel in the event of a loss of power through the shop.
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Double ended cord is a scary feature. Or should I say.... A Shocking Feature :eek:
 
Bill Simpson said:
Double ended cord is a scary feature. Or should I say.... A Shocking Feature :eek:
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I was inspecting a house and found some orange extension cord coming out of the panel with a male end on it. The guy tied it to it's own breaker and just plugged the extension cord into it from his Generator to back feed the house.

Knuckle head never thought about the electrocution hazard and if I remember correctly it was hot when I did my inspection. Could have killed a family member so easy. :bang:
 
shows what I know I thought all the 220 lines will have those twist and lock plugs. I decided to just let the electrician put a line on the center cross beam around 7 feet off the ground, so I can plug in any 220 machine one at time when I need to use it.
 
Stuart Ablett said:
Don when you say "the main goes off" does that also mean the neutral is disconnected?

Just curious :wave:
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If it is the typical residential panel we use in the USA then only the two hots are disconnected. There are deadly risks by reverse feeding a house through an outlet and why a transfer switch should be used. I know people do this quite often without taking into consideration the potential current they are sending back into the grid through ALL of the conductors.

But I don't believe the common needs to be disconnected even when using a transfer switch as long as it is properly bonded and grounded.

connecting_generator.GIF
 
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why not install a dedicate line with the minimum number of outlets for your lights and fridge/freezer for your portable generator then you will not need to disconnect the electric meter to prevent the electric from flowing back up the line
 
Dan,

I'm sorry that I didn't get back to you sooner. Blew up a hard drived and had to wait for parts. I've been retired so long that I don't have any of that type of information available to me.

You might try Wiring Device Division of Hubbell, Inc. in Broadview, Illinois.

Bruce
 
I don't have any 220 tools, but none of the 110's have any kind of lock other than friction... all my plugs are about 4 ft up on the wall and most of the tools are set so that no cords run across the floor to trip on anyway...
 
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