HURRICANE emergency OTOT

[Sarah Fox]

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Hi Jim,

>>I'd be REALLY cautious about hooking any generator into ones home =
wiring by myself.  It might be a good idea to have an electrician =
prepare a hook-up point, with proper instructions.

Good advice, but if you're stuck, you're stuck.  In fact I'm planning on =
wiring a more convenient and fool-proof connect for our house -- some =
day.  Of course if I were an electrician, doing this work for someone =
else, I'd have to consider that there are liability issues, because =
*somebody* will mess up with even the simplest instructions.  I don't =
think there are any electrical codes concerning the hookup of a portable =
generator, so if the electrician is sued, he can't defend himself by =
saying, "I did it by the book."  Personally, I think I'd tell my clients =
not to hook in to the household wiring and to simply run extension cords =
everywhere.  Liability issues would melt away!

Oh yeah...  I forgot...  A lot of people like to backfeed their power =
through the 30A, 220V clothes dryer circuit.  Dryer plugs have two "hot" =
contacts and a bare ground.  I don't like this method, because I don't =
like feeding current through the ground wire.  Also, the bare prongs of =
an unplugged connector can be quite dangerous if the generator is =
running.  Still, some folx prefer this method because they don't have to =
crack open the breaker panel.  Perhaps this method is safer for *them*, =
all things considered.  Cracking open the breaker panel is safer for =
*me*, because I know my way around electrical equipment and can do a =
more electrically proper job.

I suspect the best way to do an emergency generator connect, if the =
equipment is available, would be to switch the household wiring between =
the power lines and a male, 4-prong connector, using an enormous DPDT =
switch.  (Are these available?)  That way, the prongs of the connector =
would never be energized with power from the power lines, and generator =
power would never back-feed through the power lines.  (Fool proof.)  A =
cable would of course run from the male connector on the household =
wiring to the female connector on the generator.  The breakers on the =
generator would protect the feed line, and no further breakers would be =
required.  Thoughts?

Of course the ultimate system would be a large, self-starting, =
permanently wired diesel generator, but who can afford anything like =
that?  ;-)
   =20
I also forgot:  Folks, if your wiring gets flooded, especially with salt =
water, you have other issues to consider!!  If you're competent with =
electricity and electronics, you'll need to unplug / switch off =
*everything* in your house and test all of your circuits for =
crossconductivity.  There should of course be none.  If there is, then =
you will need to replace some lines.  Electricians might tell you =
otherwise, because this is hard, expensive work, but IMO, a =
saltwater-soaked line with crossconductivity should always be replaced =
-- no exceptions.  If the line is soaked with fresh water, it can =
probably be dried out satisfactorily and be perfectly safe.  This *is* a =
job for a professional, though.  If in doubt, just run extension cords =
until you can have someone check out your wiring.

Peace,
Sarah

PS I made this an OT thread, but the OT got deleted.  Perhaps the =
topical relevance of this post is that you'll be able to dry out your =
houses and shops much better and faster with power, and you'll be able =
to run your DC systems.  Thus, your pianos (and your customers' pianos) =
won't take as serious a beating.


  >>I'd hate to think there might be a line on a coroners electrocution =
report . . .  "he read something on a piano mail list . . ."

  LOL!!  Well, as I said, use at your own risk.  ;-)

  Peace,
  Sarah



  =
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  Jim Kinnear
  www.kinnearpiano.com
  Collingwood, ON, Canada

  The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but =
progress
  =20
   -- Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) French Philosopher

    ----- Original Message -----=20
    From: Joe Garrett=20
    To: pianotech=20
    Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2004 11:20 PM
    Subject: Re: HURRICANE emergency..........


    Sarah said: "You also can't take warm showers (if you're =3D
    electric), and food preparation is difficult"

    Sarah,
    Even if you have a gas hot water heater, it's triggered by electric =
cellanoids(sp?). So Gas is of no help either. Main reason I have a Wood =
Stove, is, I can cook on it, heat water and stay warm, as well. (One =
gets heated more than once with wood heat!<G>)
    Best Regards,
    Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
    Captain, Tool Police
    Squares R I
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