<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; =
charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1458" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Jim,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>>>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Of course the ultimate system would be a large, =
self-starting,
permanently wired diesel generator, but who can afford anything like =
that?
;-)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV></FONT><FONT size=2> </FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Peace,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Sarah</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>>>I'd hate to think there might be a line on =
a
coroners electrocution report . . . "he read something on a =
piano mail
list . . ."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>LOL!! Well, as I said, use at your own =
risk.
;-)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Peace,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Sarah</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV><FONT size=2>
=
<DIV><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------=
---------<BR>Jim
Kinnear<BR><A
=
href="http://www.kinnearpiano.com">www.kinnearpiano.com</A><BR>Collingw=
ood,
ON, Canada</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but
progress<BR> <BR> -- Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) French
Philosopher<BR></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=joegarrett@earthlink.net =
href="mailto:joegarrett@earthlink.net">Joe
Garrett</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, September 04, =
2004
11:20 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: HURRICANE
emergency..........</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sarah said: "<FONT face="Times =
New Roman"
size=3>You also can't take warm showers (if you're =
=<BR>electric), and food
preparation is difficult"</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sarah,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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>)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Best Regards,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.<BR>Captain, =
Tool
Police<BR>Squares R =
I</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>