Reminder: Never connect a generator to home wiring without transfer switch

Thu Sep 2 07:54:06 UTC 2021

On 9/2/21 09:33, Mel Beckman wrote:

> Here’s a nice article on the code issue, which is nationwide in the US 
> (it’s part of the NEC). It speaks specifically about the generator 
> requirements:
>
> https://temperaturemaster.com/furnaces-hardwired-what-you-need-to-know/ 
> <https://temperaturemaster.com/furnaces-hardwired-what-you-need-to-know/>
>
> TLDR: The NEC is against plugged-in furnaces for a good reason: they 
> consume so much electricity that they need a dedicated circuit. When 
> you have a plug-in furnace, you’re likely to plug it into a shared 
> outlet with other appliances. As a result, the circuit gets 
> overloaded, damaging the furnace and the other plugged-in electrical 
> devices or even resulting in a fire.
>
> So, converting a hardwired furnace into a plugged-in constitutes an 
> NEC code violation.
>
> The article then proceeds to show how to safely violate the NEC with a 
> plug and socket, and how to follow the letter of the law with a 
> transfer switch or interlock kit.
>
> I think these are the same devices my brother Peter might be talking 
> about. :)

We have two kettles in our kitchen, and one of them seems to be slowly 
breaking down. So my Mrs. ran both at the same time last week, and was 
wondering why one of the breakers in our panel kept tripping. The two 
separate sockets that serve each kettle are wired to the same 20A 
breaker into the panel. That was an easy one to explain... run one at a 
time.

Just easier to not encourage folk to breakout high-current devices such 
as these into regular wall sockets. Most people do not understand the 
effects of cascading loads on a single circuit, especially when they 
don't get that different loads generate different current, even if the 
voltage is the same. And nor should they, if we always implement and 
certify code compliance.

But alas, the real world...

Mark.
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