Backfeeding/ATS

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sii

Senior Member
Location
Nebraska
I know why you cannot backfeed a service with a generator but can someone link me to a particular thread where this is discussed in depth? I can't seem to find the right one. One of my coworkers would like to do this and I think you all would explain it better than I why you should not do it.
 

gar

Senior Member
Location
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Occupation
EE
181106-1533 EDT

sii:

It should be self-evident and obvious.

First, safety. The likely reason you want to use a generator is that power has been lost or is messed up from the power company. You want to completely disconnect from the power company lines so anyone working on those lines won't get hurt from you applying power to the lines.

Second, load. Looking back toward the power company lines there is likely considerable load on your circuit, meaning low impedance. The size of this load depends upon where the break or other problem is. If you actually connected your generator to the power company lines you would likely overload the generator, and stall it out.

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Coppersmith

Senior Member
Location
Tampa, FL, USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I know why you cannot backfeed a service with a generator but can someone link me to a particular thread where this is discussed in depth? I can't seem to find the right one. One of my coworkers would like to do this and I think you all would explain it better than I why you should not do it.

If by service you mean the circuit breaker panel, then that is fine. Backfeeding from a generator is a standard practice. You are required have a lockout device of some sort so the utility main and the backfed generator breaker cannot be on simultaneously. These devices are readily available online.
 
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