7 Backup Generator Mistakes. (Have You Made One?)
Summary
TLDRThis video covers seven critical mistakes to avoid when using portable generators for home backup power. These tips ensure safety for you, your family, and your pets, focusing on preventing carbon monoxide poisoning, fire hazards, electrocution, and dangerous DIY setups like 'suicide cords.' The video emphasizes proper generator placement, safe power connections, avoiding wet generators, and careful fueling procedures. By following these guidelines, you can safely restore power during outages while minimizing risks. The creator also previews upcoming videos on backup power installations and testing new battery stations.
Takeaways
- ⚠️ Never run a generator inside enclosed spaces like garages, barns, or sheds due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- 🚪 Always place generators outside and away from open doors or windows to prevent carbon monoxide from entering your home.
- 🔥 Never run your generator near combustible materials as the exhaust can get extremely hot and cause fires.
- 🔌 Never back-feed an outlet in your home to avoid electrocution risks and potential harm to utility workers.
- 🚫 Avoid using a suicide cord (a cord with two male ends), as it poses severe electrocution hazards and is illegal.
- ⚡ Always disconnect power cords safely by turning off the generator breaker to avoid dangerous arcing and equipment damage.
- 🌧️ Never operate a generator in wet conditions. Keep it on high ground, away from standing water, and make connections before starting the generator.
- ⛽ Never fuel a running generator to prevent fires or explosions caused by hot engine parts or sparks.
- 🔋 Always allow your generator to cool down before refueling to avoid any risk of fuel ignition.
- 🛠️ For safe home generator connections, consider installing a 30-amp inlet box and interlock kit with the help of a qualified electrician.
Q & A
What is the most important rule when using a portable generator?
-The most important rule is to never run a generator inside a building, including garages, barns, sheds, basements, or crawl spaces, due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Why is carbon monoxide so dangerous when running a generator indoors?
-Carbon monoxide is a deadly, odorless, and colorless gas that diffuses evenly throughout a room. It can cause poisoning without any warning signs, which is why it's important to always run generators outside.
How far should you place a generator from your home to avoid fire hazards?
-You should place the generator well away from your home, keeping it at least a few feet away, and ensure the exhaust is not directed toward the house or any combustible materials.
What is a 'suicide cord,' and why is it dangerous?
-A 'suicide cord' is a modified extension cord with two male ends. It is dangerous because it can create an electrocution hazard, exposes live blades, and can present a risk to utility workers and neighbors connected to the same power grid.
Why is backfeeding an outlet with a generator dangerous?
-Backfeeding bypasses safety devices in the household electrical system and can present an electrocution hazard to utility workers and neighbors, as well as create dangerous arcing within the system.
What precautions should you take when connecting or disconnecting power cords from a generator?
-Always turn off the generator breaker before connecting or disconnecting cords, and ensure the generator is not running. This avoids dangerous arcing that could damage the generator or connected appliances.
How can you safely run a generator during stormy weather?
-To safely run a generator in bad weather, keep it on high ground, avoid standing water, and connect power cords before starting the generator. Ensure the generator breaker is off when connecting and disconnecting.
Why is it dangerous to fuel a running generator?
-Fueling a running generator is dangerous because the hot engine parts or sparks from generator connections could ignite spilled fuel or gasoline vapors, leading to fire or explosion.
What is the proper procedure for refueling a generator safely?
-To refuel safely, first turn off the generator breaker in your home panel, then turn off the generator and let it cool down. Once cooled, refuel the generator, restart it, and follow your switching procedure to restore backup power.
Why is it recommended to install carbon monoxide detectors when using a generator?
-Carbon monoxide detectors are essential to alert you of any dangerous gas levels that may leak into your home, even when the generator is running outside, ensuring your family's safety.
Outlines
⚠️ Common Generator Mistakes and How to Stay Safe
The introduction outlines the dangers of running portable generators improperly, highlighting common and lesser-known mistakes. The speaker stresses the importance of safe generator usage to protect homes, families, and pets. Notably, the first point discusses never operating a generator indoors, including garages, basements, and crawl spaces, due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Although many people are aware of this danger, there are still approximately 2,100 deaths annually in the U.S. due to carbon monoxide exposure, many from portable generators.
🔥 The Risk of Combustibles Near Generators
This paragraph emphasizes the importance of keeping portable generators away from combustible materials, such as homes and vinyl siding, which can melt from the heat of the generator’s exhaust. The author recounts a near fire caused by a generator placed too close to a house, underlining the need to place generators far from any structures and to be aware of exhaust direction.
⚡ Avoid Backfeeding and the Dangers of DIY Cables
The dangers of backfeeding a home’s electrical outlets using a generator are explained. This unsafe practice can create a 'suicide cord' (a cable with two male ends), which presents severe electrocution risks for utility workers and neighbors sharing the same transformer. It also bypasses household protective devices. The speaker advises hiring a qualified electrician to install a safer and more reliable connection for generator use.
💀 The Hazards of Using Suicide Cords
This section discusses the specific dangers of suicide cords, which expose live electrical prongs and pose significant electrocution hazards. These cords are often used by individuals attempting DIY solutions for generator connections, but they are illegal and unsafe. The speaker advises against this method, warning of the potential harm to both the user and others nearby.
⚡ Safe Practices for Connecting and Disconnecting Generator Power Cords
Even with legally installed generator setups, the speaker explains that connecting or disconnecting power cords while the generator is running can cause dangerous electrical arcing. This arcing can damage equipment or cause injury. The speaker suggests always shutting off the generator and its breaker before making any connections or disconnections to avoid these hazards.
🌧️ Generator Safety During Stormy Weather
Operating a generator in wet conditions presents challenges, but the speaker offers safety tips. They recommend keeping the generator on high ground to avoid water exposure, connecting cords before starting the generator, and ensuring the breaker is turned off. Additionally, the speaker emphasizes the importance of keeping the generator dry and shares steps for safely connecting and disconnecting cords in stormy weather.
⛽ Refueling Safety for Hot Generators
The final point covers the risks of refueling a hot, running generator. Spilled gasoline on a hot engine can lead to fires or explosions. The speaker suggests a safe refueling process: turning off the generator, allowing it to cool, and storing fuel cans far away from the generator to minimize risks. They stress the importance of patience and caution during this process to avoid accidents.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Portable Generator
💡Carbon Monoxide
💡Suicide Cord
💡Backfeeding
💡Exhaust Direction
💡Interlock Kit
💡Wet Generator
💡Arcing
💡Fueling a Hot Generator
💡Power Cord Connections
Highlights
Avoid running generators inside any building, including garages, sheds, and basements, to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas responsible for 85 deaths per year in the U.S. due to portable generator use.
Always position generators far away from doors, windows, or ventilation systems to avoid gas diffusion.
Never place a generator near combustible materials; their exhaust heat can cause fires, as demonstrated by an instance where vinyl siding melted.
Never back feed an outlet with a modified extension cord; it risks electrocution to utility workers and bypasses household safety features.
Using a 'suicide cord'—a cord with two male ends—is extremely dangerous and illegal, as it exposes live prongs, creating electrocution risks.
Disconnecting cords that are under load can cause dangerous arcing, which may damage the generator and other connected equipment.
Always ensure the generator breaker is off before connecting or disconnecting cords to avoid damaging electrical components.
Generators should never be connected or run when wet. Stormy weather poses a challenge, so keeping them dry or elevated is essential.
Proper steps for using generators in the rain include keeping them on high ground, connecting cords before starting, and never in standing water.
Never fuel a running generator, as the hot engine parts and sparks could ignite gasoline, leading to fires or explosions.
Turn off the generator and let it cool before refueling to avoid safety hazards.
Store fuel cans far away from the running generator to reduce the risk of accidental ignition.
Install carbon monoxide detectors in your home to monitor for dangerous gas levels when using a generator.
In an upcoming video, the presenter will demonstrate installing a 30-amp backup generator feed with an inlet box and interlock kit.
Transcripts
today we're going to talk about seven
deadly mistakes to avoid when running
portable generators to back up power to
your home a few of them are common
knowledge but others may be things that
we just don't think about that are
actually quite dangerous I've even made
a few of these mistakes myself and the
last two on the list are actually quite
common so let's jump right into it so
the next time you lose power you your
family and your pets will stay safe
number One never run a generator inside
a building that includes garages barns
sheds basement and even crawl spaces
most of us know this one because we know
that carbon monoxide is a deadly gas but
still in the United States 2100 people
die every year from carbon monoxide
poisoning and on average 85 of them are
from portable generator use now I doubt
any of us are going to run a portable
generator in our living rooms but what
we don't always think about is that open
door or window where the cords running
through or maybe we're running the
generator out in the garage with the
doors open thinking that that's adequate
ventilation carbon monoxide is a deadly
odorless colorless gas and it diffuses
evenly throughout a room we won't know
it's there so how do we stay safe always
run a generator outside place the
generator well away from any open doors
or Windows and that includes garage gar
doors basement and crawl space doors as
well and install battery powered carbon
monoxide detectors in your home to alert
you of any dangerous levels of gas and
number two never run your generator near
combustible materials now I know this
sounds like another obvious one but I
saw someone nearly catch their house on
fire with a portable generator the
generator exhaust was pointing towards
the house and only about 2 ft away it
melted about 6 s feet of his vinyl
siding but luckily the house didn't
catch on fire portable generators get
hot especially after they've been
running for hours so remember always
place the generator well away from the
home or any other combustible material
and always be conscious of the direction
of the exhaust in number three Never
Back feed an outlet in your home some
people will alter an extension cord and
plug one end into the generator and the
other end into an out in their home this
practice is dangerous for a few reasons
it creates a suicide cord more about
that in a minute it presents an
electrocution risk for utility workers
and neighbors served by the same utility
Transformer it also bypasses some
built-in household circuit protective
devices that keep you and your family
safe it's best to have a qualified
electrician install a safe and reliable
method for you to connect your generator
to your home and number four never use a
suicide cord a suicide cord is a cord
with two male ends these are dangerous
because when one end of the cord is
connected to power the blades on the
other end are exposed and energized
creating a shock or an electrocution
Hazard people who use these have to be
very careful about the order they're
connected and the order the breakers are
turned on and off it would be very easy
to make a dangerous mistake or even
worse maybe a child comes into contact
with one which would be a disaster these
are often used as a cheap DIY method for
connecting home generators I've replaced
many of them over the years what often
happens is a 30 amp receptacle is
connected to a power panel and it back
feeds a two-pole breaker like this 30
amp dryer circuit when power is lost one
end of the power cord is connected to
the generator and the other end will
back feed the panel through the
receptacle this is usually done without
an interlock between the main breaker
and the generator breaker as well like
before this type of connection presents
an electrocution risk for utility
workers and neighbors served by the same
utility Transformer so not only is a
suicide cord dangerous but the
connection method is dangerous as well
that's why they're illegal and they
should never be used and number five
never disconnect power cord boords that
are supplying loads even with a legal
generator connection with a recessed
maale Inlet box an interlock kit Accord
with male and female lenss you should
still always open the generator breaker
prior to connecting or disconnecting the
power cords from the generator or from
the home when power connections are
underload they arc when you connect or
disconnect them this arcing is dangerous
and it can damage the gener Ator the
receptacles plugs and any loads
connected to the generator as well I
always make my connections with the
generator breaker turned off and while
the generator is not running in number
six never connect to a wet generator
most of the time power outages occur
during Stormy Weather and keeping the
generator out of the rain or snow is
counterintuitive to keeping it outside
and away from the home like we talked
about earlier so unless we have some
sort of open-sided carport or a roof
built over our generator this one is
going to be a challenge it is
recommended that you keep your generator
dry but if this isn't possible I can
tell you a few safety precautions that I
take when using my generator out in the
elements I keep my generator on High
Ground I never run the generator in
standing water or in a low area that
could become flooded I always connect my
power cord before starting the generator
I connect the male end to the generator
and then the female end to the generator
Inlet receptacle it's important when you
do this that the generator breaker in
your power panel is turned off because a
generator cannot start into load then I
start my generator let it warm up and
follow my switching procedure to back up
my home when I disconnect my cord I
first open my generator breaker at the
power panel I shut down the generator
engine so that there's no power at the
receptacles then I disconnect the cord
from my generator Inlet box and then
from the generator having no power at
the generator when connecting and
disconnecting is safer especially during
wet weather in number seven never fuel a
running generator like I mentioned
earlier generators get really hot
spilled gas could easily ignite when
contacting hot engine parts a spark from
the generator connections could also
ignite gasoline Vapors causing fire or
explosion it's easy to get impatient and
fuel the generator while it's running
but it's extremely dangerous this is
what I do to stay safe when fueling my
generator first I open my generator feed
breaker in my home power panel next I
turn off the generator and let it cool
down for several minutes once it's
cooled down I fuel the generator then I
start the generator back up let it warm
up for a few minutes and follow my
switching procedure to reconnect backup
power to my home I also make sure to
store the gas can well away from the
running generator in next week's video
I'll be installing a 30 amp backup
generator feed with an inlet box and an
interlock kit after that I have a new
really cool battery power station that
I'll be connecting and load testing so
be sure to subscribe and hit the Bell so
you won't miss those videos I'll let
YouTube recommend a video right here for
you to watch next I'm John from backyard
Maine I'll see you on the next one
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