New Motor Trend Article and my cheaper home power solution

[colonel K]

This article (. Motor Trend Article ) talks about a $18K cost to install Ford's backup system.

My approach is to install a 220v female plug outside connected to my electrical box with a 40 amp circuit breaker. I did it myself for about $100, but is would probably cost 3-5 times more to have an electrician do it.

When power is needed at home, I would use a 220v extension cord (Standard RV) to connect the truck to the house. The key issue here is that there is a limit on how many amps you can provide to the house. You will need to switch on and off those breakers you really need to use. For example, you want to avoid power hogs such as a clothes dryer or water heater. You want to leave on you furnace, refrigerators and freezers. If the combination of all these "necessary" appliances exceed the power limits, you can run a refrigerator or freezer for 6 to 10 hours a day and still keep food safe.

I know this requires knowledge of power requirements, but the last multi-day power outage I have had here in Kansas was in 2005. This approach, though, is perfect for my situation.

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[colonel K]

One other point. Even though your furnace might use natural gas so the only electrical draw is for the fan/ignition, if you house has cooled and the differential between the room temperature and the thermostat setting is greater than 3 degrees or so, you furnace probably has a resistance electrical coil backup. This would probably exceed this approach, so you need to figure out how to avoid this. Either adjust the thermostat to just ubove room temperature (and then creep up the thermostat as the house heats up) or most of these backup electrical coils us a separate breaker that you can turn off.

 

[Henry Ford]

I'm sure it's obvious to you but it's worth mentioning you'd have to switch off the main breaker before turning on the generator lest you backfeed the grid. I'm guessing the generator breaker would immediately trip if you skipped this step but it's still a concern.

I'm planning on a manual transfer switch so my wife can easily operate it. It's a bit more expensive but adds an additional level of safety and I could stand to free up some space in my main panel anyway.

 

[Maquis]

I'm sure it's obvious to you but it's worth mentioning you'd have to switch off the main breaker before turning on the generator lest you backfeed the grid. I'm guessing the generator breaker would immediately trip if you skipped this step but it's still a concern.

I'm planning on a manual transfer switch so my wife can easily operate it. It's a bit more expensive but adds an additional level of safety and I could stand to free up some space in my main panel anyway.

^^^^^THIS

Without a transfer switch or breaker interlock, this is a dangerous code violation.

 

[Henry Ford]

One other point. Even though your furnace might use natural gas so the only electrical draw is for the fan/ignition, if you house has cooled and the differential between the room temperature and the thermostat setting is greater than 3 degrees or so, you furnace probably has a resistance electrical coil backup. This would probably exceed this approach, so you need to figure out how to avoid this. Either adjust the thermostat to just ubove room temperature (and then creep up the thermostat as the house heats up) or most of these backup electrical coils us a separate breaker that you can turn off.

Interesting. I've never heard of a resistance electrical coil backup. That's not saying much though. I pretty much only know about the natural gas units in my neighborhood that occasionally break.

 

[Henry Ford]

^^^^^THIS

Without a transfer switch or breaker interlock, this is a dangerous code violation.

What would happen if you tried to backfeed the grid like this? Wouldn't you power every house in your neighborhood thus inducing an immediate trip? I'm not suggesting this is a good plan just curious.

Also, the code is written for the next homeowner. My father installed a system exactly like the OP describes. He knew exactly how to operate it...and he's no longer with us to operate it. I'm actually investigating using the wiring for an EV charger while visiting my Mom. Thanks Dad!?

 

[Maquis]

Interesting. I've never heard of a resistance electrical coil backup. That's not saying much though. I pretty much only know about the natural gas units in my neighborhood that occasionally break.

I’ve only seen that on electric heat pumps, never on a nat gas furnace. Maybe there is such a thing, but not around here.

 

[Maquis]

What would happen if you tried to backfeed the grid like this? Wouldn't you power every house in your neighborhood thus inducing an immediate trip? I'm not suggesting this is a good plan just curious.

Also, the code is written for the next homeowner. My father installed a system exactly like the OP describes. He knew exactly how to operate it...and he's no longer with us to operate it. I'm actually investigating using the wiring for an EV charger while visiting my Mom. Thanks Dad!?

It should…..but what if the cause of the power outage it at your pole causing you to be no longer connected (transformer failure, for example) and a lineman is out there replacing your transformer while your service wires are hot from the truck??

 

[Grumpy2]

Doesn't this require a "suicide" cord? That is a cord with male on both ends?

 

[Pioneer74]

This article (. Motor Trend Article ) talks about a $18K cost to install Ford's backup system.

My approach is to install a 220v female plug outside connected to my electrical box with a 40 amp circuit breaker. I did it myself for about $100, but is would probably cost 3-5 times more to have an electrician do it.

When power is needed at home, I would use a 220v extension cord (Standard RV) to connect the truck to the house. The key issue here is that there is a limit on how many amps you can provide to the house. You will need to switch on and off those breakers you really need to use. For example, you want to avoid power hogs such as a clothes dryer or water heater. You want to leave on you furnace, refrigerators and freezers. If the combination of all these "necessary" appliances exceed the power limits, you can run a refrigerator or freezer for 6 to 10 hours a day and still keep food safe.

I know this requires knowledge of power requirements, but the last multi-day power outage I have had here in Kansas was in 2005. This approach, though, is perfect for my situation.

You're going to get ground faults unless you install a transfer switch that switches the neutral. You can't backfeed from the truck like an old style generator.

 

[jk340]

Interesting. I've never heard of a resistance electrical coil backup. That's not saying much though. I pretty much only know about the natural gas units in my neighborhood that occasionally break.

The only time I have heard of that type of backup is on a heat pump. Not on a natural gas unit with their 80,000 to 130,000 BTU capability.

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