I've got a 6500W (peak) petrol generator for emergency use. I'm seeking advice how best to set it up.
I see it has a 240v/15 amp outlet. Is it safe to run 10 amp cables and 10 amp rated power boards from it?
I'd like to run two 10m cables (outdoor rated ones) from the two outlets on the generator itself, place a power board on each then from one of these power board outlets run two more 10m cords so one feeds the living / kitchen and the other can feed the bedrooms.
How have others set up theirs? Especially you Aucklanders after last weeks storms. Thanks!
robs,
Apr 22, 5:20pm
. or could an Electrician wire an inlet plug and switch to the mains so I can plug in the generator in a power outage?
That size generator is plenty big enough to be connected to the house. I connect a 3kVA to my house. Get an electrician to check it and give you a price. It must be a specific type of generator. Or more accurately it can't be specific types of cheap Chinese generators.
sr2,
Apr 22, 8:04pm
Running a house of only 15 amps?
sr2,
Apr 22, 8:07pm
Just looked closer and did the math, 3 Kva gives you only 12.5 amps at 240 volts?
rohoman,
Apr 22, 11:41pm
Depends what you want to run. 3 kVA is fine if you only want to use a couple of hotpoints and some lights. Just don't be firing up the stove or using too many other things if the hot water is heating as it will be 2 - 3 kW on its own. Or switch the hot water off (if you have a cylinder). It's all about loading.
gpg58,
Apr 23, 12:20am
my 5kva on a change over was ample thru the canterbury quakes, ran all fridges, lights and tv etc, along with a heatpump when needed, sure you had to aware what load you were using though, and switch something off if using oven or hob, but with having gas hot water load was usually ok.
robs,
Apr 23, 4:42am
How much did it roughly cost to have an electrician install a transfer switch?
johotech,
Apr 23, 7:28am
Obviously it's not running the whole house. Just like the OP is asking about emergency use.
Mine runs a fridge, two freezers, gas hot water igniter, lights, Internet and computer, and you can use 1 ring on the stove, or use the coffee machine.
The OP's is twice the size, but you would still need to be careful and turn off unnecessary load.
It depends on how often you have power cuts. When we have a power cut it takes a few minutes to plug the appliances that we really want, into our alternative power points upstairs and downstairs. We also need to get the inverters or generator going.
I doubt that anyone needs an automatic changeover, with all its other problems of someone accidentally turning on the stove or a big heater or even a 2300watt jug, and the potential to electrocute the linesman outside trying to fix the powerlines if the changeover system is faulty.
Many households will be full of people who don't understand that an emergency power system is just for the freezer and some lights, and not for cooking. You should have an LPG stove for emergencies. We manage to run the freezer and TV and computer and phone and lights on a 1500watt inverter on the car battery. The generator is noisy and we don't run it at night.
tegretol,
Apr 23, 9:28am
Why? Don't you have a Main switch?
mrcat1,
Apr 23, 9:54am
Just use extension leads and run into the house, unless you are fitting in a 15-20Kva generator your wasting your money setting this up for a small generator, I have a 7000w Gen and that's all I do, just plug in what you need as needed so as not to overload the gen set. You will find some gen sets are under rated like good quality brands and others are over rated like the Chinese versions.
robs,
Apr 23, 7:00pm
Can anyone confirm power must be isolated to the house before an electrician fits a switch?
johotech,
Apr 23, 8:57pm
The changeover switch is fitted after the normal main switch on the house.
So no, the power doesn't need to be isolated.
dastedly,
Apr 24, 8:43am
I have seen some little stuff up with c/o switchs . put in before the meter .dont want to pay for the power as well.
elect70,
Apr 24, 12:01pm
This I do it just a 2.5 KVa does table lights & Tv . portable gas for cooking .
oopie,
Apr 24, 9:28pm
I'm surprised more people don't keep back up generators. Even where we live, well out in the sticks, so many people don't and it's not uncommon to be off for 5 days. We're not connected to the grid at all and it's quite weird to come up out of the sticks to find power's been out for 3-5 days.
ianab,
Nov 21, 3:02am
Like folks are saying, if you just need some "emergency power" to keep some lights on, cellphone charged and the freezer cold, than any 2kw generator and some extension cords will do that. Average freezer needs ~300 watts.
If you want to run electronics then an "Inverter" gen set gives cleaner power.
If you expect the hot water / stove / heat pumps etc to all just work like normal, then yes you needs a 10kw set wired in to your meter board.
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