Modern inverters do this somewhat safely by sensing the phase before outputting power.
Of course, you can’t tell just by looking, so I still would steer clear of the whole thing on principle.
Comment on Cords
jawa21@lemmy.sdf.org 3 months ago
They very much do exist, though. Often used sketchily with generators.
vzq@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 months ago
superkret@feddit.org 3 months ago
How do you non-sketchily feed a generator’s power into your home?
thr0w4w4y2@sh.itjust.works 3 months ago
You get a qualified tradesperson to wire it properly into your electrical distribution.
SirDerpy@lemmy.world 3 months ago
Technical details and the social contract mandate that your generator is never connected to the main power grid. The generator should be wired to an enclosed AC transfer switch. This switch will connect either the generator or the main grid to your home, but never both.
Some detail: If the generator is wired to the main grid it can prevent restoration of main grid power. While an AC transfer switch will perform the task, many jurisdictions mandate additional safety precautions (which can be quite expensive).
deranger@sh.itjust.works 3 months ago
It can also kill a lineman working on the power lines outside your house, thinking they’re not energized.
SirDerpy@lemmy.world 3 months ago
It could. But, there’s more layers to this swiss cheese model of safety. For example, the lineman’s procedure is to ground out, then isolate, then test and to ground out. They’d need to skip both ground out and test to be electrocuted by an asshole with a generator.
Pika@sh.itjust.works 3 months ago
The proper way of doing it is using what’s called a generator bypass switch, basically it’s a physical switch that runs before your fuse box, and it makes it impossible to have both the main and the generator being fed at the same time, so you can either have the main on or you could have the generator on. This prevents the electricity from your generator back feeding into the line and killing a line worker trying to restore power.
Szyler@lemmy.world 3 months ago
“risk a fire from staying the line with a high load”, wouldn’t the fuse in the line you plug it into simply open if you over load it?
SuDmit@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 months ago
Well, if you put them right in the normal outlet you bypass breaker and built in fuses, if breaker is open. If it is closed, then it maybe should pop if whole net outside house consumes more current than your house is allowed to (so maybe immediately), but still provides no protection inside. Or maybe if you have individual low-current rated breakers for every outlet, then yes, in this specific scenario it should technically work. Still, you know, generally bad idea.
lefixxx@lemmy.world 3 months ago
There are electrical panel accessories that automatically isolate the house
Revan343@lemmy.ca 3 months ago
For the actual physical connection, you use a male receptacle
Image
In order to do it legally, you also need the transfer switch, as has been mentioned.
EleventhHour@lemmy.world 3 months ago
My male receptacle is my butt. Also my mouth when my butt is bussy ;)
MP3Martin@programming.dev 3 months ago
If not, you can borrow them from your aunt
And also illegally expand your 1mx1m apartment with galvanized square steel and eco-friendly wood veneer in the meantime
frank@sopuli.xyz 3 months ago
The real way is a generator inlet, which is a male plug that’s interlocked with the main. So the cord ends up being a normal male/female cord
whoisearth@lemmy.ca 3 months ago
Lol this dude never turned hydro into diesel! Look at this guy!