Do you have it setup to shut off the main when the backup is running? My understanding is that energizing the grid can kill a lineman if power is coming from your house while they’re working.

[–] dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yes, you should for reason and probably others.

You can get gadgets to do this for you. Or you can just remember to shut off your main breaker before starting your generator or flipping your giant Frankenstein style knife switch to your battery bank or whatever, and turn it back on only after you've disconnected your backup.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

remember

LoL, no. What lineman or electrician would want to bet their lives on you happening to remember? If there’s any code enforcement, that’s a resounding no

[–] dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

The correct answer, of course, is a transfer switch that physically decouples the backup power and the grid power from the building, and does not allow them to be connected at the same time -- no matter how the operator might manage to fuck it up.