Back up generators needed in Maine? (new house, live, moving)

[Northern Maine Land Man]

No need to shout. If you don't connect your generator to your household wiring you can't energize the utility lines. You can run lights, refrigerator, microwave, TV, or any other appliance including your furnace from a generator. You just need to use extension cords which in Maine are usually called "leader cords".

Unless you have a good generator and a good uninteruptable power suppy, UPS, you should not hook up your best electronic devices to it. The generator should have at least a modified sine wave. It will say that in the brochure or instructions. Square wave alternating current is tough on electronic devices. It's OK for lights, pumps etc.

Check out Central Maine Diesel. They are in Bangor.

http://www.centralmainediesel.com/

[KiddinAroundFarm]

We have lived here in Maine for 4 full years now, this is our 5th winter. We have only ever lived in the rural areas, and lose power often. Now here in Argyle it seems more frequently than ever. We don't have a generator. We did, for 2 years, but never used it in the winter. Only once in the summer, and that was the summer of our "can we live w/no power" experiment. That time it was only so I could vaccum the rugs before the in-laws visited, lol. Instead of using a generator, we had a woodstove. We had heat, and cooking area. Now we have no woodstove hooked up yet, so this winter is a little concerning. I think the only thing to really be worried about would be the pipes freezing.

We have plans in place for everything:

1. Warmth for us and dogs, we could go to Forest's place, where he has a woodstove, or camp out in the van w/ the small heater.

2. Water for us is bottled, that we keep on hand. Water for the livestock is supplied by another friend down the street who does have a generator, and fires it up only to pump water for his livestock. He routinely offers use of it when they have it fired up, to provide water for others.

3. Food, as long as you have a gas grill for summer you have food. It's not convienient by any means, but it works. We take ours out of the barn and put it outside, then cook on it. We went that whole summer one year cooking on it, and boiling water for bathing.

4. Takes me to heated water, again, grill.

There are ways to be prepared for anything in winter, and there are plenty of shelters open if people need to use them. We just have livestock, and pets, and choose not to do that. We have other ways to cope. The whole thing is to PLAN! If you have a plan, and implement it, you'll be fine. Even if your plan is to know you'll go to a shelter. Just don't get here, and then say "oh crap" when it does happen and you don't have a clue. Call your local (or future local) police station, ask what they do for emergencies in winter, when power losses are huge, etc. Make sure that if you have a medical need for power that the power companies know, they will try and get to you first. Oh yes, and be sure to let your local EMS and fire services know that as well, they will be alert esp. for calls from your place, and may even place courtesty calls once in a while to be sure you are all right.

[Elcarim]

Wonderful info, KAF! I intend to create a checklist for "wintering" in Maine, so I don't forget anything. Preparedness is key!

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by Moxie

That brings up another question...what about pipes freezing. Does that happen if you only are heating one room from a wood stove?

All depends on how the pipes run, how well the house is insulated and how big the stove is compared to the size of the house. The right sized stove can easily heat an entire 2200 sq. ft. house (decently insulated).


The other side of that is, if the house is poorly insulated, depending on how the pipes run and how the wind is blowing, they could freeze up regardless of how you are heating the house.

[GregW]

NMLM - check out the Lister CS Diesels at Centeral Maine Power. they would make an ideal prime mover for a stand alone system. Heat the place as well.

[mensaguy]

Originally Posted by Bydand

While this is a good way to do it, it is against the National Electrical Code and an Electrician is opening himself up to trouble if anything else goes wrong and that is discovered. You can get a small transfer switch that goes right into a regular box and looks just like a switch, from there you can either add a short cord to hook to an extension cord from the generator, or there is a box mounted male end that you can mount either right next to the furnace or outside where you put your generator when you run it. With an in-use cover it remains water/snow resistant even with a cord plugged into it.

Which part of the National Electrical Code is being violated by installing a plug and receptacle in the line providing power to a residential boiler? Material in the back of the book deals with power sources wired directly to a breaker box and the absolute necessity of a transfer switch, but I can't think of a place to go read up on rules regarding disconnects.

When I am able to live in Eastport full time, I intend to install a generator with plug and receptacle disconnects so I can power the boiler, refrigerator, freezer, a radio and a lamp downstairs and a lamp upstairs. One I read about is a 2800 Watt with an automatic changeover valve so you can have two propane tanks hooked up.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by mensaguy

Which part of the National Electrical Code is being violated by installing a plug and receptacle in the line providing power to a residential boiler? Material in the back of the book deals with power sources wired directly to a breaker box and the absolute necessity of a transfer switch, but I can't think of a place to go read up on rules regarding disconnects.

NEC 400.7 (A) Uses. Flexible cords and cables shall be used only for the following:

Then it goes on to list 11 different uses that are permitted, only 2 of which might be used to argue that it would be permitted for this application. which are:

400.7(A)(6) Connection of Utilization equipment to facilitate frequent interchange.
And also 400.7(A)(8) Appliances where the fastening means and mechanical connections are specifically designed to permit ready removal for maintenance and repair, and the appliance is intended or identified for flexible cord connection.

NEC 400.7 deals with the applications that are permitted for flexible cord and plug installations. None of which a permanently mounted residential boiler fall under. You cannot argue that it is used to facilitate ready removal for maintenance, or that it is an item that is interchanged frequently, a residential boiler/furnace does not have to be interchanged frequently, and it does not have to be moved to maintain the unit. Also to fall under 400.7(A)(8) the other mechanical connections would also have to be readily removable, meaning the water piping or ductwork would have to be easily removable as well.

400.8 (1) States that it is NOT permitted as a substitute for fixed wiring of a structure. Which is what the utilization of a cord and plug would be doing in this instance.

Another thing to consider is the wording used in 400.7(A) where it uses SHALL and ONLY, both of which are very limiting in the NEC.


Aside from these rules, a burnerman who came to service your boiler/furnace would have a hairy conniption. I believe their code has something against the installation of a fixed heating unit being attached by cord and plug.

[399083453]

Originally Posted by Bydand

their code has something against the installation of a fixed heating unit being attached by cord and plug.

Must just be boilers. My monitor heater, which is a fixed heating unit, has a cord that plugs into the wall. It runs on propane and only uses 40 watts of electricity on high. Less than most light bulbs.

Worst case i can go to the store, grab one of those tiny generators for $100, maybe add a huge gas tank to it, and im good to go.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by 399083453

Must just be boilers. My monitor heater, which is a fixed heating unit, has a cord that plugs into the wall. It runs on propane and only uses 40 watts of electricity on high. Less than most light bulbs.

The fixed wall units like a Monitor falls under a different section. It actually is covered by space heaters and is treated just like a small portable electric heater. I have no idea why. Sometimes I think they make the changes every 3 years just to keep us on our toes. Some of it makes ZERO sense. How they classify items is beyond me, there is almost no rhyme or reason to it. Plus when you add in the factor that each area can interpret the same code differently, it makes for some interesting times.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

The two most efficient heaters today are the Monitor type and pellet stoves. Monitor heaters are very efficient and will work when the power goes out. The blower won't work, but the heat will come on. You must ensure that the little backup battery is changed periodically. That's what runs the controller.

Pellet stoves won't run without electricity. I have a neighbor who walks out to the road. She's having a pellet stove installed next week. I'll go over and blow out her driveway so the truck can get in to her house. The truck will bring the stove and 3 tons of pellets in the same trip.