Seneca Generator to Power Stick House

[Wade]

I want to use the diesel generator in my 2017 Seneca to power my house in case of a power outage. I have a 50 amp plug on the side of my house that I use to plug the Seneca power cord in and run the AC, Fridge, etc. for a couple days getting ready for a trip (just like in a campground).
Can I just plug the Seneca power cord in to this plug (as I normally do), turn the power OFF coming in to the house from the power grid (there is a switch near the meter to do this) and run the generator to power appliances, lights, etc. in the house?
I have been told by a neighbor that I can do this, and it seems logical to me.
I do this very thing with a portable gas generator, but it is only 4,000 watts and the Seneca is about double that, so I prefer to use it. Also I keep about 60 gallons of diesel in the Seneca, so I have lots of generator fuel.
Thanks for any advice or confirmation or will not work responses,
Wade

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Wade

I want to use the diesel generator in my 2017 Seneca to power my house in case of a power outage. I have a 50 amp plug on the side of my house that I use to plug the Seneca power cord in and run the AC, Fridge, etc. for a couple days getting ready for a trip (just like in a campground).
Can I just plug the Seneca power cord in to this plug (as I normally do), turn the power OFF coming in to the house from the power grid (there is a switch near the meter to do this) and run the generator to power appliances, lights, etc. in the house?
I have been told by a neighbor that I can do this, and it seems logical to me.
I do this very thing with a portable gas generator, but it is only 4,000 watts and the Seneca is about double that, so I prefer to use it. Also I keep about 60 gallons of diesel in the Seneca, so I have lots of generator fuel.
Thanks for any advice or confirmation or will not work responses,
Wade

Welcome to JOF!
If I understand you properly you want to "backfeed" your home via your Seneca power cord. The short answer is that, as configured, it won't work.

Your unit has an automatic transfer switch that switches the coach's power needs from either the shore power cord or the generator feed. That transfer switch prevents the generator from energizing the power cord. If it did, not the plug on the cord would be "hot" (and very dangerous) whenever the generator was running.

[ALJO]

Not only is it dangerous but also illegal. The only way you can feed back is with a three way setup so you never can feed back to the main power line. Please take this very serious!

[Marcm157]

Rob is correct and I agree and even with the portable gensets you need to use a generator input receptacle which has the male pins recessed into the box and the female end of the cord attaches to it. If the cord were to vibrate loose from the receptacle, the female end would fall out and not be a shock hazard.

[Zinkow]

Article 702 of the NEC says that you need a transfer switch upstream of the main disconnect. i.e. Between the meter and the service entrance panel to insure the safety of utility line workers so that the power cannot be back fed into the utility grid. And the neutrals shall NOT be switched, they must be hard wired

[RVermont]

Assuming you install a generator auto transfer switch could an electrician wire the rv to provide power to two live wires so you could have 220 vac to run a well pump? Does the generator produce 220 or just 110?


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[Wade]

Thanks for all the replies and information. I should have realized that my idea would not work as I would always have a live power cord.
However, there should be a way that I can use the Seneca generator to power my house in case of a long power outage. I do it with a small gas generator, so I will get an electrician to come out and figure it out.
Thanks,
Wade

[ALJO]

Wade, there's nothing wrong with powering the house from your RV as I have seen many do this and have done this. As long all safety procedures and modifications are in place. Your RV generator has enough capacity to run the lights and some of the appliances (some simultaneously) in the house. To me the RV generator is a good backup source.

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Wade

Thanks for all the replies and information. I should have realized that my idea would not work as I would always have a live power cord.
However, there should be a way that I can use the Seneca generator to power my house in case of a long power outage. I do it with a small gas generator, so I will get an electrician to come out and figure it out.
Thanks,
Wade

I would think a qualified electrician could install an "outlet" in your Seneca's generator output wiring that would allow it to supply an external load. Best case scenario (in my non-electrician mind) it would also have a manual transfer switch that would disconnect the generator output from all coach loads and direct it to the new outlet so as not to inadvertently try to supply external and internal (coach) loads.

As far as the plug type on each end of your "patch" cord, you do have to consider having "hot" exposed prongs, not only could you get a deadly shock if touched but they could also short out if they contacted something else and possibly ignite combustibles unintentionally. So having a male plug end feed power into your home's 50-amp receptacle is something you may need to re-think if you proceed.

As far as tying any generator into a home's system there are codes that regulate that for very good reason. If you have a generator feeding a home and it is still connected to the outside "grid", your generator can backfeed the system and a lineman working down the street could get a deadly shock thinking he is working on a dead circuit. And it is even possible the backfeed current can be "stepped-up" by the power utility's transformers creating a shock hazard of thousands of volts to an unsuspecting line worker. And if the utility does restore power to your line and the generator is still tied into the system, you could suffer catastrophic generator damage when the generator and power systems voltages and frequencies synchronize. Saw that happen to one of my ship's (old Navy guy here!) when the electrician failed to properly "parallel" the generator before he connected us to shore power.