Portable Generator Safety
Take special care with portable electric generators, which can provide a good source of power, but if improperly installed or operated, can become deadly.
Do not connect generators directly to household wiring. Power from generators can backfeed along power lines and electrocute anyone coming in contact with them, including lineworkers making repairs.
A qualified, licensed electrician should install your generator to ensure it meets local electrical codes.
Other tips include:
- Make sure your generator is properly grounded.
- Keep the generator dry.
- Plug appliances directly into the generator.
- Make sure extension cords used with generators are rated for the load, and are free of cuts, worn insulation, and have 3-pronged plugs.
- Do not operate the generator in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces. Generators can produce high levels of carbon monoxide very quickly, which can be deadly.
- Use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) to help prevent electrocutions and electrical shock injuries.
- Portable GFCIs require no tools to install and are available at prices ranging from $12 to $30.
Standby Generators
If you use a standby generator during power outages, remember improper generator hookup can create serious problems in safety and service.
It’s very important for your home to have the proper transfer switch. This switching device is used to transfer the electric service from the power line to the generator. If the switch is not used, feedback from the generator on to our power lines could endanger the lives of line crews working to restore your power. Feedback could also damage your generator, home wiring, and appliances.
Please contact Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC) at (800) 367-2832 before installing and using standby generators. We can provide helpful safety information and will also document your account that you have a generator that may be operational during an outage. You may need to work with your contractor to supply the required details needed by CVEC.
Also, look here for more information about generator installation, net metering, and the CVEC Consumer Guidelines for Power Generator Installation (PDF).
Storm Safety
After a Storm
- If power lines and poles are down in your yard or in the street, always treat them as if they were energized and dangerous. Never touch them! Stay away. Call CVEC to report the location so repairs can be made as soon as possible: (800) 367-2832.
- Post-storm debris can hide power lines that have fallen. Fallen trees that contain energized power lines can energize any item it comes in contact with, such as a metal fence, a pond, or standing water. Even the ground can be energized near fallen power lines. The real danger of fallen power lines is often hidden.
- If your electric service is out, check with your neighbors to see if they have power. If they do, you may have only a blown fuse or a tripped breaker. Never replace a fuse or reset a circuit breaker with wet hands or while standing on a wet (or even damp) surface.
- If you’re without electricity and want to use a portable generator, make sure you use it in a well-ventilated area. Don’t connect the generator to your home’s electrical panel or fuse boxes. It may cause electricity to feed back into the power lines, which can endanger linemen and damage electric service facilities.
- If possible, avoid using candles. If you must use candles, remember that open windows and gusty winds can knock them over or blow flammable materials into them, so be careful about where you place them.
- If your power is out following a storm and you must cook food with Sterno or charcoal, remember to do so outside in a well-ventilated area. Cooking indoors with Sterno or charcoal will produce deadly carbon-monoxide fumes. Replenish your supplies of batteries, bottled water, non-perishable food items, and firewood in preparation for future storms as soon as it’s reasonably possible.
Helping line crews is appreciated, but working with power lines and electricity requires a high degree of training. In order to restore power with the highest degree of safety, restoration must be accomplished in a certain order. Above all, the hard working men and women restoring your power appreciate your patience and understanding that they are doing everything they can to restore your power as quickly and safely as possible.