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Running an Oil Boiler on a Honda EU3200i Generator in an Emergency...

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PFloro
PFloro Posts: 12
in Oil Heating

We have a New Yorker oil fired hot water boiler heating a decently insulated 1500 sq ft house in Westchester County, NY.

Because winter storms can take down trees and cause extended power interruptions, I'm considering powering just the heating system in an emergency with a generator.

I'm looking at the Honda 3200w/2600w (starting/running) inverter gasoline generator (fuel injected).

I estimate that the Beckett AFG burner, controls, and circulator draw ~850 watts. I would install a simple manual transfer switch to flip over only the heating system circuit.

From what I've read, this setup should work

DOGWOOD_OIL TANK REPLACEMENT 15.jpg

. However, I wanted to check with the Heating Help experts first.

Question: With the transfer switch wiring, should I maintain the floating neutral from the genny or bond it to the house system neutral? What about the ground? I have decent electrical experience but this area is new to me.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks,

Paul

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Posts: 21,341

    Need to know more about what you're doing. Since the gen is a Honda I know it is portable. Are you going to just run extension cords to the boiler and/ other appliances? Or are you wiring to a panel interlock to back feed a panel?

    The bonding rules differ with the use. Do you have a ground rod at the gen?

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Posts: 17,768
    edited November 13

    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1909423#Comment_1909423

    My interpretation of the code is ground rods etc are considered for permanently installed backup generators.

    Since it's portable, the whole Nonseparately Derived system vs Separately Derived system doesn't apply. But even if it did, since you're not switching the neutral, isn't that still considered non?

    I believe he is supposed to run a separate neutral and ground from the generator, to be bonded at the panel as normal since it's portable and not permanent.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • PFloro
    PFloro Posts: 12
    edited November 13

    The electrical panel is in the basement. There is a home run 15A circuit for the heating system. I plan to install the transfer switch at the panel, punch through the wall, and install a male plug in a weatherproof box. From there, I will run a 50' 12ga extension cord to a protected area for the little Honda generator. I hadn't considered a ground rod at the generator but will do so if necessary.

    Hope this info helps.

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Posts: 17,768

    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1909427#Comment_1909427

    @EBEBRATT-Ed was talking about an interlock at your main panel. Its essentially a sliding piece of sheet metal that forces you to turn your main breaker off before turning the generator breaker on. And of course, the reverse when you go back to normal.

    I ended up doing one because it's fairly cheap and switches your entire panel over. Of course, with a smaller generator you're going to need to make sure you turn off any circuits you cannot handle. The nice thing is, you could leave breakers on so you have lights in important rooms but turn your AC off etc.

    If do decide to install an interlock, make sure you buy one made for your panel with all the proper approvals. It's a simple device, but I've heard some inspectors get upset if it's not the real deal. I used one on my Square D panel made by Square D for it.

    There's all different ones for many different panel types, this is just an example.

    s-l1200.jpg

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • HydronicMike
    HydronicMike Posts: 473
    edited November 13

    First, check with the generator to see if the neutral needs to be bonded or floating. There's a way to tell. YouTube has some good videos about it and what horrible happens if you get it wrong. So make sure you solve that first. I like/trust this electrician the most:

    https://youtu.be/gchq6G5Wc8M?si=Z5I_MlKGPvjq4YgA




    Secondly, you may be fine, load-wise with the gen, but maybe not frequency-wise. Your Hydrostat is pretty sensitive to voltage surges/fluctuations and slightly different hertz. Carlin now recommends surge protectors on circuits with their controls. Don't forget to consider voltage drop for longer extension cords.
    All that being said, I used to run mine on a portable gen until I got a whole house one.
    Make sure you have a number of working, non UL, CO detectors

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