You're right, Joe, if your generator isnt connected to the house wiring, you don't need the transfer switch. Unfortunately, furnaces don't plug into the wall- they are hard-wired. Thus the transfer switch. It's also difficult to reach the refrigerator plug in many instances, without moving a heavy fridge. If you use an under-rated extension cord(s), you risk overheating the cord. You won't harm the power system if you accidentally energize the grid, though you could damage your generator. The concern is that you could electrocute a Rocky Mtn. Power technician if he's working on a line that he thinks isn't energized. On 8/3/07, Joe Bauman <bau@desnews.com> wrote:
If you intend to hook individual appliances to your generator, such as via power strip, I suspect you don't need a fancy switch. Couldn't you have a light, TV and furnace or some such combination, on a power strip that is connected only to the generator? I don't understand how that could harm the power system. When the electricity is restored, just unhook these items from the power strip and plug them into the household current again. Or am I missing something? Thanks, Joe