Cinnamon Horse C160 reporting for snow duty

[oldlineman 1,481]

Having been a Journeyman Lineman for 41 years I have experienced back feed many times on storm work. A transformer steps down power but when feed in reverse will step that same power up to the primary voltage which could be  2400 volts to ground,  7200 volts to ground , or what ever the utility's primary voltage is. When on storm work our best friend are voltage testers and GROUNDS which have saved me several times. Be safe, we want to get your power restored but also go home to our families when our work is completed. Bob 

[sparkie333 265]

SO it looks like this switch will turn off the utility main ----then you can or it will turn on the 1 pole showing --right?

[sparkie333 265]

I forgot but I was going to say been a Master Electrician 50 years retired. Being from the south we haven't needed many of these down here---but we are using more of them now. 

[Handy Don 12,276]

44 minutes ago, sparkie333 said:

SO it looks like this switch will turn off the utility main ----then you can or it will turn on the 1 pole showing --right?

the generator breaker is a 2-pole so it covers both sides of the panel

[Retired Wrencher 5,468]

Eric looks like you have it dialed in. Good job.

[ebinmaine 67,748]

4 minutes ago, Retierd Wrencher said:

Eric looks like you have it dialed in. Good job.

Thanks Gary.

Couple more things I need to address.

Last year I made up a set of axle brackets to move the plow forward a little. Of course I had to move the center lifting point backwards the same amount for clearance reasons. 

The piece of metal that I used to do that is a little on the thin side so I need to make up a better adapter. 

 

I also have another set of weights to put on the back and some roller chain for the front tires. 

 

 

[Retired Wrencher 5,468]

23 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Thanks Gary.

Couple more things I need to address.

Last year I made up a set of axle brackets to move the plow forward a little. Of course I had to move the center lifting point backwards the same amount for clearance reasons. 

The piece of metal that I used to do that is a little on the thin side so I need to make up a better adapter. 

 

I also have another set of weights to put on the back and some roller chain for the front tires. 

 

 

I am sure you will have it working good before the end of the season. Hope you get some snow up there.

[McGrew 460]

We lose power more often than I wish, usually due to winds or ice taking down power lines.  We have gone for days without power, so I got a nice (relatively) portable generator.  My  house was built in 1976, and the breaker panel is not a common brand, but  I found several manufacturers who make a generator interlock for it.  I hated the price ($65?) for what I was getting, but ordered it anyway.  When the supplier told me it was out of stock, I took that as an omen.  I looked at the picture of what they were selling (a piece of sheet metal, a template and a screw) and decided to make my own.  I had to move a couple breakers in the panel to get the generator breaker under the main, but after a little tweaking got it to work perfect.  Now you cannot energize the generator breaker without turning off the main.  Works for me and protects the linemen trying to restore my power.  Danny

[peter lena 8,649]

ROGER R , have my GEN TRAN SWITCH  coming on 20 years , when needed, it hook up my 12k generator , thru a 20 ft  panel rated plug in prong cord , its the way to go for a safe power transfer .  we have had a number of tree  / line takedowns ,  run the generator in a heavy  " calf hutch "  for weather protection , keep it safe , pete

[peter lena 8,649]

ROGER R , have my GEN TRAN SWITCH  coming on 20 years , when needed, it hook up my 12k generator , thru a 20 ft  panel rated plug in prong cord , its the way to go for a safe power transfer .  we have had a number of tree  / line takedowns ,  run the generator in a heavy  " calf hutch "  for weather protection , keep it safe , pete

[ZXT 2,401]

12 hours ago, McGrew said:

We lose power more often than I wish, usually due to winds or ice taking down power lines.  We have gone for days without power, so I got a nice (relatively) portable generator.  My  house was built in 1976, and the breaker panel is not a common brand, but  I found several manufacturers who make a generator interlock for it.  I hated the price ($65?) for what I was getting, but ordered it anyway.  When the supplier told me it was out of stock, I took that as an omen.  I looked at the picture of what they were selling (a piece of sheet metal, a template and a screw) and decided to make my own.  I had to move a couple breakers in the panel to get the generator breaker under the main, but after a little tweaking got it to work perfect.  Now you cannot energize the generator breaker without turning off the main.  Works for me and protects the linemen trying to restore my power.  Danny

Looks like it works! Though I wouldn't be able to install it (since it isn't UL listed) for liability reasons.

That looks like a Murray panel (Or Crouse Hinds, same thing) with some Westinghouse and Thomas & Betts breakers mixed in. That brand panel actually isn't all that uncommon, around here at least. Being built in the mid-70s, it could've had a Federal Pacific or a Zinsco instead (both fire starters) and aluminum wiring, so you're ahead of the game with what you have. If you ever have to change any breakers and want to put the "right" replacement in, Eaton CL breakers are listed for that panel.

[RandyLittrell 3,885]

I hope you find out what your pain is being caused by!! I feel the same most days but I know exactly what my issues are, pain truly sucks. Glad I don't have to deal with your snow every year, it would be fun for a little bit, but that's all!! 

 

 

 

Randy

[Rob R 966]

That baby is running great..... like yourself Eric I am using a plow more and more with global warming years ago it was just reversed and I only had to use the plow for the last two late snow storms..... also went to my GT14 so I can lift the plow hydraulically so my arm isn't out of service two days later..... LOL  MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL 

[ebinmaine 67,748]

37 minutes ago, RandyLittrell said:

I hope you find out what your pain is being caused by!! I feel the same most days but I know exactly what my issues are, pain truly sucks. Glad I don't have to deal with your snow every year, it would be fun for a little bit, but that's all!! 

 

 

 

Randy

 

We've been working on trying to figure out what's going on and having some successes. Just like anybody I guess, I have my good and ... challenging... days.

 

Been feeling okay lately and if I can keep it going at a rate of usable I'll be content with that. 

 

 

 

I agree with you on the snow by about the fourth or fifth decent storm of the year. 

Most years we have about 3 ft of Base snow sometime in March but it can vary quite a bit up or down.

 

Often the bigger source of concern is if it stays too cold for too long we can't get outside for more than a few minutes at a time because Trina is always cold and I'm the other way around. Sweating when it's below freezing is extremely dangerous. 

 

This winter should be a little easier to get along with for both of us because we have more and better organized workshop area down in the basement. 

[McGrew 460]

4 hours ago, ZXT said:

Looks like it works! Though I wouldn't be able to install it (since it isn't UL listed) for liability reasons.

That looks like a Murray panel (Or Crouse Hinds, same thing) with some Westinghouse and Thomas & Betts breakers mixed in. That brand panel actually isn't all that uncommon, around here at least. Being built in the mid-70s, it could've had a Federal Pacific or a Zinsco instead (both fire starters) and aluminum wiring, so you're ahead of the game with what you have. If you ever have to change any breakers and want to put the "right" replacement in, Eaton CL breakers are listed for that panel.

ZXT, I understand any contractor’s reluctance to avoid the liability.  Even though my solution is a carbon copy of the approved design, it did not pass the tests the tests the manufacturer of the design paid for.  That said, it works!  FYI, the panel is a Bryant.  i had to buy a 50 amp breaker to hard wire the generator in, and believe the breakers that interchange are GE brand?  Danny

[ZXT 2,401]

2 hours ago, McGrew said:

ZXT, I understand any contractor’s reluctance to avoid the liability.  Even though my solution is a carbon copy of the approved design, it did not pass the tests the tests the manufacturer of the design paid for.  That said, it works!  FYI, the panel is a Bryant.  i had to buy a 50 amp breaker to hard wire the generator in, and believe the breakers that interchange are GE brand?  Danny

Bryant was my next guess. Westinghouse = Bryant. As for replacement breakers, Eaton "BR" breakers are listed as replacements for it and are readily available and cheap. Eaton "CL" breakers are listed as well, but they're listed as replacements for many other old panel brands and are more expensive as a result. The "BR" designation actually stands for Bryant.

 

 

[McGrew 460]

2 hours ago, ZXT said:

Bryant was my next guess. Westinghouse = Bryant. As for replacement breakers, Eaton "BR" breakers are listed as replacements for it and are readily available and cheap. Eaton "CL" breakers are listed as well, but they're listed as replacements for many other old panel brands and are more expensive as a result. The "BR" designation actually stands for Bryant.

 

 

Thanks ZXT!   Good info if I need to make any more changes.  Danny

[Roger R 448]

4 hours ago, ZXT said:

Bryant was my next guess. Westinghouse = Bryant. As for replacement breakers, Eaton "BR" breakers are listed as replacements for it and are readily available and cheap. Eaton "CL" breakers are listed as well, but they're listed as replacements for many other old panel brands and are more expensive as a result. The "BR" designation actually stands for Bryant.

 

 

Square D Homeline Breakers fit also, although are not listed for these panels.  I have actually found Homeline breakers fit better than some of the Siemens in a Siemens panel. Siemens is now the parent company to many of the above mentioned manufactures.