getting ready for Gustav

[mspool]

Does anyone have any experience with putting a pool pump on a generator or is that way too dangerous?? Is something that can be done for a few hours on and then take it off??

[Vinyl_Guy]

Does anyone have any experience with putting a pool pump on a generator or is that way too dangerous?? Is something that can be done for a few hours on and then take it off??

If the pump can be wired correctly to be compatible with the generator then I see no reason for any safety issues. Other then the obvious, lots of water and electricity near each other.

If your converting a "hardwired" pump over to a plug type set up to be used in conjunction with the generator, be careful the length of powercord you use. I once temped a pool pump from a house outlet like this and the extension cord got very hot, but it was a very long run. Some one with more electrical savvy can probably explain why.

Then again, I wouldn't want to have the generator right near all the pumps and other stuff either. A little distance probably isn't a bad thing.

But I don't see why if the generator is of sufficient power, and the pump is wired correctly to receive it, that it shouldn't be like running anything else off a generator. Problem is pool pumps draw a lot more power then most any household item or lights you'd use with a generator.

If your not familiar with either generators, the pump itself, and electricity, I wouldn't go fooling around trying to rewire it.

But if the pump plugs into an outlet right now, it's simply finding a generator with the same plug and sufficient power. Of course there's probably going to be no way of regulating it, other then turning the generator off and on, or plugging and unplugging the pump (if there are other items running off the generator). Most generators have something that looks like a wall socket on them. You just can't overwhelm them by plugging things in that are too much for it to power.

Sorry I can't be of more help, when ever I encountered these things while in business, I'd chirp my electrician on the Nextell 2-way, and he'd walk me through it.

[CarlD]

You mean plugging it into a generator directly? It depends on the output wattage and if it's sufficient for the pump. As for other hurricane dangers, I'm not familiar with them, but I wouldn't leave a solar cover on the pool any more than I'd leave lawn furniture out.

Unless the pool empties I don't see what harm a correctly sized generator would do.

Still, if the storm is only a day or two it might just be better to shut down and batten down the hatches.

[aylad]

If you live in an area where you suspect lengthy power outage after the storm makes landfall, then I would consider just plugging it into the generator after the storm is over and during cleanup. However, if it's just for the couple of days during landfall, and you don't anticipate lengthy times without electricity, I would just shock the heck out of it ahead of time, and then leave it alone and deal with the aftermath. I think you have less chance of harm to the pump by not using during the full force of the storm, because you don't run the risk of debris blowing into the pool and blocking the skimmers or something punching a hole in the liner and emptying too much water, running the pump dry.

I see that the predictions are taking a more westward turn in regard to where landfall will happen--I'd love to see it go west just a bit more (away from Louisiana!!!) We're all having nightmares about Katrina.....

Janet