[Lucrosus]

Is it possible to generate electricity and feed it into you wall outlet? Also, would this slow down the electric meter? Just wondering :D

[Stratmando]

Yes, But not exactly, I worked on The first house down here that had solar panels, inverter and tied to Electric Company, any excess power made the Meter go Backwards?
You can't feed power to a receptacle as the prongs from your power source would be exposed, live, and a Shock Hazzard.

[KISS]

Possible, yes, but don't let the utility company catch you because there can be a dear price to pay without the proper safeguards. The safeguards are a transfer switch, interlocked breakers or a grid-tie inverter.

Since AC is phased, you generated power must be in sync with the utility, otherwise you could get zero voltage out.

Your generated power must disconnect immediately when utility power fails, otherwise the utility grid would be energized at the high voltage in thousands of volts and endanger the lineman's lives.

I covered briefly the two reasons to generate power. When utility power is off and when it's present.

With a grid-tie system, you generally can't use your generated power unless utility power is present. Also the utility company has rules on how they pay you for generated power.

[andrewc24301]

Around here I've been told that if you generate your own power, the electric company comes out and installs a special meter that will turn backwards when you are generating more electricity than you are consuming.

A call to your electric company will be the only way to tell for sure.

[KISS]

Some utilities use net meterimg and usually no different meter is required.

Others like to charge you the wholesale rate for excess electricity and when your consuming what your generating is comes off at the retail rate.

[Lucrosus]

Thanks for the info! I live "out in the woods" and am trying to find creative ways to generate money. Maybe I should just forget the creative aspect and just, as they say, make money :P

I'll look and see if my electric company has net metering.

Thanks for all your help!
Lucrosus

[Missouri Bound]

Hmm. Assuming you could generate more electricity than you could use, and that you could correctly reverse your electric meter... there isn't any utility company that would pay you for your "generated electricity". At the very best they would credit your consumption (energy charge) toward the next bill. And all bills include taxes, service availability charge, and many not have an energy adjustment charge. It would be unlikely that anyone would use only the energy they could generate themselves, unless living in a hermit-like situation. I actually have an associate who lives on a mountain, uses solar and wind source energy and does quite well... until it rains, or the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine. His generator takes care of the needs at night, and at those times when mother nature doesn't help out. (but he is completely off the grid)

[andrewc24301]

Off the grid living is very possible. It's still a little shunned, because it's a lot of work. In fact, last month I had the pleasure of getting to know a technical Amish fella who runs a country store out in Bland, who is living off the grid quite successfully.

He had lots of cool stuff in his shop, a slicer than ran on a 12 volt motor. The condensing lines from the walk in freezer and cooler ran under the slab of the shop to help keep it warm. He made excellent use of skylights, lots of good idea's in that place.

[Missouri Bound]

Andrew... the fellow I know is a cowboy. Although we work together, when he leaves work he's 100% "off the grid". (fine if you can do it) And a few years ago I visited an Amish area in Wisconsin... and they do everything we do... without the benefit of electricity. It was like a trip to the past. They ran farms powered by horses, and took their crops to town, along with their quilts and homemade butter to sell. I'm envious, But our ancestors did it. But if they don't mind, It's not my place to criticize. I just don't think I could do it.