I am a newbie to your blog, also to blogs in general. Awesome job!!!
You can power your home with a generator easily and Safely as follows: If your home has a electric dryer and your generator output is less than 30 amps (i.e. Coleman 5000 Watts = 20 amps) Kill your main inbound voltage, main breaker/ disconnect et cetera.Use a male twist lock NEMA plug that fits the outlet from the generator, use appropriate cable (10/3 S.O. cord) size it to the amperage output of the generator (10 AWG / 30 amps) for short lengths. Use a male dryer plug. You are backfeeding the house panel this way. Control the outlets needing power with the breaker panel. i.e. kitchen refrigerator, removing all the sucker loads i.e.VCR, DVD player et cetera. If utility power is restored nothing will be harmed, (generator or linemen working in the area), because you are disconnected by the main breaker or disconnect. Cost is less than $75.00 Larger amperages would use the electric stove outlet–they are good for 50 amps. Securing the generator is another story. – Monty
JWR Adds: Use extreme caution when using this method. (It is indeed a sound method for use in an emergency, but it is not a proper substitute for a proper transfer breaker panel It requires thought before action.) When the grid comes back up: Remember to shut down the generator first, then unplug your back feed rig, and finally switch back to utility power. Keep in mind that the backfeed rig has exposed (male) prongs that are energized ("hot"), so the rig should be completely disconnected from your generator when you run it for any other purpose.