Hello, I am very new to electronics, at least the build-up of components and much of the correct terminology. I am going thru the education tab and I have tried to search the forums in ways I thought would get results, so please if there is a thread for this, please link it here, not intending to multi-post topics. Thanks in advance.

What I want to know / do is... take power from a generator source, and a direct source and combine them to a constant output. With the power from the direct source supplementing the power from the generator. IE if the Gen can provide 70%, 30% will be pulled from direct. If the Gen falls to 50%, 40%, 30% the direct feed would compensate to maintain constant / consistent output. Granted once "up to speed" I don't think it would very that much, but it was more for example purposes.

constant source would initiate the process.

Can this be done?

 

What do you mean by “direct source”?
How much power?

 

Welcome to AAC.

It would be invaluable if you‘d describe the problem you are trying to solve with the circuit you are asking about. THe application answers a lot of questions by itself and also may raise questions in the mind of the experienced which you may not have known to ask.

 

If you are talking about line voltage, you should probably not be trying this, and indeed, it is probably illegal to do this yourself. The power company would have to approve any such installation.

 

If...

I am not.

 

Define your power sources.
AC or DC?
Voltage, wattage?

 

What do you mean by “direct source”? How much power?

Direct source in this case would be a home 220 outlet, i believe.

 

Direct source in this case would be a home 220 outlet.

Home outlet?
My home outlet is typically 120VAC 60Hz @ 10A or 20A max.

 

Direct source in this case would be a home 220 outlet.

In that case don’t do it - you’ll kill someone.
imagine what would happen if there was a power cut, and your generator was still running. What would happen to someone working on the line to fix the powercut?

For that reason, grid-tie inverters have very strict regulations about “anti-islanding” which require them to switch off if the grid fails.

 

I am not.

And then you say the direct source is a 220V outlet. That is what I meant by “line voltage,” so the answer is “I am.”

 

Welcome to AAC. ....

Thanks for the welcome, and appreciate the reply.
i know this will be a bit vague and my apologies i was hypothesisizing with a friend about the ability to be able to do it.. so if this doesn't make great sense i am sorry, it's more so that I was hoping someone with more experience can tell me off the bat if it's really even a feasible concept. Thats how new I am. Seems like it should be, but I know sometimes what seems logical or reasonable is not always possible.

say a "tool" something rotary like a tool bench grinder, if you were to hook up a "generator" to it to use the grinder to turn the generator, which it's already doing, then run that generator output back into the grinder so the grinder itself drew less direct power. Does that make sense?

 

And then you say the direct source is a 220V outlet. That is what I meant by “line voltage,” so the answer is “I am.”

isn't a stove and other appliances possibly run on 220 after the in home breaker box?? so that would make it NOT line power correct?
either way this has NOTHING to do with power lines, so if you just want to criticize, thanks for the help, but please stop replying.

 

In that case don’t do it - you’ll kill someone.
imagine what would happen if there was a power cut, and your generator was still running. What would happen to someone working on the line to fix the powercut?

For that reason, grid-tie inverters have very strict regulations about “anti-islanding” which require them to switch off if the grid fails.

nothing is being done with power lines or back feeding, if the power was cut to the direct source essentially it would cut power to the generator as well.

 

What you said does not make sense.
Isn’t your home outlet line powered?

 

What you said does not make sense.
Isn’t your home outlet line powered?

yes, but this has NOTHING TO DO WITH HOME POWER LINES. and doesn't the breaker box prevent back feeding lines anyways?
if not, my bad, I stated up front my lack of direct knowledge, and again this has nothing to do with outside powerlines.

Besides, even if it did, and there is not a breaker in the box to prevent back-feeding the lines, it still must be possible to prevent it because I know people in my subdivision who have perm generators hooked up that power their house thru their box when the power goes out and that doesn't back feed the lines, so it must be possible to do, so can we please get off of this.

 

doesn't the breaker box prevent back feeding lines anyways?

No it doesn't

so it must be possible to do, so can we please get off of this.

No - it's the most important part of the topic. It's about safety. It would be unethical for any of us to advise you on a project that we don't believe you could accomplish safety.

 

When you install a backup generator, you MUST have a disconnect from the incoming power lines. Each socket in your home is DIRECTLY connected to the incoming power line. Here in the USthis disconnect has to be automatic. In my house, the connection for the generator is mechanically linked to the the mains cutoff., such that the generator cannot be connected when the power lines are.

And that is only the first problem with what you are proposing. To do what you want to do, the generator has to be perfectly synchronized with the mains.

 

ok then let's start from the beginning...
Can you draw power from (2) sources simultaneously?
if so, can you prevent one from back feeding into the other?

EDIT: sorry should have said this first, thanks for the input and explanation / clarification. appreciate it.

 

ok then let's start from the beginning...
Can you draw power from (2) sources simultaneously?
if so, can you prevent one from back feeding into the other?

Yes.
Yes.

 

Yes. Yes.

ok thanks.

can you contain and regulate the total draw and final output of the (2) sources combined?
by "Contain" i mean limit... if one source ie the generator starts to increase power, can it draw less from constant to keep the overall total current flowing thru the same?