# wiring Difference Between Backfeed Breaker And Regular Breaker



## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

When you back feed a breaker, instead of the wires coming out of the breaker going to your circuits (outlets), the generator wiring is sending power into the breaker.

If you look at the back panel of a load cente (breaker panel) you will see a buss bar (flat bar with spikes sticking up). When you plug in a breaker, it's connected to the buss bar. Flip the breaker on and the voltage from that buss bar is now available on the output of the breaker.

If you back feed a breaker, the voltage on the terminals of the breaker is now connected to the buss bar.

A breaker does not care which direction current flows. It works the same if your using it normal or back feeding it.

Very important point.....your main breaker needs to be off if you are back feeding a panel....otherwise, not so pretty things can happen. If your breaker is sized right, the only 'event' should be the breaker tripping. If not sized right.....well....guess you will be asking more questions here.


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## fa_f3_20 (Dec 30, 2011)

Yes, you need an interlock mechanism so that the back-fed generator breaker cannot be turned on unless the main is off. Or a transfer switch. 

I'm aware that some jurisdictions require that a back-fed breaker be bolted down inside the panel, to ensure that it can't pop off of the bus while it is feeding power in.


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

alsxm said:


> I learned from internet that generator can be added to main panel by using a back-feed breaker.
> A back-feed breaker looks exactly the same as any regular breaker . but this back-feed breaker received the generator and pass power to all the house loads. So how is the wiring difference between back-feed and regular breakers? ( I am not a technician nor engineer.)


They are the same unless it's a main breaker with hold down hardware.


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## jlmran (Feb 8, 2010)

hendinh488 said:


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Methamphetamine or LSD?


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