John,
Thanks for your concern. I am a careful operator and do nothing alone these days.
I should have known better than to ask for a simple recommendation.
Every time you manage to pull your head out of your azz this is what normally follows.
Frank, I think the “simple recommendation” is that it’s a bad idea and not to do it. But since people are not telling you what it is that you want to hear you lash out at them. Personally I think there are easier and less risky ways to make money it this business. You know better so knock your socks off. Let us know how it works out for you.
Who all have I lashed out at? The one guy I did called me stupid. John come on John.
First off you nor anyone else has a clue to the procedures that are followed before performing this type of inspection.
Before we arrive to the property the home that we will be performing an initial inspection on will have already been vacant for a few months and the local power company would have pulled and capped the meter to prevent any flow back to the power lines or they would have disconnected their service lines all together. If/when we observed this has not been done we do not proceed with the electrical inspection. When this is observed the power is normally on at the property anyway.
Again I should have known better than to ask for a simple generator recommendation. Not lashing but “whatever”
Over the last 5 1/2 years we have supplied power to 100’s of homes that we have inspected under our contract guidelines as well as 100’s of other inspectors across the country who perform these inspections.
Has for “easier and less risky ways to make money in this business”
We have been approved for additional territory in the Northwest Mississippi area and we will need additional field equipment to meet our new demands. We will now be averaging 400 inspections a month. Although we still perform standard SOP inspections for the consumer we are focusing on long term contracts more and more these days. More stable work, less liability, less time and money spent on marketing, and more money to be made in volume is for me the “easier and less risky way to make money in this business”.
We own a small storage building in the heart of Memphis, TN where we keep our tools and equipment so we don’t lug around heavy generators all the time FYI but thanks again for that concern.
Seems to me if you’ve already supplied power to 100’s of homes over the last five years you wouldn’t need a recommendation for a generator from us. Maybe you can enlighten all of us on how back feeding power through dryer receptacles has been working out for you. I’d like to hear your stories regarding distance limitations of generators to service panels. Your so full of sh!t Frank I can smell it from here.
For the purposes of performing an inspection, you can technically back feed an entire panel from a single 220v receptacle. The main disconnect should be off.
You can safely energize any home via these means, for short-term applications.
I dont know why Frank would be asking for advice in this forum, however.
A small generator will do the trick, as you are somily checking for wiring, polarity, connectivity. If the power is off, and the dwelling heated via fuel oil, you may be able to kick the system on. BUT, it is likely that the total demand of the dwelling will overmatch a small generator.
Not a bad idea, IMO
I’d still rather have the true utilities on, however;-)
There’s lots of money to be made in property preservation especially with all the foreclosures this sorry *** president has not “saved” as promised. More power to you Frank!! It sure beats licking realtor balls!!:p:p
I agree with Joe if for short-tem applications, like a power failure even though not proper.
You can actually use a 120 volts generator to check wiring polarity, connectivity…
I myself have a 1500 watts army generator bought on Ebay, which performs like a 3000 watts generator and use during power outage at home (very seldom).
I won’t tell you how its connected except that suicide plugs are used and every receptacles and light fixtures in the home are energized…
Of course the main disconnects and 240V breakers are off and breakers for high energy appliances like pool pump motor, etc. are also off…
How’s that workin’ for ya Linas?
Dryer is 10 AWG… 5 ton AC could be 50 - 60 AMP
BTW… some of the homes that were winterized/preserved/whatever, I have learned to look closely at the bussing for the panels in these homes as I have found many of them have discolored bussing and melted breakers…
Wonder who did that 
Even a 20KW genne is gonna have limitations from a no amp to 50 amp load… little flickering ???
Your right John, hope you are staying busy.
Because I am stupid.
Frank,
There’s a difference between stupidity and masochism…
Like I said, the best way to do a D.A. calculation with any degree of realism is to examine the electric bills for the past 12 months and pick te worst case scenario.
Other than that, its a SWAG.
If you say so Bigfoot. 
Thanks for all your help John.
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See Frank, We can agree on something… ;-):mrgreen:
By the way, how long ago was it we disagreed on something?:shock: Why do you carry crap around so long? Hate is a horrible thing to carry around at a key board pal.
I had a 10,000 watt generac for a while Frank, great generator. I bought a small trailer at Harbor Freight and towed it. 
It’s working fine for me, some like it, I don’t like the bad taste it leaves in my mouth. Whatever floats your boat.