Getting Water During Power Outages?

[Anthony W]

There should be a main breaker should be a main breaker / disconnect just below the meter could hook a generator there with a manual transfer switch.

Nope, no disconnect at the meter. Each building has it's own disconnect (i.e. Breaker Panel). Our electrical system was setup over 30 years ago. It's a little unconventional, but it works fine and have never had an issue.

Even if there was a disconnect at the meter it's up by the road on a slope with boulders and stumps. There wouldn't be any place to locate the generator, and I wouldn't trust that someone wouldn't take off with it since it's out of sight of our house.

 

[Reach4]

If you transferred power to a bunch of buildings, the generator may not be able to handle the load. You would have to manually shed the loads. If you only transferred at the well house, you could get by with a smaller generator. You could put a good flex cord and plug feeding the pressure switch, and have an outlet for that plug to normally plug into. When time to use some water with the regular power out, go out to the pump house, and move the plug to the generator.

 

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[Anthony W]

If you transferred power to a bunch of buildings, the generator may not be able to handle the load. You would have to manually shed the loads. If you only transferred at the well house, you could get by with a smaller generator. You could put a good flex cord and plug feeding the pressure switch, and have an outlet for that plug to normally plug into. When time to use some water with the regular power out, go out to the pump house, and move the plug to the generator.

That's more in line with what I was planning. I have no need to power all the buildings during a power outage. We have a woodstove for heat, plenty of backup batteries for lighting. All I really need is a way to get water for toilets and hand washing, and to power the refrigerator (still leaning towards a larger battery backup for that, though I could run an extension cord for a generator if needed. I don't need anything fancy.

We can always cook food on the woodstove, or use my little portable butane stove outside if needed. That has never been an issue.

 

[Reach4]

That's more in line with what I was planning. I have no need to power all the buildings during a power outage. We have a woodstove for heat, plenty of backup batteries for lighting. All I really need is a way to get water for toilets and hand washing, and to power the refrigerator (still leaning towards a larger battery backup for that, though I could run an extension cord for a generator if needed. I don't need anything fancy.

We can always cook food on the woodstove, or use my little portable butane stove outside if needed. That has never been an issue.

One little trick: after running the generator, and using water, if the pump is off, before turning off the generator, give the armature on the pressure switch a poke (insulated tool would make me feel better when doing that). That will cause the pump to top off the pressure tank before you shut down the generator.