Good point Ian, I'd forgotten about things feeding back into the supply. Not only generators but misused uninterruptable power supplies or inverters (eg. solar grid connect systems) as well. When I lived in New Guinea portable generators were everywhere due to the unreliability of the power mains. I was told about a rather lethal accessory constructed to connect a generator into the house wiring. It was simply an extension lead with plugs at both ends. You plugged it into any power point in the house and turned off the main switch in order to use the generator. Assuming the house had only a single phase supply (which I think they all did) everything would work as before, only limited by the generator output and power circuit wiring.
Steve, Well said! Here in Australia it appears to be union driven to keep it all closed shop. It seems to be a fear based on electricians losing jobs if Australian homeowners are legally able to do what they've already been doing for years, which of course doesn't make sense.
So, how do non Australian electricians feel about this? Is homeowner DIY a threat to your job?
