Wow.. i don't believe what I read..
Sparkmaster:
Look, accidents happen do they not? Those cords are an accident WAITING TO HAPPEN!
I don't care what the dude from e-bay says about shutting off breakers or this or that.. Someone may ACCIDENTALLY FORGET TO SHUT IT OFF...
Linemen are not idiots... but what if one is in the process of grounding a presumably dead line and NOW because someone made a MISTAKE and FORGOT to open their main breaker, grounds out this line and now has a big arc in their face, not nearly as much as what it would be if the line was powered from the utility but still, there is the potential for problems! Why hack in something and have the risk of killing someone???
Lemme tell you something. I worked at an electrical supplier for about a decade, know what? most people "off the street" ARE idiots.. people would come in trying to cobble up some bastardization and you know what? I would not sell them the material because I can't, If someting were to happen, in today's world it would fall back on me because " I sold it to them!"
I now am a 4'th year apprentice with a well known electrical company in this city and we do a LOT of service work to a couple of big property / housing management company's...
Do you know how many times I get emergency calls that the "lights do not work" only to find out that the bulb in the shall we say "chandelier" is burned out or that the table lamp or even the appliance is NOT PLUGGED IN!!!
Just had one call one superintendant was whining her outside lights were on past 8:30 a.m, something HAD to be wrong.. Just had to because they said so.. Turns out at that time, EVERYONES lights are still on because it was cloudy and raining and still quite DARK, as has been the past week.. Photoswitch was fine, all in the complex were fine..

Need I say more???? Some people just do NOT have common sence.. Some people are just idiots.
Some people should not be let behind the handlebar of a shopping cart let alone behinde the wheel of an automobile!

Now, you said you had a Generator and from what you say, you think its allright to " do what you have to" to keep Grandma's life saving medical equipment running or a fridge full of food cold after a disaster??
Know what? Why not just do it correct the first time and never have to worry about it.. Go, spent the $$ and have the proper transfer switch or transfer panel installed and let it be!! I did! now I KNOW there is minimal risk to me or anyone out performing work on the grid where my residence is connected!

Oh ya by the way.. I stuck things in the receptacles too when I was a kid, got shocks and LIKED IT!, blew out fuses, left flare marks up the receptacle plates, you name it.. I quickly learned that electricty is DANGEROUS, and I think you should too..

A.D