"Backfeeding" is a gnat of an issue with a common recoil start generator of 8kw or less. As mentioned above, if linemen (or women) are doing their job right (aren't overtired or pushed to hurry), any downed sections are isolated first and an unknown line is tied to ground before working on it, which even if you are the only house on a line, would kill your gen power, one way or another. Besides, a small generator might keep up with your own house, especially when the furnace, fridge, deepfreeze and well pump are going, but it's going to either pop a breaker or choke down and die if your neighbor drops a bagel in a toaster while re-heating coffee in the microwave. When you start talking a 25kw or 50, or even bigger generator, there is considerable more leeway in the loads it can handle, or to not realize the neighbors are playing their Xbox on your whole farm genset because someone either forgot to turn off a main breaker (or disconnect switch), or wasn't thinking and seeing it off, turned it on. This is why code writers have done their utmost to eliminate the "stupid" factor.
In a perfect world, circuit breakers would always open when switched, and it's my experience (as a professional electrician for decades) that they normally fail "open", not closed, but I concede that there can always be an exception, so a visually and/or mechanically verifiable disconnecting means is the next best possible way to prevent unwanted outgoing or incoming power.
Next best? Yup. The absolute best way to prevent unwanted power coming into your property, or leaving it, is to not connect to the grid at all.
I've also seen manual transfer switches fail because the mechanism hadn't moved in years, and the blades would not close on the "Gen" side. I've worked on more than a couple automatic transfer switches that didn't work in an hour of need. Nothing is absolutely fool proof. To keep yourself and other safe often requires going an extra mile. It also helps to make sure the generator and related safety equipment you may need later, is working a few times each year when you don't need it. It's worth it for when you do.
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Today's Featured Article - Restoration Story: Fordson Major - by Anthony West. George bought his Fordson Major from a an implement sale about 18 years ago for £200.00 (UK). There is no known history regarding its origins or what service it had done, but the following work was undertaken alone to bring it up to show standard. From the engine number, it was found that this Major was produced late 1946. It was almost complete but had various parts that would definitely need replacing.
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