generator transfer

[billconner]

Inlaw house. An electrician installed an inlet on house for portable generator. Is this a code approved transfer?

Also, since this displaced 4 circuits in an already full panel, the added a 6 circuit no main sub panel adjacent. Is that code? 2018 in NYS.

Thanks!

 

[jblnut]

That is a manual interlock switch. I have them on my panels on the farm and they need to be flipped before power from my PTO generator will run through the panels. It is a lot less expensive way than having a full-blown ATS.

My electrician installed them and my electrical inspector put his sticker next to them so I would imagine they are approved and just fine

 

[sparky 1971]

As above, yes that's a compliant interlock. (As long as its listed, but if it does what it's designed for, who really cares?). As far as the sub panel, it doesn't need a main since it's in the same building. You hear about main breakers for sub panels over and over and over on GJ because they are for detached garages/shops. Because it's still in the same structure is why it also doesn't need to have its own ground rods.

 

[billconner]

Thanks. Seemed a little iffy but I guess just least expensive code compliant method to transfer.

 

[jblnut]

Thanks. Seemed a little iffy but I guess just least expensive code compliant method to transfer.

Far less expensive way to transfer if what is behind it isn’t critical. I have an ATS in my Chicken Barn because power cannot go out or the birds will cease to be alive. I have manual interlocks on the farm service that runs the house, shop, sheds, and cattle barns because they can all go without power for a little while. Most homes do not need an ATS.

 

[P0234]

Thanks. Seemed a little iffy but I guess just least expensive code compliant method to transfer.

Short of a whole house automated transfer, it IS the best option there is. Its cheap, effective, nothing hard to find to wear out/break and it does the entire panel. What more do you want?

 

[My Old Tools]

Far less expensive way to transfer if what is behind it isn’t critical. I have an ATS in my Chicken Barn because power cannot go out or the birds will cease to be alive. I have manual interlocks on the farm service that runs the house, shop, sheds, and cattle barns because they can all go without power for a little while. Most homes do not need an ATS.

Without an ATS, when the power goes out at midnight in a storm, the freezer is off, the HVAC is off, my CPAP is off, etc. If you aren't home it might be off for days. I would say an ATS for a home is required.

 

[billconner]

This makes me think about other plusses to being off grid, with solar and batteries.

I also wonder about the number of steps involved in a transfer of this type, and the need to load shed with just a small portable generator as back up.

Luckily, in my adult lifetime, it's only been once where power outage resulted in tossing freezer and fridge food. Not bad at 72. Clearly ahead over backup in three houses (not counting weight gain from eating to save it ) I've also found most power outages are in summer, not heating season, and never lived where AC was essential.

 

[P0234]

I would say an ATS for a home is required.

LMAO. Required? Man, someone has been hypnotized by the AARP ads...

 

[billconner]

LMAO. Required? Man, someone has been hypnotized by the AARP ads...

If you lived where outages were frequent and lengthy - maybe 2 or 3 a year each longer than food will stay cold and frozen - it makes sense. Once a year might be enough, or would have been when I was working and traveling on business frequently.

 

[jblnut]

Without an ATS, when the power goes out at midnight in a storm, the freezer is off, the HVAC is off, my CPAP is off, etc. If you aren't home it might be off for days. I would say an ATS for a home is required.

Most freezers will be fine without power for a day or two if they aren't opened often.

I can live without HVAC for long enough to start the generator and get things powered back up. Winter outages are more dire than summer ones around here as my cattle waterers will freeze and my wood stove water won't circulate and will eventually freeze. Stove will easily run off a Honda EU2000i but the waterers need the big genny.

When the power goes out my CPAP stops and it wakes me up in a quick hurry which is great because I then know the power is out and I can start the generator. The genny in the chicken barn also calls me that it fired up so if a lack of air doesn't wake me up my phone will.

It takes me 20 minutes max to get the tractor out of the shed, grease and hook up the PTO generator and get it fired up. Really isn't a big deal. I rarely leave home so that is a non issue for me. If you leave often or have frequent outages all of that changes of course.

 

[P0234]

If you lived where outages were frequent and lengthy - maybe 2 or 3 a year each longer than food will stay cold and frozen - it makes sense. Once a year might be enough, or would have been when I was working and traveling on business frequently.

I'm sure there are cases, but for most people, it's buying on fear. In the last 25 years I've only lost power for more than a few hours one time. On average a person loses power for less than 2 hours a year, without major (weather) events.

U.S. electricity customers averaged five and one-half hours of power interruptions in 2022 - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

www.eia.gov

Maine, Vermont, WV and Florida are bringing down the country with their slow times.

 

[PCustoms]

U.S. electricity customers averaged five and one-half hours of power interruptions in 2022 - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

www.eia.gov

Maine, Vermont, WV and Florida are bringing down the country with their slow times.

Yep.

I have a transfer switch, and will likely do an ATS and dedicated propane tank in the next 5yrs.

Having the power out for 2-3 days in freezing temperatures when you're traveling is an issue.

 

[My Old Tools]

In the last two weeks we have had two storms with winds over 70 mph. The last one had five trees take out not only power lines but also poles. All of east Texas was affected and yes, people were down for days. I love my 37kw whole house Generac. We just put a small one on our neighborhood well pump with an ATS. I'm 70 and I'm the young one in the neighborhood. When it was -12 for 3 days and no power, we had to start the manual genny for the well. It had to be warmed with torches to get it loose enough to pull the rope. We take weeks long trips occassionally, but even a long weekend will ruin all the stuff in the freezer. Between ice storms in the winter, spring thunderstorms, tornadoes almost anytime, and the occassional hurricane that gets up this far, we run the genny multiple times a year from a few hours to many days. I'm done going out in a storm or negative temps to throw switches and start generators.

 

[dave*99]

Yep.

I have a transfer switch, and will likely do an ATS and dedicated propane tank in the next 5yrs.

Having the power out for 2-3 days in freezing temperatures when you're traveling is an issue.

Green Mountain Power in VT ....... leading us into darkness. I know someone getting the same setup this summer. Last winter was their first winter with GMP.

I have the transfer switch shown in the first post here in NJ. Just in case, but long outages are rare here in NJ. Inspected, approved and ready go.

 

[MongoTA]

I power my house with a Honda eu6500 through a Schneider Electric UTS-10BI load shedding transfer panel. Only has the ability to run one 220v circuit, and that is the well pump. So no electric clothes dryer, wall oven, or whole house AC. Other than that, using load shedding where needed, the transfer panel will power everything we need it to in our frairly large house on a 6500/5500watt generator.

Our utility (in CT) *****. Longest summer outage was 8 days, longest winter I think six. I only run the generator maybe 6-8 hours throughout the day and turn it off at night when sleeping.

Works great for us, and best of all, my wife can handle it when I'm on the road. Turn the key, start the generator up. Or off. It can be wired up for auto start but I prefer to not use that.

 

[LopezBart]

For those of you (like me) who use a CPAP, a CPAP than will run on 12V makes things very simple: Use a Battery Tender to keep a small gel cell (sufficient to run your CPAP overnight) charged; power your CPAP from the battery. I've used this now for years; it's also what I use when camping in a tent. No fuss, no muss; I sleep happily though power outages. If you have an outage lasting days, you'll want a generator for your freezer; this will charge the CPAP battery as well, of course.

 

[PCustoms]

Green Mountain Power in VT ....... leading us into darkness.

They've got a pledge to be outtage free by 2030...

In my case I'm on a ~12 customer spur line that dates back to an easement started for a camp in the 50's. While it's only a handful of poles, they're haphazardly set in a terrible location and get a low priority for repairs as the time involved far outweighs the reward.

 

[dave*99]

They've got a pledge to be outtage free by 2030...

In my case I'm on a ~12 customer spur line that dates back to an easement started for a camp in the 50's. While it's only a handful of poles, they're haphazardly set in a terrible location and get a low priority for repairs as the time involved far outweighs the reward.

It will be achieved by all their customers having generators.

 

[PCustoms]

It will be achieved by all their customers having generators.

You jest, but the first thing I figured was heavily subsidized power walls...

I had a conversation with them this time last year, cost to set a basic pole, with access, was $2500+. Can't imagine what it would cost to set a pole on the side of a cliff in January...

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Without an ATS, when the power goes out at midnight in a storm, the freezer is off, the HVAC is off, my CPAP is off, etc. If you aren't home it might be off for days. I would say an ATS for a home is required.

freezer should stay cold for a long time without power

CPAP machine should be connected to a battery backup

 

[My Old Tools]

I see ATS online from $64.99 to $868. If you are putting in a whole house or really any stand-by genny, its not alot compared to the rest of the investment. The 9kw Generac for the well came with the ATS all for $1800.

 

[PCustoms]

I see ATS online from $64.99 to $868. If you are putting in a whole house or really any stand-by genny, its not alot compared to the rest of the investment. The 9kw Generac for the well came with the ATS all for $1800.

Curious what ATS is available for $65

 

[dave*99]

Curious what ATS is available for $65

Here is what I found for $64.99, but it sure won't provide the functionality I normally associate with a Whole house generator and associated ATS. It turns out there are a lot of products labeled ATS for cheap on Amazon.

Around me an 18KW Generac and 200A ATS installed runs $9-10K

Amazon.com

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I see ATS online from $64.99 to $868. If you are putting in a whole house or really any stand-by genny, its not alot compared to the rest of the investment. The 9kw Generac for the well came with the ATS all for $1800.

either thats a typo or youre buying it on temu or wish .com

 

[mm08822]

either thats a typo or youre buying it on temu or wish .com

Nah. It's another quality item from Amazon made in China.

It's also offered for $53.

Rather limited with only a single hot and neutral connection.

I wouldn't this between my backup gen and panel.

 

[65ranchero]

Yep.

I have a transfer switch, and will likely do an ATS and dedicated propane tank in the next 5yrs.

Having the power out for 2-3 days in freezing temperatures when you're traveling is an issue.

Done that, 8k standby with ATS and dedicated 120 gal. tank (420lbs)
it will last about 4 days on full load if needed. Normal fill is once a year with tank being at 70%

 

[PCustoms]

Done that, 8k standby with ATS and dedicated 120 gal. tank (420lbs)
it will last about 4 days on full load if needed. Normal fill is once a year with tank being at 70%

I'll probably go a bit bigger on the tank, there's been a few storms in November where I had to consider cutting vacation short.

My setup is better since I changed my power feed last year, but it's still a lot to ask someone to go over in **** weather to roll the generator in/out to run the furnace a few times a day.

 

[65ranchero]

go over in **** weather to roll the generator in/out to run the furnace a few times a day.

That's why I went standby and ATS the most we had power out was ( I think ) 18hrs since I been up here, also GMP

 

[My Old Tools]

We have 500 gallons of propane underground. Should be good for a week or more if we're careful. Our heat is. Geothermal heat pump, so electricity is important.

 

[dave*99]

I wouldn't this between my backup gen and panel.

Well if that where the trash can was…….

 

[PopcornSutton]

I put in an interlock this year. We don't lose power often, but when we have, running extension cords all over is a pain. The biggest reason was to power the well pump.

 

[My Old Tools]

We put this one on our shared well. Comes with ATS. 7.5kw w/ATS for $1800.

Generac 6998 Guardian 7.5kW NG/LP Standby Generator with Smart Transfer Switch

Generac 6998 Guardian 7.5kW NG/LP Standby Generator with Smart Transfer Switch. Authorized Dealer. Brand new in box. Free shipping. 3 year factory warranty

factorypure.com