Manual Transfer switch?

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Hey guys, wondering what brand/type of transfer switch i should get for my house. I believe the only large appliances i would be running would be a freezer, a refrigerator/freezer and the stove (obviously 240). Everything else would be 120. Mostly lights and a few outlets in the rooms. I'd like to safely switch all of these on. I have a briggs and stratton 5500 watt storm responder portable generator. 18 breakers in my breaker panel, not including the mains. 17 of the 18 are used.

 

[ishiboo]

What's your panel? A generator interlock with backfed breaker is simple, clean, and inexpensive.

 

[creativecars]

We went with a Generlink switch. Have not needed to use it yet, but with this option every circuit is avaliable... just not all at once.

 

[rockwithjason]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Reliance...Circuit-Transfer-Switch-Kit-3006HDK/202213700

panels like this are popular here. each circuit has an interlock so it's very flexible.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Do I have to match the transfer switch to the generator size or is that why there's a "max" watts? My breaker panel doesn't have any kind of name on it

 

[theoldwizard1]

Generator interlock. Lower cost, easier to wire, and the flexibility to choose what ever circuit you want to energize. In most homes, that means you can probably run EVERYTHING except A/C, water heater, stove and clothes dryer.

 

[Dagny]

Ronk is good stuff sold tons before y2k.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Generator interlock. Lower cost, easier to wire, and the flexibility to choose what ever circuit you want to energize. In most homes, that means you can probably run EVERYTHING except A/C, water heater, stove and clothes dryer.

Can you recommend a good interlock kit?

 

[ishiboo]

Can you recommend a good interlock kit?

It is specific to your panel. There is one per panel. As I said, what's your panel?

 

[rustyshakelford]

I'd back feed into the panel but if you only have 1 open slot I don't know how you'd get 240 without two slots. Most everything you said should be 120 except for the range which most are 30-50amps so your genny might be a little under sized.

Brett

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

It is specific to your panel. There is one per panel. As I said, what's your panel?

i can't find a brand on it anywhere. It's literally just a painted gray box. The breakers arent even branded anywhere i can see. Its old enough to not have a grounding bus, just neutral.

 

[jayoldschool]

I have a nice transfer switch if you're interested. Brand new in the box, I returned my generator. PM me for details...

 

[ishiboo]

i can't find a brand on it anywhere. It's literally just a painted gray box. The breakers arent even branded anywhere i can see. Its old enough to not have a grounding bus, just neutral.

Take a picture, it'll be easy to ID if it's not full of incorrect breakers.

You might find out you need a new load center too!

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

This is literally what's there

 

[theoldwizard1]

Can you recommend a good interlock kit?

Most load center (breaker box) manufacturers sell their own. If not check HERE.


The only thing else you need is a power inlet box.

 

[theoldwizard1]

This is literally what's there

You will have to free up 2 slots but you can do that with a couple of tandem breakers.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

The perfectionist in me wants to install a new box and clean all those wires up lol

 

[ishiboo]

Are you in Canada? Don't see a lot of multi-colored breaker handles here.

I'm not familiar with that particular panel setup, and I believe there are several brands of breakers in it... I think BR/Homeline/GE and a few others have pretty similar formats that you can put the wrong one in, but I'm not positive.

I would agree with you and recommend a new quality panel with an interlock. You are out of space, it's a mess, and I think there are probably some incorrect breakers there. If you do it yourself, I think it would be about the same cost as installing a transfer switch.

 

[ishiboo]

Also, what does the orange extension cord go to where the ground and neutral are connected but the hots go somewhere else? Good lord! And is the main breaker feed corroding/burned/etc?

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

The orange extension cord is the existing extension cord to the porch where the generator is run. The hots are not connected right now. When power is out generator is UNSAFELY fed to the main with the wires from the pole disconnected. This is why I want to get something safe figured out. I agree on breakers, there are some wrong ones in there and it's obvious by the slightly crooked breakers. A larger 30 breaker panel would be great and also having a grounding bus. Very few outlets in this house are grounded.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

And no, I love in CT lol. OK well, what panels would you recommend and how do I safely handle the mains if I were to do it myself?

 

[ishiboo]

The orange extension cord is the existing extension cord to the porch where the generator is run. The hots are not connected right now. When power is out generator is UNSAFELY fed to the main with the wires from the pole disconnected. This is why I want to get something safe figured out. I agree on breakers, there are some wrong ones in there and it's obvious by the slightly crooked breakers. A larger 30 breaker panel would be great and also having a grounding bus. Very few outlets in this house are grounded.

I personally like the value of a Homeline, same breaker internals as Square D QO at a great price. It's kind of like Ford/Chevy/GM though.

You would want to have the power disconnected while you replace the box. That will probably trigger an inspection. It will need to be brought up to code.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

i can't find a brand on it anywhere. It's literally just a painted gray box. The breakers arent even branded anywhere i can see. Its old enough to not have a grounding bus, just neutral.

Actually thats incorrect IF this is your main panel and the only thing upstream of it is a meter and NO breaker.

What is before this panel?

This is literally what's there

That thing is an absolute mess.

Youve got at least 5 different brands of breakers in there.

Did u buy the house like this?

Looks like there is some knob and tube in there as well.

What year was the house built? 30s or 40s??

Are you in Canada? Don't see a lot of multi-colored breaker handles here.

I'm not familiar with that particular panel setup, and I believe there are several brands of breakers in it... I think BR/Homeline/GE and a few others have pretty similar formats that you can put the wrong one in, but I'm not positive.

I would agree with you and recommend a new quality panel with an interlock. You are out of space, it's a mess, and I think there are probably some incorrect breakers there. If you do it yourself, I think it would be about the same cost as installing a transfer switch.

Actually the breakers with colored handles are either westinghouse or bryant, which was bought out and replaced by eaton's BR line. Was very common brand of breakers in the 70s and 80s.

The orange extension cord is the existing extension cord to the porch where the generator is run. The hots are not connected right now. When power is out generator is UNSAFELY fed to the main with the wires from the pole disconnected. This is why I want to get something safe figured out. I agree on breakers, there are some wrong ones in there and it's obvious by the slightly crooked breakers. A larger 30 breaker panel would be great and also having a grounding bus. Very few outlets in this house are grounded.

I just gotta ask how do u hook the hot wires back up with the power restored?

Is there a breaker before this panel?

U really need to stop doing this. If the hot wires from the pole are hooked up while live and u touch it to the panel chassis or neutral bar, u can have dire consequences!

And no, I love in CT lol. OK well, what panels would you recommend and how do I safely handle the mains if I were to do it myself?

U would have to have the main service drop disconnected assuming there is only a meter and no disconnect before this.

Of course this means permits and inspections as mentioned above.

So, what is upstream of this panel?

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have to agree with Wylie, it is time for a new box !

What the heck is that piece of orange extension cordage doing in there picking up ground and neutral and where do the black and red wires go ?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I have to agree with Wylie, it is time for a new box !

What the heck is that piece of orange extension cordage doing in there picking up ground and neutral and where do the black and red wires go ?

He explained in #20 that the extension cord is hooked up to his generator to backfeed the panel...red and black get connected to the back fed main AFTER HE DISCONNECTS THE UTILITY FED WIRES

 

[theoldwizard1]

... how do I safely handle the mains if I were to do it myself?

Some power companies will come out and remove the meter (no power in, safest thing to do) and re-install it for no charge, other companies will charge.

In the "old days" you would just carefully cut the seal, open the box and pull the meter. When you were done, reverse the process and re-install the seal so that hopefully no one will notice it has been cut or if the seal is very old just throw it away. If they "catch you" claim ignorance or say something like, "I saw a piece of metal laying on the ground there, but I just threw it away." Unless that months bill comes up very short, what are they going to do ?

 

[Junkman]

Since you live in CT, and are in need of a disconnect, I have a 200 Amp Generator / Line Power manual transfer switch that is about 10 years old, that I removed a few years ago. I will sell it for $75 picked up (near Putnam CT). I replaced it because I installed an automatic transfer switch instead. Send me a PM if you are interested.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

So many questions. Ok

Before that main breaker panel is the meter. It's actually my grandparents house that this breaker panel is in. I don't know who has serviced it (i'd guess my grandfather). From what i understand, it's the second one the house has received. The house was built in 64. They are the original owners. When the power goes out, my grandfather will grab a flashlight and hook in the hot wires to the mains and then start the generator. Neutral and ground are already hooked in, which is what the fat orange extension cord is. As far as hooking back in power, my grandfather said he just puts the main wires back in once power has been restored to the street and disconnects the generator. I know this isn't proper which is why i'd like to get some type of device down there not only for his safety, but for the people working outside as well. I understand all about live wires being left open like that, etc. Can't exactly tell a grown man what to do... I figured that would be what i would have to do as far as having power shut off, i didn't know if any of you had some little well kept secret that was obvious but overlooked lol. And yes, i did figure if it had to be shut off that it would prompt questioning and inspections, etc. Electrical stuff interests me and i have been planning on going back to school to become an electrician so i figured in the mean time i'd tackle some smaller projects around the house that are within my means to learn, a transfer switch being one of those. I had suspected that the breaker panel would need to be replaced/upgraded but it not being my house i don't make that call. If the power was off i wouldn't have a problem doing it, but pulling the main wires through the box even with tape would make me nervous, nevermind feeling like i had a live bomb by my head the whole project. I did also suspect that some breakers namely the 4th and 8th on the left bank and 7th on the right were not the correct ones for the box, but they've been like that for years so i never really thought anything of it until i started reading up on electrical and learning on my own. Then the light went off in my head.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Call the power company and ask if there is a charge to remove and re-install the meter. It might not be too much.


Related (kind of). When My daughter was having a brick paver patio installed, the A/C compressor had to be moved. I think it cost $100-$150. Not bad seeing as they had to come out twice !

 

[Norcal]

The panel is either a Murray/ Crouse-Hinds, or Bryant, & the former seems most probable but a panel upgrade would be advisable, IMO.

A picture of the cover would confirm the mfg. .

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

It's funny, my grandfather thought it was a Crouse too, so maybe it is? I couldn't find any info on it to determine if it was or not

 

[CJ7VFR]

I have the same generator as the OP, plus an older style Manual Transfer Switch that I put in when Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012. I put a power inlet box outside the house and used 10 feet of 10/3 wire to hook the power inlet box up to the MTS.

I went this route versus an Interlock because of my wife. She is deathly afraid of anything that has to do with the electricity in our home, and when I told her about the Interlock versus the MTS, she said there is no she was going to open up the load center and start flipping breakers and as she says "that other thingy" to get power to the house.

She liked the idea of the MTS because it is simple to use, and runs only the things we need to stay in our house when the power is out. We run our oil burning furnace, the sump pump, our well (for water), our septic system, two refrigerators, two kitchen outlets, the lights and exhaust fan in one of our bathrooms, our office and the outlets that run my fish tank, that also run the TV and fios box.

This gives us the ability to have heat, keep the basement from flooding, take hot showers, flush the toilet, keep our food cold, eat hot food (using a toaster oven or the microwave), watch TV, have computer and internet access, use the bathroom, and charge anything that is battery operated.

But the most important thing of all is that my wife is not afraid of the MTS. She knows how to gas up the generator, wheel it over to the power inlet box, start the generator, hook up the L14-30 cord and then walk into the basement and just flip the 10 switches on the MTS. For some reason, this does not scare her because at no time does she have to open the door on the load center and have "electricity get me".

That, and I know in a power outage, if I was not home, she would not keep track of what breakers she was turning on and off to supply power to different things using an Interlock, as you have to do that in order keep from over stressing the generator.

I would have preferred the Interlock, but because of my wife, we have the MTS and it works great, is easy to use, and most of all my wife is not afraid to use it.

Here is a picture of my power inlet box outside the house and the MTS hooked up next to my load center in my basement.

Jim