Neal's Generator/Transfer setup

[ns_in_tex]

Neal\'s Generator/Transfer setup

There seems to be a lot of interest in generators & transfer switch setups so I am sharing what I have, hoping some portion will help someone else.

Attached is the PTO generator I have.

 

[ns_in_tex]

Re: Neal\'s Generator/Transfer setup

It has built in volt & frequency meters

 

[ns_in_tex]

Re: Neal\'s Generator/Transfer setup

It came complete with this trailer, PTO shaft, and 1 set cables (not very long).

It has very little tongue weight & rolls around on a concrete floor easier than a empty wheel barrow.

I had to add a little to it so I could carry my welder, saw horses, work table, ETC to job site.

OK, guys, now you know I am not a welder, from the machine shown here. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[ns_in_tex]

Re: Neal\'s Generator/Transfer setup

The generator has two 220 plugs & one 110 receptacle, all on separate breakers.

I mounted a rain tight box at the corner of my garage, mounted two range receptacles inside & ran 6-3 romex from each receptacle to serve two breaker boxes on my house.

 

[ns_in_tex]

Re: Neal\'s Generator/Transfer setup

This is the way it looks plugged in.

One circuit serves a transfer switch to the 3 air conditioners and the other serves a 60 amp circuit fed into the 200 amp main disconnect panel with a interlock.

I have to be slightly selective on what I turn on, so as not to overload the generator, but we can certainly do OK.

I have run two of the air conditioiners at the same time, along with whatever else we needed.

We have gas water heating & cloths dryer.

 

[ns_in_tex]

Re: Neal\'s Generator/Transfer setup

Now for the good part where you can save some cash.

The transfer switch for the outdoor air conditioner breaker box is nothing more than a 100 amp RT breaker box with opposed breakers. All you have to do is wire the fed breaker box from the lugs, feed the meter into one of the breakers and the generator receptacle into the other breaker.

Then make a handle tie out of sheet metal and tie the two breakers together so when one goes on, the other goes off.

I used 60 amp breakers, since that was what my generator recept was fused at.

I got this idea, while shopping online for transfer switches and saw this setup, but was considerable more money.

 

[ns_in_tex]

Re: Neal\'s Generator/Transfer setup

For the main panel, I back fed a 60 amp circuit into the bottom of the panel, then built a interlock so the generator circuit and the main breaker could not be turned on at the same time.

One has to be off, in order for the other to be turned on.

I got this idea off the internet, might even be TBN, I do not remember.

Sorry for the out of focus picture.

I will post upper & lower portions to make more clear.

 

[ns_in_tex]

Re: Neal\'s Generator/Transfer setup

Upper view of interlock

 

[ns_in_tex]

Re: Neal\'s Generator/Transfer setup

Lower view of the interlock

Then we fused a single circuit from the meter to a seldom used hall light. When the generator is in use, we turn that hall light on, so we can tell when the power is back on.

Thats all folks, hope someone finds the info useful.

 

[MicroPilot]

Re: Neal\'s Generator/Transfer setup

AWESOME series Neal!!!

Any idea on your total cost? Where did you purchase the Genset from and what was it's cost?