PTO Generator

   / PTO Generator
  • Thread Starter
#71  
Okay, I've received my generator. I *DONT* have the switch yet, but I have the generator and trailer assembled. I'll give it a good test soon, and pictures up within a couple of days. Since it is Christmas eve - Merry Christmas to those that celebrate.

EDIT: Can anyone reccomend an effective, safe, transfer switch for a genny putting out a max 15KW? I just need to be able to switch between utility for the whole house, or genny - not single circuits. I will turn off certain circuits in the breaker box to ensure I don't try to overload (say having all the furnace elements going etc).

I called a certain dealer of such things and he seemed eager to sell me some ridiculous things at $800+. I was polite about it. I love playing along with their stupid scare tactics, misleading information etc. Sadly this was the same place I got my genny from. Had I experienced that phone call previously, I would have taken my generator purchase elsewhere. I guess if you know what you want, that company is ok since they did deliver in reasonable time what I ordered at a reasonable price. meh.
 
   / PTO Generator #72  
Unfortunately, for an out of the box whole house transfer switch, $800 is not an unreasonable price.

There are other ways to fabricate one for less money. There was a thread several months ago about a home-brewed interlocked transfer switch here on TBN by Neal in Texas. Very early on Neal posted a reply in this thread pointing to his info.

Anyway, take a look at the attached photos in his thread. The photos are very good at showing how to do it.
 
   / PTO Generator #73  
Ditto what Dave said. $800 for a whole house switch is pretty normal. Remember that it's not the generator load that determine the size of a "whole house" switch, its the size of the electrical service coming into the house. What I understand (but I'm no expert) is that these switches replace the main switch and have to be able to carry that load. My electrician is still looking for an affordable whole house switch that can handle the 200 amp service we have. The 50 amps I'll be generating are not the issue.
 
   / PTO Generator
  • Thread Starter
#74  
Well, I too have 200 amp service. $800 for a big switch that says "either you get generator or you get main power" is outlandish.

****, one of those old-fashioned throw-switches would certainly do the trick - up is utlity, down is genny and no physical way to be connected to both.

There simply isn't $800 worth of parts involved.

The way I see it, you just need a big 3-way switch with 2 sets of 200 amp breakers (matching house amp). 1 set for the genny, the other for the utility. This way there is no way to have a mix of power sources, and you can be doubly sure by making the 200amp breakers opposed. This would be 2 layers of protection. Guestimating parts for such a thing I would think $100 or so.

I've been dealing with baby pics and haven't taken a picture of the genny. The instructions were skimpy leaving us playing with the nuts and bolts like a puzzle but it was a fun puzzle with nothing ridiculously complicated or obtuse.

I'm going to see what I can piece together off the net. I tried leaning on my father (a EE from Purdue) but he's let his AC knowledge go rusty. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif To think that he used to design sub-stations and whatnot and now he won't weigh in on a trivial thing like a switch. Say "LA VEE" /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
   / PTO Generator #75  
Haven't priced too many 200 aomp breakers lately, have you? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
   / PTO Generator
  • Thread Starter
#76  
Actually - theres a fair number of them available for $30 and under on the net. I don't think they were that pricey at Home Depot either. They don't have the 200 amp breakers on the home depot website, but they had 100Amp breakers listed at $31.

So even if I paid $50 each for a 200Amp breaker and opposed them, we're a far far cry from $800.
 
   / PTO Generator #77  
Depends on the brand you're looking for and used/new. And keep in mind 100 amp is half the price of 200 amp. Anything over 125 doubles in price or so it seems.
 
   / PTO Generator
  • Thread Starter
#78  
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