Travelover
Elite Member
This is what I installed, but it looks like the Vintage series has been discontinued. Too bad, as it was a great value.
Gas Generator to House AC connection???
- Thread starter Beltzington
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This is what I installed, but it looks like the Vintage series has been discontinued. Too bad, as it was a great value.
SPYDERLK
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Sorry, no ... I want power to all household circuits. There is no economical totally user proof system for this. Actually, it should be relatively easy to accomplish by the user repositioning a main fuse. This could be incorporated into every main service panel for nominal extra cost if provided for initially by design.
larry
joshuabardwell
Elite Member
"Totally user-proof" is impossible, but why not a backfeed breaker with interlock? You'd have to have a screwdriver to bypass the interlock. Seems pretty user-proof.
aczlan
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Exactly. When I get around to setting up a generator, it will be done so that my wife will be able to (safely) run it without needing me to walk her through the steps when she does it ie: it will be built so that you cannot accidentally do something dangerous.
Aaron Z
SPYDERLK
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Nothing is safe with a "Betcha cant mess this up" challenge ... but come on. A main fuse assembly removed from one position and inserted into another would do it. The gen would remain permanently connected but electrically disconnected until the fuse was in its position. The LINE power would be permanently connected but would be electrically disconnected when the fuse assembly was moved. So ... are you thinking there would be black market for spare fuse assemblies.
... Well, then make the change an orientation issue [invert perhaps] that makes the new connections.You could even build in a device to alert you when the mains come back up.
larry
Just add the mechanical interlock to the main in the box. You will power up the whole box. For $ 150 you are safe and idiot proof. True with a screwdriver you can bypass almost everything, but for the normal user and the inspector, you did it the right way.
paul
paul
DarkBlack
Elite Member
Agree. People everywhere do it. If you know what you are doing, you, and everyone else will be just fine. Pay no attention to the "you'll kill a lineman" stories. That's pretty much all they are. If someone, isn't comfortable/competent, then they should spend the bucks for the saftey/redundency circuits.
yelbike
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Darwin!!
daybreak1998
Silver Member
Howdy,
Just for clarification of terms;
Whole house transfer switch needs to match service amperage. (ie; you have 200amp service, you have a 200amp transfer switch)
Breakout generator load center a seperate panel which is protected from main service power and generator. (it is limiting by what circuits you have on this panel)
Interlock Kit - a special plate which prevents the main breaker being on, when the generator breaker is on. You only get 2 choices, main power or generator power. The panel itself is backfed in a way, but is safe. The generator circuit breaker can be whatever dual pole size you want, you would then hard wire lines out to a generator plug receptcle (usually twistlock) Not all main service panels have a interlock kit. A lot of the square d units do, a lot of the ge units do.
again, not to repost tons of stuff, but I made a info post Generator transfer switch connection choices. :thumbsup:
The most important thing is, can someone else do it safely, if your not there. The safe part is, the main will not accidently be turned on, while the generator is running, or a hot ended energized open cord end ready for someone to touch.
Just for clarification of terms;
Whole house transfer switch needs to match service amperage. (ie; you have 200amp service, you have a 200amp transfer switch)
Breakout generator load center a seperate panel which is protected from main service power and generator. (it is limiting by what circuits you have on this panel)
Interlock Kit - a special plate which prevents the main breaker being on, when the generator breaker is on. You only get 2 choices, main power or generator power. The panel itself is backfed in a way, but is safe. The generator circuit breaker can be whatever dual pole size you want, you would then hard wire lines out to a generator plug receptcle (usually twistlock) Not all main service panels have a interlock kit. A lot of the square d units do, a lot of the ge units do.
again, not to repost tons of stuff, but I made a info post Generator transfer switch connection choices. :thumbsup:
The most important thing is, can someone else do it safely, if your not there. The safe part is, the main will not accidently be turned on, while the generator is running, or a hot ended energized open cord end ready for someone to touch.
joshuabardwell
Elite Member
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't it be best practice to size the backfeed breaker to be at least as large as the generator is capable of serving? I guess it's not a safety issue if it's under-sized--you'll just pop the panel breaker before you pop the generator's breaker--but I would hate to have the panel breaker be the limiting factor if I had generator capacity to spare.
