Emergency Generator

[dcyrilc]

:thumbsup: Lots of excellent info guys! I'm going to weight the various alternatives and perhaps soon the days of octopus extension cords will be over.

Whether you do a whole house setup or just a generator sub panel, it's definately the way to go.:thumbsup:

I will comment though that if you go with a whole house setup, spend the few extra dollars and get an automatic transfer switch.

In your case thuogh rekees, since you already have a generator, a generator sub panel will be much cheaper.

 

[rekees4300]

In your case thuogh rekees, since you already have a generator, a generator sub panel will be much cheaper.

That GenerLink alternative seems like a elegant solution. Sent an email to them asking for price. Also needs to be installed by the power company so that's another issue. They may not even allow their meters to be modified?

 

[Johndeere3720]

Whether you do a whole house setup or just a generator sub panel, it's definately the way to go.:thumbsup:

I will comment though that if you go with a whole house setup, spend the few extra dollars and get an automatic transfer switch.

In your case thuogh rekees, since you already have a generator, a generator sub panel will be much cheaper.

Cyril, have you got your generator hooked up?

On another note, It is interesting i found this thread on the HoneyWell generator because this last weekend my neighbor was talking to me about them and how he was considering one since they were so reasonably priced. I wish we had a generator, when the snows hit hard, we can loose power for up to 2 weeks.

 

[dcyrilc]

That GenerLink alternative seems like a elegant solution. Sent an email to them asking for price. Also needs to be installed by the power company so that's another issue. They may not even allow their meters to be modified?

The meter does not get modified. The GenerLink installs between the meter and the meter panel. The meter needs to be pulled (removed) to install the GenerLink and then reinstalled after the GenerLink is installed. That's why the power company needs to be involved. If you have a 200 amp or less service and your power company uses 4 jaw meters, you should be able to use the GenerLink. I would recommend using an electrician for installation as the neutral and ground need to be connected inside the meter panel and that requires working within a few inches of the hot UNFUSED lugs in the meter panel. These lugs are connected directly to the power transformer with no means of power disconnect.

 

[dcyrilc]

Cyril, have you got your generator hooked up? (

Not yet. The only thing left is to connect up the natural gas for fuel and install the battery for the auto start. I've got to get the concrete poared in the barn this weekend (weather permitting), then I can go back to working on the generator.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I find my most useful generator is a little 1000/1200w 2-cycle that I paid $149 for. It will run 4.5 hours under full load on one gallon of mixed gas. It will run a refrigerator, or the satellite dish, TV and a computer, and is very well muffled so the noise isn't objectionable.

I have a 4400/5000 watt no-name that will run the well pump or water heater for showers. Heat a tank of water, switch over to the pump and shower. It runs about an hour on a gallon of gas.

With wood heat and low pressure gravity feed water, I don't even bother to get a generator out until the second day of the outage.

 

[Chilly807]

The meter does not get modified. The GenerLink installs between the meter and the meter panel. The meter needs to be pulled (removed) to install the GenerLink and then reinstalled after the GenerLink is installed. That's why the power company needs to be involved. If you have a 200 amp or less service and your power company uses 4 jaw meters, you should be able to use the GenerLink. I would recommend using an electrician for installation as the neutral and ground need to be connected inside the meter panel and that requires working within a few inches of the hot UNFUSED lugs in the meter panel. These lugs are connected directly to the power transformer with no means of power disconnect.

The ones we have installed here require an electrical disconnect (via power company) during the install process. They remove their meter from the base, the electrician installs the Generlink on the old meter base, then the power company re-installs their meter on top of the Generlink.

As I recall, the total cost is about the same for either putting in the Generlink or installing the sub-panel. We have the sub-panel, the Generlink wasn't readily available when we built the house.

Sean

 

[techman]

A far cheaper "transfer switch" is from these guys:
Generator InterLock Kit
This is a UL approved add-on that lets you use your existing panel and breakers. By adding a breaker for the genset feed, this kit will interlock it with the main breaker and meet safety requirements.

It is low cost and enables a full house feed. I used their idea and made my own. Works great.

Paul

 

[rekees4300]

The meter does not get modified. The GenerLink installs between the meter and the meter panel. The meter needs to be pulled (removed) to install the GenerLink and then reinstalled after the GenerLink is installed. That's why the power company needs to be involved. If you have a 200 amp or less service and your power company uses 4 jaw meters, you should be able to use the GenerLink. I would recommend using an electrician for installation as the neutral and ground need to be connected inside the meter panel and that requires working within a few inches of the hot UNFUSED lugs in the meter panel. These lugs are connected directly to the power transformer with no means of power disconnect.

Below is the reply I got asking for the price so I emailed the power company's URL to them. No way I'd ever consider doing the meter install myself.

"Thank you for your interest in the GenerLink Automatic Transfer Switch. I
will be happy to assist you with price and availability of the GenerLink,
but I will first need to name of your electric provider to verify their
guidelines."

Update: the cost ranges from $ 550.00 to $ 725.00, plus freight from GA.

 

[dmccarty]

We have something similar to what Techman posted. Cost to install including parts and labor was around $350 give or take a few dollars. We have a "switch" that allows us to be connected to the grid or to the generator. Power is supplied view a 30 amp plug from the generator.

When we built the house we had a panel installed so we could have a generator connection. Once I figure out how much power the generator would supply, this took three years , the electrician did the install.

We have to manage which circuits are alive in the house but that is easy enough. Its cheap and somewhat simple. :laughing:

Later,
Dan