Generator Setup for House

[LarryD]

This site sells them for most panels. I have only been to the web site but it was something we considered before heading off in another direction.

Generator InterLock Kit - Introduction

 

[RonMar]

Larry has the link I was looking for, very affordable way to add a simple and safe manual transfer to backup power. If you are building new, you can also buy the panel pre-configured with the interlock slide plate. It is perfectly safe to do it this way. Transfer switches(per code) do not switch the neutral or ground either, just the hot lines are switched.

I use the same process with my backup generator and backfeed the main panel with an interlocked breaker. To that breaker I have a male twistlock plug in an electrical box that I connect the generator pigtail to. I have a few colored dots on my panel near certain breakers. These are the ones that get turned off when I switch to the backup generator. The dots make it a simple and quick transfer process. I can have the lights back on within a few minutes of the start of a power outtage. I have used mine twice so far this year, and winter has just begun.

The pilot light is an excellent idea. I happen to have a streetlight right across the road from me so that works for me, at least at night, to tell when power has been restored.

Nice setup Gary

 

[RedDirt]

When building our house I had a very limited budget. After looking at the transfer switch/lock-out options and associated costs I decided to go simple and inexpensive, a dedicated emergency system completely separated form "street" wiring.

I have an open faced four-bay shed between my house and shop/office. The pull start generator lives there attached to its own ground rod. I ran underground conduit and wire to sub panels at both the house and shop. In both house and shop/office I ran two dedicated 110v circuits from the sub panels. I put at least one 110v "emergency" receptacle in each room of the house as well as installing a double gang box with one of the sides as "emergency" at the refer, freezer, washer, and computer (stove is gas, heating is wood). At the shop I put in one 220v plug and a few 100v "emergency" receptacles in the shop and office and computer .

Generator is sized a little bigger than needed to run my biggest shop tool. We are careful of our loads when on emergency power. We use a couple of floor and table lamps for emergency lighting. Haven't tripped a breaker yet.

When I say "dedicated" emergency circuits I mean DEDICATED! There is not one single link to the "Street" power. DO NOT SHARE GROUNDS between the two systems. Where double gang boxes are used, use plastic boxes and keep the grounds of the two systems separate.

This system passed inspection with flying colors. It has worked flawlessly when needed and was a relatively inexpensive installation.

In the shop/office the emergency receptacles are painted red. In the house they are Brother labeled.

When power goes out we re-plug the refer and freezer and turn off everything else but one light in the house. When that light comes on we know power has been restored.

Yes, it is a manual start/stop and transfer system and has none of the convenience of an auto system but I saved a bunch of money on on something that is only used very occasionally so I could spend it elsewhere in the project.

BTW I telecommute so I must use my computer when power is down for more than a few hours. I run my computer through a UPS and the generator will not power it. I ended up using a 12v deep cycle battery and a small inverter to power the UPS and run a battery charger periodically to keep the battery charged. Knock on wood, so far this has seemed to keep all my sensitive computer electronics safe and I've run this system for days on end.

 

[RonMar]

BTW I telecommute so I must use my computer when power is down for more than a few hours. I run my computer through a UPS and the generator will not power it. I ended up using a 12v deep cycle battery and a small inverter to power the UPS and run a battery charger periodically to keep the battery charged. Knock on wood, so far this has seemed to keep all my sensitive computer electronics safe and I've run this system for days on end.

UPS's can be sensetive to a noisey generator, or if it is a little high or low on output voltage or frequency. I have 3, one on the pellet stove, one on the entertainment center and one on the computers. The one on the computer can be a little finnikey about accepting the generator power.

If you don't have one, a great tool to have is a device called a "Kill-a-watt". You can get them at Harbor Freight tools and several other places on line. They will tell you current voltage and freq at any electrical outlet you plug into and will tell you how much power is being consumed by any device plugged into the killawatt, as well as recording long term power usage of a particular appliance. In your case, you could plug in every device you normally power on your emergency circuit one by one and add up the power draw and compare the totals with your generator output to see how close you are getting to your limit. It would also tell you how your generator output is doing I use one to set engine RPM/generator frequency on my generator and have it plugged in where I can see it in the living room when on generator to monitor generator load via output freq. On my generator, 62HZ is no load, 58HZ is full load.

It is funny you should mention connectivity. I have noticed during the last two power outages that my DSL wasn't working. I have DSL service thru Qwest and I need to call them about this. I had phones, but no internet.

 

[SteelDust]

It is funny you should mention connectivity. I have noticed during the last two power outages that my DSL wasn't working. I have DSL service thru Qwest and I need to call them about this. I had phones, but no internet.

Interestingly enough, during the flooding event down here I had power and internet, but the phones were down for 3 days. Qwest DSL as well.

 

[kennyd]

it is funny you should mention connectivity. I have noticed during the last two power outages that my DSL wasn't working. I have DSL service thru Qwest and I need to call them about this. I had phones, but no internet.

I work for Verizon and can answer this...
If your telephone works through a big box (called an RT, or Remote Terminal) in your neighborhood that's fed via fiber optic cable, and that site looses commercial AC power, the DSL is usually set to turn OFF to conserve the battery's that provide backup, Thus allowing the regular dial tone to stay working longer.

 

[RonMar]

I work for Verizon and can answer this...
If your telephone works through a big box (called an RT, or Remote Terminal) in your neighborhood that's fed via fiber optic cable, and that site looses commercial AC power, the DSL is usually set to turn OFF to conserve the battery's that provide backup, Thus allowing the regular dial tone to stay working longer.

I am guessing that it is probably something like that.

Thanks

 

[RedDirt]

If you don't have one, a great tool to have is a device called a "Kill-a-watt". You can get them at Harbor Freight tools and several other places on line.

I had heard of these but never investigated; figured they cost too much. Just googled. They run $20 - $25 but didn't find at HF. HF must have them under a different name. I'll look for one next time I'm there, or buy elsewhere. Looks like a great tool. Thanks.

 

[Jw5875]

I installed a "G-----" 10,000 watt standby generator that runs off propane or natural gas. It has "Clean" voltage for electronics, comes on automatically after 15 seconds of outage, and I don't have to be home to throw switches etc.
All I have to do is reset clocks on the micro-wave and stove.
(furnace stays on, pipes don't freeze, alarm system stays on)

Real Estate news, the U.S has not met the needs to upgrade the grids for power plants. Adding a standby generator now adds value to your home!

Forget swimming pools ----- Grandma wants internet!!!!


JW5875

 

[mjncad]

Gary

There is doing it and doing it right and it looks like you did it right

tom

I agree with Tom here! Nice professional looking setup!