Genny Transfer Switches

[Pirate]

Don't buy one of these !!

My house has one. When I bought the place the inspector and I noticed an electrician had a report posted where he replaced a "burned up panel". Both of us wondered why but could not find one thing wrong with the wiring in the house or incoming power, it was actually quite good in fact. Later when hooking up my generator I powered down my main as a matter of practice but noticed that this "interlock" did not fully prevent both PUD power and GEN power from feeding the circuits at the same time. Then I recalled when we looked at the house the previous owner had a brand spanking new generator. So power came back on and let the smoke out of his generator and electrical panel.

So unless you want to risk your generator, electrical panel and maybe A LOT more, I would not install this. It may not always be me that is at home when the power goes out and my wife or kids likely will not be able to make sure the breakers are in the correct positions. I will install a Square D (or other commercial brand) transfer switch at some point.

Nothing wrong the the interlock. I would venture to say the install was not done correctly. I have two of these installed and there is NO way at all to have both sources on at once. Generlink was my first choice but my power company would not approve it.

 

[widefat]

Thanks for all of the input!

After reading through this thread and the linked thread, and other sources -
I am looking at two choices - the Reliance 310CRK or the Reliance 31410CRK.
I am trying to suss out the advantages/disadvantages between the 310 and 31410.

 

[TomSeller]

Nothing wrong the the interlock. I would venture to say the install was not done correctly. I have two of these installed and there is NO way at all to have both sources on at once. Generlink was my first choice but my power company would not approve it.

You might be correct about the install (or it got bent) but in my opinion that interlock is cheesy. I'd rather have something more straight forward and fool proof.

 

[MossRoad]

You might be correct about the install (or it got bent) but in my opinion that interlock is cheesy. I'd rather have something more straight forward and fool proof.

At work a long time ago we were installing some equipment on our loading dock and I made a comment about making it fool proof. Our head electrician said we can make it fool proof, but we can't make it "Dock Proof". Apparently, the guys on the dock are a different breed.

 

[widefat]

At work a long time ago we were installing some equipment on our loading dock and I made a comment about making it fool proof. Our head electrician said we can make it fool proof, but we can't make it "Dock Proof". Apparently, the guys on the dock are a different breed.

Heh..I may be that example. I've been known to cut those little protrusions off of an ungrounded extension cord so I can plug a three-prong into it.
There's fool proof, and then there's "I'll make it work somehow".