Power transfer switch for homes.

[gregrocky]

Has anybody ever had a power transfer switch installed in their home and if so what did it cost you and how is it working? I have a 8500 starting watt generator Honda powered. We loose power at least once a year, and I just want to plug one plug in and run the whole house. Thoughts and concerns please. My generator has plenty of power, we have a water well which has a pump that runs off a 220.

 

[MikeInEburg]

In my view, the EASIEST to use is a product called Generlink (www.generlink.com) - essentially connects between your existing meter and meter socket. Allows you access to any circuit in the house.

As to running the whole house on 8500 watts - well that truly depends on what you really want to run. It isn't going to run a ten ton air conditioning unit or a lot of electric baseboard heat. But it should run the essentials of life (well pump, fridge, etc.)
Mike

 

[Mousefield]

We have a generator panel that will power 8 of the house circuits. It is setup so if we are using the generator panel it will not back feed to the hydro panel, this is for safety. The plug and cord at the shop was wired by an electrician so we could plug in a generator to power the submersible pump that is in our 2,000 gallon storage tank, again set up so only one can be plugged in at one time, either the hydro or generator plug. First pic is of the side by side house/generator panels that are in the house garage, the others are in the shop.

 

[gregrocky]

I am going to have this professionally installed by a licensed electrician. No electric heat , I heat with a woodstove, and ac in the summertime I have plenty of starting watts for that. Just running the basics for living, lights, well pump, fridg, tv, and of course the pc, if the high speed isn`t down. I probably wouldn`t have this installed if it wasn`t for the well pump being on the 220 line.

 

[tommu56]

Look at this Ive put a couple of them in.

Generator InterLock Kit

if you have the space it saves a lot of wiring.
tom

 

[mrmikey]

I installed this unit [http://tinyurl.com/2g6qb8u last year and have used it twice so far. Simple to install easy to use and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.....Mike

 

[whistlepig]

We priced the Honda HP2s system two years ago. It was $1500.00 installed. I think it can run up to 7 circuits of your choice. It senses load so that if you have a couple or more of high wattage appliances trying to start at the same time it will delay one or more of them. It senses when power is returned to the house and switches from generator electric to power company electric. It is completely programmable from a panel installed in the house. We didn't get the HP2s system because we don't have enough power outages (8hrs. in the last three years) to justify the cost of both the generator and transfer system.Honda Power Equipment - Honda HP2S Portable Power Systems

 

[SARG]

My set up was much cheaper for my 13000w Honda.

Switch off the main breaker and plug the generator into the welder plug which backfeeds the whole place.

 

[kennyd]

My set up was much cheaper for my 13000w Honda.

Switch off the main breaker and plug the generator into the welder plug which backfeeds the whole place.

Super BAD advice. Besides being illegal-it is very dangerous.

 

[SARG]

Super BAD advice. Besides being illegal-it is very dangerous.

Works fine & the only expense other than the generator was a few bucks for the lead.

Out here in rural America everyone has either a dryer or a welder .... so they usually just flip the switch and plug in.