Generator

[Dave Shepard]

I have a manual transfer switch. As mentioned, eliminates the possibility of a mistake.

 

[flushcut]

No transfer switch is a huge no no. Without one can kill whoever is working on the line to repair it.

 

[flushcut]

Depending on where the genny is attached. Installed to code you should be golden but we all know sometimes there is a grey area.

 

[Burnham]

That there main breaker works both ways. When ON, it brings power IN....and when OFF, it prevents generator juice from traveling OUT.

Very true...so long as one never makes a mistake. I for one recall a thankfully very few but remarkably dumb things I've done that I knew full well not to, but somehow screwed the pooch. It happens.

 

[lumberjack]

So less than a half mile and you... what?

 

[lumberjack]

A manual transfer switch is just a poka-yoke... seems worth it to me.

 

[FireFighterZero]

A piece of stamped steel that is secured by a couple cheap screws in your box is all it that it takes to have a transfer switch.

It need not be expensive or complex.

 

[Al Smith]

Exactly how would that work ?

 

[FireFighterZero]

Its nothing but a slider in your main panel that prevents the generator breaker from being closed at the same time your mains breaker is closed.

 

[lxskllr]

I like that Jim. Simple solution, and idiot proof.

 

[FireFighterZero]

It must be up to State code at least.

The REA installed it for me when I hired them to rebuild my meter loop.

 

[Frankie]

I still can’t figure how a manual transfer switch would add anything to my system. I flip the main OFF...the feed beaker ON....crank the gennie and away we go.

Been running that way for YEARS

 

[SeanKroll]

Happy to have traded some effort for a fixer generator for my GFs house.
Traded some effort for the fix.
Would have done both efforts, anyway.

12" of snow later, it is reassuring to have a back-up at both places.



The kids all want power outages.
I tell them they can have a power outage anytime they want.

 

[Al Smith]

I'll just say from my main 200 amp 42 circuit panel I have a smaller sub panel fed with a 60 amp two pole breaker .That sub panel has the breakers for both refrigerators ,the well pump ,the stove blower and one of the four kitchen circuits I have plus an unused 40 amp two pole breaker .
So it's this simple it's all Square D so it's real easy to pop the 60 out of the main panel and pig tail into the spare 40 amp which goes to the generator .There is no way it can back feed and light up some lineman .I should have a transfer switch but I don't but keep in mind my journeyman's ticket is older than most people on this forum .This is not my first rodeo .

 

[Dave Shepard]

This is my transfer switch. No way to be on both grid and generator at the same time.

 

[lumberjack]

It doesn’t matter how smart you are, what matters is who will manage it when you aren’t able.

I’m not a big safety type, more of the remove safety stickers and thin the herd. That doesn’t apply when a significant other or offspring handles the switching and prevents a lineman from getting home to his family.

Mental clarity isn’t known to increase as someone gets older...

 

[Marc-Antoine]

I still can’t figure how a manual transfer switch would add anything to my system. I flip the main OFF...the feed beaker ON....crank the gennie and away we go.

I can see a mind twisted for some reason, easy to do given the right circumstances, can do the manual transfer backward. Like, first start the generator to warm it a little before use, plug it in to see if it actually works, then cut out the main line (even maybe not if the "switch on" leads to a mandatory /urgent thing to do/care of). Zaaap!

 

[lxskllr]

Good luck! Hope you don't need it.

 

[Burnham]

Back online now...power off since Friday evening, so the new WEN got a decent trial.

I'm happy with it. Ran flawlessly. I used it 3 hours Saturday morning, just on the refrigerator, then 4 hours Friday evening running the 'frige and a 13 watt led bulb in the living room. Off overnight again, then almost 5 hours this morning. Power came back on about 5 minutes after I started it up this afternoon about 5 o'clock .

All together it ran 12 hours and used 3/4 of a gallon of gasoline. I had it in "Eco mode" since I was only pulling about half it's capacity. That runs it at half normal full rpm, unless your draw goes up too high to be handled at that output...then it spins up to meet the need.

Well pleased.

 

[stikine]

why the outage Burn?

 

[Burnham]

why the outage Burn?

Sorry to be slow replying, Austin...the power went out again just as I started to write a post, about 8:30 last night. Went to bed . This morning we ran the genny for 5 hours, then again starting about 5:00pm. Power came back on half an hour ago. Used a third of a gallon for those 7ish hours. Has not used a drop of oil, and the oil is clear as new.

Outages caused by lots of ice and snow and wind and rain. Last I heard this morning, over 300,000 customers without power in NW Oregon.

 

[stikine]

Sorry to be slow replying, Austin...the power went out again just as I started to write a post, about 8:30 last night. Went to bed . This morning we ran the genny for 5 hours, then again starting about 5:00pm. Power came back on half an hour ago. Used a third of a gallon for those 7ish hours. Has not used a drop of oil, and the oil is clear as new.

Outages caused by lots of ice and snow and wind and rain. Last I heard this morning, over 300,000 customers without power in NW Oregon.

darn...good that you have it all squared away and have planned!

 

[Frankie]

It’s colder than a roomful of ex-wives here in WNY. Gettin hammerschmidted with snow ⛄️ .... shagbark tonite in burner

 

[Altissimus]

Wonder about availability and prices for Generator s in Texas right now

 

[Burnham]

Rarer than hen's teeth, be my guess.