Transfer Switch

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
What IS a transfer switch?

It's a setup that switches your house line source to a generator without putting generator power out to the street.

Saves me running 10 extension cords from the generator to power stuff in my house. I'd also be able to run my furnace and well pump.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
It's a setup that switches your house line source to a generator without putting generator power out to the street.

Saves me running 10 extension cords from the generator to power stuff in my house. I'd also be able to run my furnace and well pump.

Wouldn't it be easier to hard wire the generator in to your panel box?
 

Catatonic

Nine Lives
It's a setup that switches your house line source to a generator without putting generator power out to the street.

Saves me running 10 extension cords from the generator to power stuff in my house. I'd also be able to run my furnace and well pump.

What DS said.
 

rod

Retired 22 years
Just make sure that you don't fry the power company employee hanging on your power pole outside trying to fix your outage. They frown on that.
 

UnconTROLLed

perfection
It's a setup that switches your house line source to a generator without putting generator power out to the street.

Saves me running 10 extension cords from the generator to power stuff in my house. I'd also be able to run my furnace and well pump.

I have a transfer switch for generator - however I cannot run two things at one time. It came in handy in the Feb windstorm where we lost power for 8 days. I'm envious of those who can do that type of electrical work. Just make sure you can run multiple things to your generator from the switch, if possible. Sorry I can't help much.
 

drewed

Shankman
What kind of wattage? The first three could kill your setup bc they all have a high peak draw when they kick on.... that being said id imagine a lot of localities require a licsensed electrician to do it to be assured its truly isolated from the grid.
 

grgrcr88

No It's not green grocer!
Wouldn't it be easier to hard wire the generator in to your panel box?

If you wire the generator strait to the box without the transfer switch it will bleed current back thru the lines to the pole and beyond, which is when power workers get killed working to restore power to homes. It is not only unsafe it's illigal.
 

grgrcr88

No It's not green grocer!
What kind of wattage? The first three could kill your setup bc they all have a high peak draw when they kick on.... that being said id imagine a lot of localities require a licsensed electrician to do it to be assured its truly isolated from the grid.

As long as your not trying to start all 3 at the same time it should be fine.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
If you wire the generator strait to the box without the transfer switch it will bleed current back thru the lines to the pole and beyond, which is when power workers get killed working to restore power to homes. It is not only unsafe it's illigal.

The only reason I ask is that I like to watch home improvement shows, such as This Old House, and I have seen a licensed electrician hardwire a generator to a separate panel box. When the main panel box senses a power failure the secondary would start the generator. When the power comes back the secondary panel box would shut down the generator.
 

Nimnim

The Nim
The only reason I ask is that I like to watch home improvement shows, such as This Old House, and I have seen a licensed electrician hardwire a generator to a separate panel box. When the main panel box senses a power failure the secondary would start the generator. When the power comes back the secondary panel box would shut down the generator.

I'm learning something new today.

An Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) is often installed where a backup generator is located, so that the generator may provide temporary electrical power if the utility source fails. An ATS not only safely switches-in the backup generator as a temporary source of electric power; it also commands the backup generator to start, based on certain conditions it continuously monitors on the electric utility feed; and it isolates the backup generator from the electric utility, when the generator is on and is providing temporary power.
via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfer_switch

I'd also call an electrician. I've been electrocuted enough times to know some things only professionals should handle.
 
Top