Sobering reminder, that linemen do actually get killed from home generator wiring.
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
Here is the proper/safe way to do it:
Attribution corrected. I'm the guy who told "noname" not to.
Here is the proper/safe way to do it:
furnace, refrigerator, and a couple of other devices (maybe TV/ Microwave).
want to break the bank)?
years old). Just kill the power and wire up a few breakers. I assume someone fairly handy can do this yes? (did plenty of home wiring in our old house) Was thinking 6 circuit Reliance transfer switch (20 or 30 amp) would do the trick.
Probably the cheapest way to do a transfer switch is an interlock kit:
You put a circuit breaker in the panel adjacent to the service disconnect and back feed it from the generator. There is a mechanical interlock mechanism on the panel cover that prevents both the service disconnect and generator breaker from being on at the same time. You turn on only what you want to run at a particular time and the generator can handle.
The code also wants a simple mechanism from the manufacturer that prevents the backfed generator breaker from unplugging.
Originally, the power line from the furnace went to a junction box on a joi= st above the furnace, where it joined a house current line from the breaker= box. I disconnected that junction in the box and connected the house curre= nt line from the breaker box to a plug outlet which I mounted in the box. I= then put a plug on the line from the furnace and plugged it into the outle= t in the junction box.
When the power goes out, I unplug the furnace line from the house current b= ox and plug it into a line coming from the generator. I did the same with t= he well pump and the water heater.=20
Paul
There is a certain simplicity, here. I like it. Line from generator. Would that be extension cord, or a power inlet, and bit of Romex? It might be possible to put the generator out in the barn. Run some UF to the house, and put a "powered by generator" socket next the furnace plug.
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
Originally, the power line from the furnace went to a junction box on a joist above the furnace, where it joined a house current line from the breaker box. I disconnected that junction in the box and connected the house current line from the breaker box to a plug outlet which I mounted in the box. I then put a plug on the line from the furnace and plugged it into the outlet in the junction box.
When the power goes out, I unplug the furnace line from the house current box and plug it into a line coming from the generator. I did the same with the well pump and the water heater.
Paul
I ran Romex from the generator to the furnace, with a plug at the furnace end of the line. Unplug from house current, plug into generator line.
Paul
Have you seen the prices on these? To fit my Square-D box, the part number is K-5010. This part is a flat piece of metal, about 6x6 inches, with two holes for screws. The price is $150.00 (up)!
If it wasn't dishonest - or at least immoral, I'd buy one from Grainger, copy it on a piece of sheet aluminum, then return the original to Grainger.
Anybody have one I can borrow to make the copy? Or can you provide a tracing of yours?
As of this moment, I don't have an interlock. I DO have detailed instructions on the inside of the breaker box.
It seems "GE PowerMark Gold Load Center/Generator Interlock Kit" for $43, plus a "Reliance Controls 20-Amp Power Inlet Box" for $51 plus the wire and generator cable is all that I would need, right?
All the breakers I would turn on are 120 volt 20 amp ones. Is that the correct inlet box I would need for a 5000 watt generator?
Thanks.
breaker panel it costs $149. Going to call my electrician to see how much he will charge to install it. Seems more difficult to install than a transfer switch.
Piddly. You drill two holes in the panel cover to mount the plate. Done.
This thing is a flat piece of metal that slides left-to-right (or up/down) to prevent both the main breaker and the one going to your generator plug from both being "ON" at the same time.
Have you seen the number of wires involved in a transfer switch? For six circuits, you have to re-route and connect about 14 separate wires. And about half of them will be two inches too short ! You have to mount the sucker on the wall. All in all, a non-trivial installation.
I would like to see an overall diagram.
Of course, I'm interested.
Greg
But not everyone is interested in heybub quality work.
Heh! Good rejoinder!
But you can't know the quality of my work. For example, I once turned an electrical distribution panel into a sub-panel by simply slaving it to the panel located six inches away. It's lasted, now, for, oh, two weeks or more.
So there.
Except that you're overlooking the rest of the issues:
1 - You still have to do re-wiring at the furnace. And the result is usually one that does not meet code, eg the furnace is now on a cord. If it does meet code, it's not that much more work and the same skill set to install an inlet and appropriate code compliant double pole arrangement back at the panel. 2 - With the panel arrangement, you can then selectively power whatever you want in the house. Want to turn on a light in that upstairs closet to get some clothes? A light in the upstairs bedroom? The gas water heater? All that is available without running more extension cords. 3 - With the ext cord arrangement, you have to get at the appliance cord. That means at a min rolling out fridges. And if it's built-in like some are, you can't roll it out..... 4 - With the panel arangement, you can also power a well pump, if you have one.I'm sure there are other issues, but you get the idea....
I agree on the versatility of a transfer switch setup. The OP said all he wanted to do was run a furnace, fridge, and a couple of smaller devices. That's at most four extension cords.
As for the claim that a transfer-switch is a do-all, the most common transfer switches control six circuits and I'll wager not one of them would be for the upstairs closet. I suspect many homes have more than six circuits, so you'll have to prioritize which circuits are involved with the transfer switch. This, in turn, probably means an extension cord or two anyway - or at least a flashlight.
Or, in the alternative, a 12-circuit transfer switch ($$$).
On a completely different matter, I'm a bit puzzled over your reference to a gas water heater.
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to store, trip over, have to route. . . .
That's why I've decided against installing the transfer switch I bought a couple years ago and am going to go with an interlock kit-- Or hopefully, if I can find one for an old Cutler Hammer CH30JJM150 box, an *interlock cover*.
Throw 2 switches, plug things in *outside* and start the generator. Then pick the circuits I want live.
Non-pilot water heaters need power to light.
Jim
I think the Interlockit gizmo is the way to go too. From everything I see they are code compliant. I don't understand why people would install a seperate sub panel for just the emergency generator circuits when you can install the Interlockit.
For those unfamiliar, Interlockit makes what is essentially a slide gizmo that fastens to many of the popular breaker panels. It serves to prevent the main breaker as well as a double pole breaker in the first position in the panel from both being on at the same time. So, you put a double breaker in at the top, connect it to an inlet and you're good to go. Then you can select via existing breakers the circuits you want to power.
It's cheap, very easy to install, very little re-wiring. The only re- wiring is to free up the top breaker spot.
Yes, and the new high-efficiency ones also are power vented.
To store, to find when needed. To attempt to be used say by a child or an elderly person or even you if sick.
Its a lot better to just have something that works. I would much rather have the heating system, fridge and other basic stuff running and maybe worry about a flashlight than have to scramble in the dark or when sick trying to get a heybub system running.
My neighbor paid a whopping $300 to have an automatic transfer switch wired in.
It often costs a few bucks to get a decent system installed but it certainly isn't a fortune. I also paid to have water lines run and to have a permanent heating system.
You don't see the goodness of having an *automatic transfer switch*? Maybe for when you are away from home, or too sick to do stuff, or say only say an elderly or young person is at home?
The discussion thread was about installing a MANUAL transfer switch. And I was replying to Heybub, who was favoring using extension cords hooked to a portable generator. I was just saying that an Interlockit approach, IMO, gives you a lot more for just a little more cost.
An automatic transfer switch implies a whole different level of equipment and cost, ie you also need a permanent standby generator to go with it. So, yes I see the goodness, but that's a whole different discussion and not worth it for me. Also with a more complex automatic system, you also have more failure points, maintenance costs, need a steady fuel source, etc.
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