# Recommend a Generator Transfer Switch ?



## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

Looking to get a recommendation for a generator transfer switch that is reasonable in cost as well as any other input on them ?

Reliance or Generac in $300 - $400 range ?

Are these crap or adequate ?


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

Need more info. Automatic or manual? Whole house or just a few circuits? I like to use Cutler Hammer, but mostly because I have easy access to them.


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## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

Good question.

It would be manual with a plug in generator.


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

Are you going to tie it in to your main panel or just a few circuits? If you are tying it in to the main it needs the same amp rating. You should be able to pick up a double throw switch in your price range. Don't know anything about Reliance, but I avoid Generac.


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## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

I got the generator from this set up.

Did some pre sale work on a house. This CH was the transfer switch. Had to put a couple of blank covers in it - was noted on the insp report.

I think this one is about $900 new ?? which is over my budget.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

http://www.interlockkit.com/

Essentially what's shown in your pic, but may be able to be retrofitted into your current panel. Much less than $900.


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## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

TxElectrician said:


> Are you going to tie it in to your main panel or just a few circuits? If you are tying it in to the main it needs the same amp rating. You should be able to pick up a double throw switch in your price range. Don't know anything about Reliance, but I avoid Generac.


Just a few circuits. Tied in with a 2 pole 40 or 60 I believe ?

Do you usually add an interlock on the exist panel ? I can see not using one ?


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## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

Tinstaafl said:


> http://www.interlockkit.com/


appreciate it......


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## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

Whoops - my pic of the CH shows a 2 pole 30 feed for the gen.

So in my main I put a 2 pole 30. That's what gets the interlock with the main cut off.

Must be a 10 wire gen cord.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

I don't care for the setups that only give you a half-dozen circuits or so. Guaranteed, you'll wind up with one that isn't tied in and you really wish it was. Energize the whole house and use some common sense regarding what devices you run while on gennie. :thumbsup:


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## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

Tinstaafl said:


> I don't care for the setups that only give you a half-dozen circuits or so. Guaranteed, you'll wind up with one that isn't tied in and you really wish it was. Energize the whole house and use some common sense regarding what devices you run while on gennie. :thumbsup:


I may do that - then I just need 1 box to plug in the gen cord.


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## acustom (Feb 10, 2011)

I know this is now an old thread, but just as a suggestion for anyone looking at this thread for a reference, both Generac and Reliance make reasonably priced, small manual transfer switches. 
We use Generac almost exclusively (but so far we've only installed generators using an automatic transfer switch), but I've read good reviews on the Reliance.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

For occasional use, two sockets and a plug = a fool proof cheap break-before-make transfer switch that may last as long as those built for the purpose.
And sometimes a contactor with a 120v coil switched by a SPDT small switch is a cheaper way to go.

But don't get NFPA's panties in a bunch.

If you get the specs on transfer switches, you can shop for the optimum.
Like, 
Amp rating for a resistive load, 
amp rating for an inductive load, 
amp rating for a motor load. 
You may get millions of cycles at these current levels.

Most of the time it may be switching less than 100A.

Digi-key and Grainger are good at posting specs.


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## Speedy Petey (Sep 30, 2003)

GettingBy said:


> ..., two sockets and a plug ......


I'm not sure I understand.....


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I don't think them transfer switch's are available around these parts :laughing:
Every time i see a genny running on someones home they just have a 20amp cord with male ends on both ends plugged into receptacle. My neighbor had one running like that outside just yesterday :whistling


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

BCConstruction said:


> I don't think them transfer switch's are available around these parts :laughing:
> Every time i see a genny running on someones home they just have a 20amp cord with male ends on both ends plugged into receptacle. My neighbor had one running like that outside just yesterday :whistling


Good way to have some real trouble.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Randy Bush said:


> Good way to have some real trouble.



Tell me about it. On his one he has a 30amp cord reduced down to a 20amp cord electrical tapped together and he runs his whole house on it. noisey SOB too his genny is.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

BCConstruction said:


> noisey SOB too his genny is.


Around here the noise spec is less than 65 dB at the property line. Dunno' if it's enforced though.

BTW, the gen should be at least 15' from the house.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

GettingBy said:


> Around here the noise spec is less than 65 dB at the property line. Dunno' if it's enforced though.
> 
> 
> 
> BTW, the gen should be at least 15' from the house.



I had my DB meter out the other day as I was curious as to how loud it was and I'm about 20ft from it and it was 78db. It's also right at his back door. 

I looked at getting a 3kw Honda but seemed pointless seeings his was so loud.


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## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

There are several noise reduction methods on YT.

I'm seeing my customer this week about this job. More input needed then.

I'm leaning towards the Common Sense method....


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Yeah a 5.56 round into the side of it will def help the sound lol


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

BCConstruction said:


> Tell me about it. On his one he has a 30amp cord reduced down to a 20amp cord electrical tapped together and he runs his whole house on it. noisey SOB too his genny is.


He will get low voltage and source impedance higher than 1/2 ohm and so will damage whatever motors he's powering with this.

And, 
"We get a sound level drop of 6 dB per doubling of distance."


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

GettingBy said:


> He will get low voltage and source impedance higher than 1/2 ohm and so will damage whatever motors he's powering with this.


Gratuitous misinformation. All sorts of motors are run on 12 gauge wire with no ill effects. Without knowing the load, you have no clue what the voltage drop is.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

Tinstaafl said:


> Gratuitous misinformation. All sorts of motors are run on 12 gauge wire with no ill effects. Without knowing the load, you have no clue what the voltage drop is.


The load is his house. 
Do the numbers, all you need is E=IxR and an AWG table.

BTW, there was a tech [it's always a tech, never an engineer] at Goddard who was always on my case. 

He's dead now, probably from morbid obesity, so you must be some other tech who is on my case. :clap:

What I never got was, no matter how many times he was wrong, he always came back at me. :blink:

Near as I can figure, before I came along he was the self-appointed rule of the roost. I must have stepped on his toes, not knowing about those toes. :whistling

By now I have a pretty good idea where your toes are, but I feel I have a duty to help forum members to the best of my ability.

So, loyalty to you 
or duty to members?


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

So tell me Carnak, how much current does a house draw? While we're at it, how long is a piece of string?

You simply do not have enough information to state that powering a house with a generator, haywired that way or not, is going to damage motors.

My toes are on the side of providing good information to forum members. Stating theoretical possibilities as practical facts is _not_ good information, and I will call that out whenever I see it. Interesting to hear this isn't the first time you've encountered that. :whistling:


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

Lab work beats theory.
Power your house with a few yards of #12 and report back on the strange and wonderful things that you and your family will bear personal witness to.

If it works, you can call it 'Faith-Based Engineering' but I think this term
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q="magical+thinking"&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
is more accurate.
:thumbup:


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

All I know is his furnace runs still so does his fridge freezer. That's after 5 years. If it was damaged trust me he would be over here asking me to take a look at it. 

I do know that he has same size furnace as me and If I remember correctly it pulls 8amps after start up. then his fridge and a few lights. I would guess he is under 15amps total when that stuff running. It's a 6000w genny so he has more than enough start up current.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

BCConstruction said:


> All I know is his furnace runs still so does his fridge freezer. That's after 5 years. If it was damaged trust me he would be over here asking me to take a look at it.
> 
> I do know that he has same size furnace as me and If I remember correctly it pulls 8amps after start up. then his fridge and a few lights. I would guess he is under 15amps total when that stuff running. It's a 6000w genny so he has more than enough start up current.


How many feet of what size wire? How often does he run his house on this gen?

If he's going to have a problem with high source resistance it should show up with compressors trying to start. I take it his furnace is not a heat pump?


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

GettingBy said:


> How many feet of what size wire? How often does he run his house on this gen?
> 
> If he's going to have a problem with high source resistance it should show up with compressors trying to start. I take it his furnace is not a heat pump?


his genny is right at back door. Prob no more than 10ft of spliced cables. He just has it plugged into a receptacle. Its a Gas furnace. They are not that big. Heats a 1700sqft house.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

GettingBy said:


> How many feet of what size wire? How often does he run his house on this gen?
> 
> ... I take it his furnace is not a heat pump?


Now see, there's my point. *Now* you ask, rather than _prior_ to making a categorical statement that motors will be damaged.

I don't dispute your level of knowledge and/or the ability to research it--but the presentation could use some fine-tuning. :thumbsup:

I've run my entire house many times on a gennie hooked up with 50' of 14 gauge wire. The only significant loads are the water pump and the refrigerator. We don't run the electric clothes dryer then.

Sure, there's some voltage drop, and that's not the kindest thing to do to those motors. But it's far from a Chicken Little scenario when done with the right loads and a bit of common sense.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

Tinstaafl said:


> Now see, there's my point. *Now* you ask, rather than _prior_ to making a categorical statement that motors will be damaged.
> 
> I don't dispute your level of knowledge and/or the ability to research it--but the presentation could use some fine-tuning. :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


Todo el mundo esta loco. Except me.


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