Just had a 60 hour outage up here in northeast Wisconsin so I bought a 12,000 Watt portable generator.  My question is should I go with a 6 circuit or 10 circuit transfer switch?

Edited March 26, 20223 yr by A05GSHO

Aren’t transfer switches for stand by generators not portable ones? I use a interlock switch for our portable generator. 

10 hours ago, 800renegaderider said:

Aren’t transfer switches for stand by generators not portable ones? I use a interlock switch for our portable generator. 

Didn't know that.  Going to look it to that.

57 minutes ago, A05GSHO said:

Didn't know that.  Going to look it to that.

I’m no professional but that’s what our electrician suggested after explaining I had a 7500w generator and wanted a whole house hook up outside. It’s pretty simple set up just shut the main off slide the plate up and switch the generator breaker on and you can run whatever you want on the house through the generator from your main panel. It was fairly inexpensive to have done also but this was two years ago so maybe not so much now 😂.

22 minutes ago, 800renegaderider said:

I’m no professional but that’s what our electrician suggested after explaining I had a 7500w generator and wanted a whole house hook up outside. It’s pretty simple set up just shut the main off slide the plate up and switch the generator breaker on and you can run whatever you want on the house through the generator from your main panel. It was fairly inexpensive to have done also but this was two years ago so maybe not so much now 😂.

I got a 12,000 watt coming that has both a 30amp plug and a 50amp.  Looking in to a interlock switch it's the way to go.  Just put a 50amp breaker in, 50amp receptacle outside.  Wire that to the 50 amp breaker and I should be good to go.

 

I like it THANKS

Good choice.  I think interlock is the way to go, much simpler.  I agree on using 50 Amp, because of the size of the generator.  30 wouldn't be enough, imo.

Here's my set up using a 6000 watt generator with 8500 surge.

 

I installed a sub-panel next to main box and re-routed anything I felt necessary

for comfortable living. No Stove ( use microwave, BBQ or wood stove top) or

hot water tank. At 60 gallons the hot water will last at least a day if you conserve.

 

 

 

 

Installation is straight forward if you have decent electrical knowledge and are careful.

Panel has a 30 amp interlock switch, sufficient for size of our generator. It has saved our bacon many 

times up here, lots of wind storms and fallen trees

 

 

 

 

 

From the sub panel I ran an 8/3 wire to garage, just inside door with a 30 amp plug. Fire up

genny, plug in, flip switch and Bob's your Uncle

Edited March 27, 20223 yr by oldslowsledder

If your going to backfeed power through a circuit breaker,  the system has NO safety system to prevent power feeding back to the street.

Mine is simple + safe.  BIG box 📦 with guillotine switch that kills leg from street , and  connects  generator to house main panel.  

PIA is going outside + start up diesel generator in shed. 

Wish it  was 100% automatic start up + automatic transfer switches, but I can't justify running a 30kw generator for weeks after a storm just  to  run the furnace and refrigerator.

Simple 5kw military generator burns very  little fuel to keep the house from freezing.

Transfer switch is the way.  As was said.  Shut off the main.  Slide plate up.  Flip genny breaker on and pick what you want the genny to run.  Easy.

Any of you guys own a Generac? I’m seriously considering the 17500 unit. 
 

Just looking for input.

I installed a 11,000 KW generac in my dads place 6 years ago.

Came with a 200 amp transfer switch.

Very easy to install and works great.

When the power goes out, he has power again within 30 seconds.

As long as he has propane, he has power.

Edited July 22, 20222 yr by Greasemonkey

For my place, I decided to go with a portable unit.

I disconnect the main breaker in the house and back feed from my garage.

Only the well pump is 220 volts in the house otherwise everything else is 120 volts.

Be VERY careful with mickey mouse setups for connecting a generator. You can get a decent transfer switch installed for about $5 - 600. 

 

My son-in-law, nephew and brother-in-law are lineman with the local electric utility. I would hate to see one of them get killed on the job because someone in the house flipped the wrong switch. 

2 minutes ago, Catalina said:

Be VERY careful with mickey mouse setups for connecting a generator. You can get a decent transfer switch installed for about $5 - 600. 

 

My son-in-law, nephew and brother-in-law are lineman with the local electric utility. I would hate to see one of them get killed on the job because someone in the house flipped the wrong switch. 

I realize the risks involved.

I have step by step instructions for the wife on how to do the transfer.

Now whether she follows them or not is a whole another situation.

We have a 7500 watt gasoline portable wired semi-permanent in the shed attached to our garage. Manual start. I wired it to a 100 amp transfer switch in the basement by the entrance panel. You MUST have a transfer switch to protect utility crews!

Our generator will start the 1,5hp deep well pump and run all our appliances including 2 window A/C units at once. It will not run our auto lift and we don't try to use the clothes dryer when we're on generator. Minor inconveniences.

People ask why we need a generator if we have a propane boiler? Ya gotta run the circulators to push the hot water!

You can redneck a plug for less than 40 buck with wire . You won't know when your power is back on but that is what your neighbors lights are for