Thank you so much for these videos. You are not only very knowledgeable, but you are a great teacher. You are very clear and cover everything completely. Thank you very much.
Circuits selected for transfer need to be completely isolated for safety reasons. if you remove a black power wire from a circuit, you also need to remove the white neutral wire from the neutral bar in the house main breaker box. These white neutral wires are attached to the neutral lug inside the transfer switch. The only neutral wire that is connected to the neutral lug in the house main breaker box, is the large white wire that companies the two large black power wires coming from the 50 amp breaker to the transfer switch. This isolates current that could possibly feed from the generator to the neutral lug in the house main breaker box. Local lineman are always at risk of being electrocuted because someone didn’t know how to hook up their transfer switch.
Great video.... question, why is the feed double breaker that feeds the transfer switch a 50amp if the transfer switch is a 30amp?....thanks in advance
When the power is being supplied by the grid you have lots of power available, so you want 50A to power the 8 circuits. When you switch to the small(ish) generator you only have 30A available. At least that is my guess.
Hey Robert, it really does come in handy doesn't it? Almost seems like a must for Floridians haha. When hurricanes come and the power goes out now, it is not nearly as big of a deal as before. Thanks for the feedback, I am glad you liked it. Hope to see you around!
Great video. I wasn't sure if this was something I could or wanted to do. I've installed countless sub panels and for some reason had it in my mind that this was a lot more complex than that.
It can definitely make life a little easier during those temporary times without power. Especially in your case where it was freezing along with now power! Glad to hear you are ok! That would be a difficult experience. Thank you for the feedback!
Thanks for the concise video. I need to go into my main panel the same as yours; my panel also has no exposed knockouts. My question is what size hole did you drill on the side of the panel and what size conduit did you use to house the wires. Thanks, Bob
23 дня назад
This video helps a ton! Got a question. Where would you add a whole house surge protector like the Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA to this setup? Thanks!
Yeah, most of us are not electricians and the ultimate recommendation is to hire an electrician. It isn't terribly complicated but just make sure to follow the instructions that come with your transfer switch. I would at least advise that if you do it yourself, have it inspected by an inspector and/or an electrician. I noted in my description that I did that unfortunately after filming and had to remove the neutrals from the bus in the main panel and connect them to each circuit. So always good to make sure things are on the up and up! Thank you for your feedback.
thanks for sharing, so with the transfer switch, you don't need an interlock switch?, in addition, I already have 2 50 amp circuit breakers on my main panel, for the generac transfer switch, I need an additional 50 amp breaker, is it safe to put another one on the main box?
Thank you for your videos. I have a generac homelink transfer switch I'm installing and have a quick question - It's pre-wired and I'm hooking it to a 50 amp breaker. The wires that it came with are 8 gauge, but 50 amps should be on a 6 gauge wire, correct? Should these be changed? Not sure why generac would have had these 8 gauge wires.
Thanks for your very helpful videos, I was wondering if anyone can tell me if it's better installing the transfer switch outdoor or in my garage what will be better. Thanks
I watch a bunch of these transfer switch videos and I’m curious why no mentions about having two Neutral Bonded grounds in the circuit. Are you suppose to switch the generator from a Neutral Bonded Ground to a floating ground. Just wondering.
Hi Adam. Great videos! Thank you for posting all of these! I have a Generac HomeLink transfer switch I want to install and my main circuit panel has the neutrals and grounds together (I do not have a separate ground bus in the main panel). When I wire the transfer switch main power to the 50amp breaker, is it ok to hook up that #8 ground and neutral wire to my ground/neutral bus in the main panel? Being they are together I thought in the sub panel they had to be separate. The HomeLink does have it's neutral and grounds separated in the box, but they'd be on the same bus in my main panel if that makes sense. Is this okay? Also with that said, do I then hook up each neutral wire of the breaker I'm moving to the neutral wire coming from the transfer switch (not putting them all together)? Thank you!
Well made video - I could probably install the transfer switch myself without issue. However I plan to hire an electrician who does this all the time and knows the best products to use for my area.
Good video. Work in computers so not a complete idiot as far as electrical work goes but still mulling over doing myself vs hiring out. Your videos are helping me make up my mind. Though we live in Texas we didn't lose power last week during the storm but many around us did so thought it was time to invest in backup power. Also we know thunderstorm season is around the corner and we will no doubt lose power 2-3 times then. Thanks man!
Wow, glad you never lost power. Have spoken to so many that did. Yeah I definitely think they are worth the investment. When they aren't being used it is easy to look at them and think of the money spent but then when you need one and it is supplying power, they are almost worth their weight in gold haha. Thank you for the feedback!
This is perfect. So I have no room in my existing box for the 50 amp to feed my 'new' transfer panel. But I'm assuming I can remove the breakers that are essentiallly going to be replaced in the new box.
Used to use this type system, but limited you to usually 8-12 Circuits, When Interlock came out with an Interlock kit, Has Stainless Slding Plate that allows Main Breaker OR Top Right Breaker(which goes to Power Inlet Box) to be selected. Can't Backfeed, @ about $200, seems Expensive, But Faster, Cheaper, cleaner Install as you don't need the Additional Enclosure. Feel it is better as you can turn on Refrigerator, and Most all 120 volt Breakers. Just turn on and off lights/fan where needed. Depending on Generator Capacity, you may need to turn Off Fridge, to Microwave Something. Water Heater could even be used when needed, Generator Size will determine what may need to be turned off temporarily. This type Tranfers are Good Option When you don't have a Main Breaker in the Panel. Wire appeared to be #8, 40 Amps? Good Video Stratmando Just went back, saw the Finish, you mention #10(30)Amps. Needs to Be #6. With #10 wire, Breaker needs to be 30 Amps. Originally I thought it was #10, Later you confirmed this. Breaker will Protect wiring from being Overheated.
Hey. Thanks for this great video. Would you be so kind as to send me a picture of the wiring of the rocker switch. I had to replace mine however I can’t remember how the wires were connected
Interesting approach. Does this meet US NEC? Been trying to explain something similar to my dad (career electrician) and not only do I think he doesn't understand what I'm getting at, I think he just wants to argue with me.
I plan on installing a 10-circuit transfer switch, do the circuit breakers need to match, example my electrical panel uses square D, does the transfer switch circuit breakers have to be square D too?
I know in sub panels the ground and neutral are "unbonded". It looks like your neutrals ang grounds are unbonded in your main panel also. Is this the case or are they just run neutrals to one side and grounds to the other? Or is this panel a subpage? If the neutrals are bonded does it change how you connect them from the transfer switch? I have read your update. Lastly what gauge did you run to supply power from the 50 amp breaker to the transfer switch? Thanks, Rick
So, this was exactly the video I needed. My question, though, what do you do about permits in this situation? I’m very handy with electrical work, but, my local municipality requires permits, and only issues them to licensed electricians…
Well if your municipality won’t issue permits to homeowners and you want to make sure it’s permitted, then you would have to hire an electrician. Where I am they will issue permits to homeowners. Thanks for the feedback.
@@HowToHomeDIY I’m so jealous! They charge locally $200 for an electrical permit… so frustrating. Haven’t been able to find an electrician that will actually return a call or show up when they say they will, so, I want to just do it myself, but, want to do the right way. Your video was spot on in explaining what needs to be done.
Yeah getting trades to come by in some areas right now can be really difficult. One thing I noted in the description though is that in the video I connected the neutrals from the transfer switch to the neutral bar in the main panel. When I had it inspected those neutrals needed to be removed from the main panel and connected to the neutral wire of each corresponding circuit. The instructions that came with the transfer switch were clear as mud.
@@HowToHomeDIY Just to follow up here, I actually called the permit office today and spoke to a nice lady. She said homeowners can actually do the work themselves, so long as its under $30,000 - I just have to sign an affadavit that says I will do it to current code, and will not sell of rent the house for 12 months from date of completion and permit approved. So, sounds like I have some paperwork to fill out. Thanks again for posting this video!
@@HowToHomeDIY Would it be acceptable to wire nut the white natural wires when disconnected from the bus bar in the main box and label them to what circuit they came from, the same way you did the black positive wires?
Thanks, how to hook up an emergency power transfer switch to a multiwire branch circuit, if possible . . .. Two 20A breakers with handle ties feeding the kitchen. Yes, they are sharing a common neutral. The transfer switch has four 15A circuits; each circuit has a breaker and a 3 position switch: Line - Off - Gen Thanks, Bob
You have added a 50 amp breaker to the main panel to power the Generac Transfer switch. However when the power from the Utility company is off, that breaker is dead. So no power is going to the second box. Also you take a wire from a breaker in the main box and attach it to the blue wire to get power to the Generac breaker. So if you have taken the black wire out of the breaker in the main box , how do you get power to the house circuit when you are on regular utility power , since there is no wire attached to it ?
Thank you for the great video! Quick question for you. Once I remove the wire from one of the breakers in the main panel, can I remove the breaker from the main panel? My main panel is full, and need some extra to install the 50A breaker. Also, it will be great if you can create a short video showing the natural wire issue during the inspection and how you actually fixed it. Thank you!
Hey yes you could then remove that or those breakers as they are now in the transfer switch. The neutral wire fix was removing the circuits neutral wire from the busbar in the main panel and connecting it to one of the white neutral wires coming from the busbar in the transfer switch. I hope this helps! Thanks for the feedback.
Your neutrals should be extended from main panel via wire nut to xfer switch..then supply neutral #8 will carry current back to main panel. Also code requirement to have neutrals grouped once they leave from service
@@ThePetersmith77 the circuits need to be completely isolated for safety reasons. If you remove a black wire from a selected circuit, you also need to remove white or neutral wire from the main neutral bar in the house breaker box. The only neutral wire coming from the main house Breaker box to the transfer switch, would be the large white wire, accompanied by the two black feed wires coming from the 50 amp breaker. Leaving the neutral wires of the selected circuits connected to the neutral wire in the main breaker box can still feed, electricity into the grid when there is a power outage. Local lineman are always at risk of being electrocuted because someone did not hook up their transfer switch properly.
You are correct!! Circuits selected for transfer need to be completely isolated for safety reasons. if you remove a black power wire from a circuit, you also need to remove the white neutral wire from the neutral bar in the house main breaker box. These white neutral wires are attached to the neutral lug inside the transfer switch. The only neutral wire that is connected to the neutral lug in the house main breaker box, is the large white wire that companies the two large black power wires coming from the 50 amp breaker to the transfer switch. This isolates current that could possibly feed from the generator to the neutral lug in the house main breaker box. Local lineman are always at risk of being electrocuted because someone didn’t know how to hook up their transfer switch.
I already have the transfer switch in place but am planning to upgrade my gen from the current 6500w to a 10,000w constant power one. This so I can run all including the hot water at same time. Is it possible to add all lights into the box? As of now I only have downstairs lights available. Thank you
If the circuit you are moving to the Generator Switch Panel is on a AF/GFI Circuit breaker does the circuit breaker in the switch panel need to be replace with a like corresponding circuit breaker?
By “diverting” to the transfer switch, will this inevitably free up space on my main panel? My panel is currently full and to add the 50amp breaker, I’d obviously need space for it. Thanks
Question, are you neutrals not tied into your grounds in that main panel? I'd love to do this your explanations were very good. Another question is stranded wire legal in home wiring?
When you switched back to utility power, its green light went off and seemed to stay off. Did it just go dim or was it completely off? Shouldn't the green utility light stay on even when the switch is using the utility power?
It completely goes away once you switch back to utility power. It’s purpose is just to let you know that utility power is back when you are using generator power. Kind of a nice feature really.
This vid answered the two questions I had. Thanks! I'm now very confident that I can install a 10 circuit transfer switch in my home. On another note, that CAT generator is super loud! Damnnnn! I have a Husqvarna 7500w with auto idle, picked up for a song. Owner said it would run for 2 minutes and quit, start right back up and do the same thing. I handed him $50 and took it home and installed a new fuel filter. Done. Runs awesome. More power than we need in an outage. Heat, lights, water, WiFi, etc. Now I'll do it with the additional safety of a transfer switch.
Great video, thanks. Quick question for you. When an outage occurs, and I have switched over to generator power through the manual transfer switch, do you recommend switching off the Main breaker to the house panel? (Mine is on the outside of my house, next to the gas meter.)
@@HowToHomeDIYnot if there is a ground fault with the wiring you showed in the video, as the current will make its way back to the utility source potentially shocking someone working on the line.
I wonder how much these transfer switches vary? I have seen transfer switch instruction where the individual circuits were moved but using the original breakers. In those boxes I believe you wire a transfer wire to the original breaker, it goes to the switch and another wire goes to the panel connecting the circuit with a wire nut. In the transfer box I was talking about, each individual switch acts as utility/off/generator. Which would be a better switch?
Had mine hooked up last year and it worked. Just went out to test it and it’s not working. The yellow light comes on but when I hit the toggle it does not make a clicking sound and no power to the house any help would be great. Tku
I have a 6 circuit manual transfer switch, I have two circuits that have very little draw on them (one has 3 led lights and the other a smart TV) can I combine those two and gain another circuit ?
Thank you! I have a question for you. Can I use a transfer switch panel as a main panel in a food truck... I mean can I run cables directly from a transfer switch to the walls to connect appliances and the ceiling to the lamps?
I have the same setup. Instead of gasoline-powered generator. I use 4 lfp batteries in parallel with 3000W inverter. I only selected 4 circuits into the house. My battery monitor says, I have 26 hours of capacity. The main thing is I don't have to listen to the annoying generator noise.
I currently have a 3,500W Generator. I would only need the basics and would be happy with a 4-breaker set up. Am I a fool? Should I upgrade my generator for more power? I don’t really want to do that. What’s your opinion? Would a 4 breaker option connected via 30A power be sufficient for basic needs? Thanks! Andy
A 3,500 watt generator is a little on the small side but it is what I started out with our first hurricane and I was able to power the fridge, some lights, and fans. So it certainly can power up necessities it just depends on what you deem necessary.
I have a question it may sound very silly but I don't know much about these systems .. my question is if you have the transfer switch working once you have no electricity then when the electricity returns to the panel it does not make contact with the electricity that is working with the generator
Not silly at all. No it does not make contact with the power being supplied by the generator when utility power comes back on. The transfer switch while in generator mode completely isolates itself from the main panel. Once utility power is back and you change your transfer switch to utility mode, to put simply, it will shut off the entry of the electricity from the generator. I hope this helps. Thank you for the question!
Good video. One thing i would point out,, you said use a 10 gauge wire for the generator input box to the transfer switch,, this is not what is suitable for everyone. It is completely dependent on how long your wire run is. If its short yes 10awg could work,,, for others with long runs you need lower gauge (thicker wire) to reduce the voltage drop. For example my generator sits 85ft from the transfer switch and i need a 6awg. You have to use wire gauge chart.
Hello, I’m having an issue with this very same transfer switch. It will switch from gen to utility using the push bottom. However, it will not switch back from utility to generator? I have to use the included rod to switch it manual. When I’m the gen mode if I press the button it will fire the solenoid and go back to utility. I purchased another one to see how the transfer switch wires are connected figuring the one I had was wired incorrectly from the factory. However the second one was exactly the same. I have one orange lead that goes nowhere. Both panels I purchased had this same wire not connected. I any case… would you mind taking a photo of your transfer switch wiring so I could compare to yours? I would be much appreciated if it’s not too much trouble? 🙏
There is no way for me to post a picture. But you will not be able to switch to generator mode unless power is being sent from the generator to the transfer switch. Then the solenoid will engage. Not sure if you were doing that or not. The switch part itself comes prewired.
@@HowToHomeDIY Hi, Yes I had both utility and gen power being supplied to the transfer switch at the time of my trouble shooting. As it stands right now. I have to remove the cover and manual throw to gen mode evening while power is being supplied. However once in the gen position and Powering my circuits on the generator and utility power is present when I press the button it will go back to utility power source. It’s very frustrating because tech support was useless and I cannot find a wiring schematic for the control side of this transfer switch. Thanks for replying.
@@HowToHomeDIY I figured it out. Because i'm running a 125v 30A inverter generac generator is the issue. The transfer switch requires 240v in order to operate. Which makes sense as it will throw when on utility power but not on the current generator setup i have. It needs to detect 240v across L1 and L2. If this isn't present it won't operate via the push buttom. You must use the yellow lever included in the box which defeats the purpose because you need to remove the cover. I will purchase a 240v generator now. Just an FYI for anyone else in this situation. I found the info in bold in the manual.
Is it really necessary to have a complete separate box? Are there any products that allow you to just switch with the utility wires going into the main box for whole house power?
Are there transfer switches designed in cases there is not enough room to install 50amps breaker in the existing electric box? Or what would be other possibility other than replacing existing electric box?
So if I understand what you did... You moved eight circuits from your main panel over to the subpanel thus you have eight breakers in your main panel that are no longer being used. Correct? If that is correct, couldn't you physically move the unused circuit breakers from the main panel to the subpanel (assuming the breakers and panel are compatible)?
so to confirm in my case 50 amp ATS unit with 12 circuits. need 50 amp breaker on the main service panel that connects to ATS. other side of ATS goes to generator plug in box. one more wire for ATS to signal portable generator startup because my portable is a 12000 was 240v 50AMP. Then need need to run wires from devices I need to pull over from the service panel to the TS circuits. In may case this is well, septic, water heater, bedrooms, living room plus lights for those and one of heat pumps. Eventually I would like to wire up the second heat pump when I can afford a bigger or second generator. Obviously knowing that I would need a different ATS to handle the additional amperage or just running in a second ATS. Unless there is a way to run a bypass to manually switch between the two heat pumps but that's adding some complication to the system that I would rather figure out after I have my ATS up and running. Do you recommend utilizing a knockout on my service panel/meter box for running the generator plugin or just putting a hole through the wall using conduit and sealing the entry hole? I would think less holes through the less chance for damage but maybe I am just worrying too much as if its sealed properly there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I'm not an electrician but I have a lot of electrical experience from wiring a lot of single phase +phase converters and three phase for CNC milling equipment over the years for my machine shop. Working in an electrical box doesn't scare me as I always ensure that my power is off before moving further.
After I completed the wiring process I notice my green "Utility" light does not light up. All the circuits work that are connected through the transfer switch. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I installed my transfer switch and noticed that it wouldn't switch between utility power or generator power. I took the panel off and noticed that there was a orange wire coming from the back of the coil. There are two orange wires. But one is not connected to anything. Does it matter? I unplugged one and put it in the place of the other and now the switch works.
Good Video. However neutrals for each "line" in the transfer switch should not be bounded to the neutral bar in the main panel. Only the main lug neutral from the 50 amp utility service should be connected. Otherwise when you disconnect the utility power and run off the generator your bounded neutrals to the main panel provide a path back to the main panel and defeats the purpose of the disconnect. The correct way and what is documented in the Generac manual says is to remove the Hot and Neutral for each line from the main power panel.
@@HowToHomeDIY yes I saw this... May want to move to the top of the description as it can easily be missed and is a dangerous mistake. Still great video
Hi, a single phase house has an L1 and an L2, each being 120V. If you had 2 generators (the little suitcase inverter types), is there a way to power up the main panel, with L1 being fed from one generator, and L2 being fed from the other generator? Keep in mind they'd be sharing the neutral in this case. The 2 generators would need to be kept synchronized 180 degrees out of phase. Is there a way to set up such a system?
I had a similar thought , it would be be tricky and probably against. Code as you would need to make suicide cords for l1 and l2 , I wouldn't wire it to any 220 circuits though
@@AlexLamar1 Yes they seem to have cables to synchronize the units in parallel for more current, but no one has invented the circuitry to synchronize them in series (or 180 degrees out of phase, more accurately). I think I saw a guy who came up with a way to do it, but it wasn't commercially available for plug and play.
Hey Joe, the costs for the transfer switch, extra wiring, different circuit breakers, and other small items was around $500-$600. Now if you are talking about how much it would cost for an electrician to install it, that will vary widely depending on your particular installation situation but I would estimate somewhere between $800-$1000 but again can be completely different depending on labor and materials needed. Thank you for your kind words and for watching! If you have anymore questions, please feel free to ask!
Tandem breakers or piggy backs are an option in some panels. Its a double breaker that takes up a single slot in the panel. Its only good for 120V circuits.
Hey Craig, when I bought it, they were readily available in the big box home improvement stores but I have noticed they have really reduced the availability of them there. I did see you can find them on amazon now. Hope this helps, and thank you for the feedback!
I'm confused about the 8 neutrals connected between the transfer switch box and main service box. In another video (using the exact same transfer switch) he did it this way as well, but later had it inspected and said he: "removed the neutrals from the bus and connected them to each branch circuit." And I've read other comments saying how this can be mildly hazardous. I keep reading things like this comment, but don't understand exactly what they mean: "the manual clearly indicates to use the white prelabeled neutral wires and hook them to your incoming circuits. The Generac panel Neutral bar is already connected to the house panel neutral bar." Does this mean to take the neutral from each circuit in the main box (removing it from the neutral bar) and wire nut it to the neutral incoming form the transfer box? Everything else I understand and can make sense of--it's just this bit dealing with the neutrals.
Hey Nikola, yes you have it correct. Each circuit's neutral that you are moving to the transfer switch, should be removed from the main panel neutral bar and directly connected to the neutrals coming from the transfer switch. Like I advise everyone, make sure if you do any electrical work yourself, have an electrician or local code inspector look at it. Thank you for the question!
Greetings, with your video I decide on that transfer switch, I ask you, my house is 110 volts, that is, I only have one phase, it is an old house, I will be able to make a bridge in the transfer switch to install the 6 brakers from the same phase , or can I only use 3 circuits?
Hey Melvin. No you cannot bridge it. You would only be able to use the 3 circuits. If you bridged it you would burn your service out. If you want to be able to use all of the circuits, you would need an electrician to upgrade your main service.
@@HowToHomeDIY ok thank you very much for your quick response! I am thinking of acquiring this model for home, as in my house there are only 3 wires, 1 phase, neutral, ground, and the main panel is one of the old ones that only has 1 30 amp delay fuse, I saw that it can also be configured to power the transfer switch with 30amp instead of 50, since I will not use things that require so much energy ... I don't know if it can be, I read something that could be configured for 30 amps
Hey, yes it is internal in the transfer switch itself. On the top left corner of the transfer switch box you will see a switch. On the left side of the toggle switch it says utility and on the right side it says generator power. If you hook your generator up to the transfer switch and power it on, sending power to the transfer switch, once you select generator power on that switch, it completely moves your power source to the generator. At this point, the transfer switch has completely disconnected from the utility source internally, regardless of whether there is utility power coming in or not. The transfer switch will not allow for the utility power and generator power to be on and powering the circuits at the same time. I hope this answered your question.
My main circuit box is on the outside of the house. I would need to place the transfer switch adjacent to the main panel, but the wires need to go inside the wall between the switch and main box. I think I'll have an electrician do this.
Adam, very clear and well explained. Appreciate your listing the cost too. Kudos John 14:6
Thank you so much for these videos. You are not only very knowledgeable, but you are a great teacher. You are very clear and cover everything completely. Thank you very much.
Circuits selected for transfer need to be completely isolated for safety reasons. if you remove a black power wire from a circuit, you also need to remove the white neutral wire from the neutral bar in the house main breaker box. These white neutral wires are attached to the neutral lug inside the transfer switch. The only neutral wire that is connected to the neutral lug in the house main breaker box, is the large white wire that companies the two large black power wires coming from the 50 amp breaker to the transfer switch. This isolates current that could possibly feed from the generator to the neutral lug in the house main breaker box. Local lineman are always at risk of being electrocuted because someone didn’t know how to hook up their transfer switch.
😂
Great video.... question, why is the feed double breaker that feeds the transfer switch a 50amp if the transfer switch is a 30amp?....thanks in advance
When the power is being supplied by the grid you have lots of power available, so you want 50A to power the 8 circuits.
When you switch to the small(ish) generator you only have 30A available.
At least that is my guess.
I also live in Florida and experienced many outages. My set up is similar to yours and works like a charm. Excellent video.
Hey Robert, it really does come in handy doesn't it? Almost seems like a must for Floridians haha. When hurricanes come and the power goes out now, it is not nearly as big of a deal as before. Thanks for the feedback, I am glad you liked it. Hope to see you around!
Great video. I wasn't sure if this was something I could or wanted to do. I've installed countless sub panels and for some reason had it in my mind that this was a lot more complex than that.
That was a very simple explaination that really provided a great overview for DIY! Thanks much!
Man, wish I can do this; we were out for 3 days in Austin TX, snow storm; nicely explain, appreciated bro.
It can definitely make life a little easier during those temporary times without power. Especially in your case where it was freezing along with now power! Glad to hear you are ok! That would be a difficult experience. Thank you for the feedback!
@@HowToHomeDIY same
Thanks for the concise video. I need to go into my main panel the same as yours; my panel also has no exposed knockouts. My question is what size hole did you drill on the side of the panel and what size conduit did you use to house the wires. Thanks, Bob
This video helps a ton! Got a question. Where would you add a whole house surge protector like the Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA to this setup? Thanks!
Good video 😁👍. Your fish are a liability in a longer grid down scenario🔥🐠... 😏Replace the Koi with tilapia and then you're good to go ✌️😉
Good explanation. I’ve seen several other videos that say you should hire an electrician, but it doesn’t look very complicated.
Yeah, most of us are not electricians and the ultimate recommendation is to hire an electrician. It isn't terribly complicated but just make sure to follow the instructions that come with your transfer switch. I would at least advise that if you do it yourself, have it inspected by an inspector and/or an electrician. I noted in my description that I did that unfortunately after filming and had to remove the neutrals from the bus in the main panel and connect them to each circuit. So always good to make sure things are on the up and up! Thank you for your feedback.
thanks for sharing, so with the transfer switch, you don't need an interlock switch?, in addition, I already have 2 50 amp circuit breakers on my main panel, for the generac transfer switch, I need an additional 50 amp breaker, is it safe to put another one on the main box?
Thank you for your videos. I have a generac homelink transfer switch I'm installing and have a quick question - It's pre-wired and I'm hooking it to a 50 amp breaker. The wires that it came with are 8 gauge, but 50 amps should be on a 6 gauge wire, correct? Should these be changed? Not sure why generac would have had these 8 gauge wires.
Why do you use a 50amp breaker in your panel to run a 30 amp switch? I have learned a lot from you videos.
Simple and perfect explanation. Thanks for this.
Thanks for your very helpful videos, I was wondering if anyone can tell me if it's better installing the transfer switch outdoor or in my garage what will be better. Thanks
I watch a bunch of these transfer switch videos and I’m curious why no mentions about having two Neutral Bonded grounds in the circuit. Are you suppose to switch the generator from a Neutral Bonded Ground to a floating ground. Just wondering.
Hi Adam. Great videos! Thank you for posting all of these! I have a Generac HomeLink transfer switch I want to install and my main circuit panel has the neutrals and grounds together (I do not have a separate ground bus in the main panel). When I wire the transfer switch main power to the 50amp breaker, is it ok to hook up that #8 ground and neutral wire to my ground/neutral bus in the main panel? Being they are together I thought in the sub panel they had to be separate. The HomeLink does have it's neutral and grounds separated in the box, but they'd be on the same bus in my main panel if that makes sense. Is this okay? Also with that said, do I then hook up each neutral wire of the breaker I'm moving to the neutral wire coming from the transfer switch (not putting them all together)? Thank you!
Thank you; very informative as you stepped through the whole process of installation, connectivity, and its use.
Hey, I am glad it was helpful! Thank you very much for the feedback!
@@HowToHomeDIY could u help me understand on the breaker side one i remove the wire on breaker the neutral closes the circuit?
Most generators are bonded neutral how did you work that into the transfer switch?
This is so simple thank you for the information sir
Well made video - I could probably install the transfer switch myself without issue. However I plan to hire an electrician who does this all the time and knows the best products to use for my area.
Thank you! Can never go wrong with an electrician should you decide to go that route. Take care!
Thank you. I think I will be installing one very soon.
I'm glad you found it to be helpful. If you need any help or have any questions, feel free to ask. Good luck with the install!
Good video. Work in computers so not a complete idiot as far as electrical work goes but still mulling over doing myself vs hiring out. Your videos are helping me make up my mind. Though we live in Texas we didn't lose power last week during the storm but many around us did so thought it was time to invest in backup power. Also we know thunderstorm season is around the corner and we will no doubt lose power 2-3 times then. Thanks man!
Wow, glad you never lost power. Have spoken to so many that did. Yeah I definitely think they are worth the investment. When they aren't being used it is easy to look at them and think of the money spent but then when you need one and it is supplying power, they are almost worth their weight in gold haha. Thank you for the feedback!
Merci très bien expliqué
Thank you good explanation
This is perfect. So I have no room in my existing box for the 50 amp to feed my 'new' transfer panel. But I'm assuming I can remove the breakers that are essentiallly going to be replaced in the new box.
Used to use this type system, but limited you to usually 8-12 Circuits, When Interlock came out with an Interlock kit, Has Stainless Slding Plate that allows Main Breaker OR Top Right Breaker(which goes to Power Inlet Box) to be selected. Can't Backfeed, @ about $200, seems Expensive, But Faster, Cheaper, cleaner Install as you don't need the Additional Enclosure.
Feel it is better as you can turn on Refrigerator, and Most all 120 volt Breakers. Just turn on and off lights/fan where needed. Depending on Generator Capacity, you may need to turn Off Fridge, to Microwave Something. Water Heater could even be used when needed, Generator Size will determine what may need to be turned off temporarily.
This type Tranfers are Good Option When you don't have a Main Breaker in the Panel.
Wire appeared to be #8, 40 Amps?
Good Video
Stratmando
Just went back, saw the Finish, you mention #10(30)Amps.
Needs to Be #6.
With #10 wire, Breaker needs to be 30 Amps.
Originally I thought it was #10, Later you confirmed this. Breaker will Protect wiring from being Overheated.
This is so spot on you think like me
Very good video. Clearly and simple. Thanks a lot...
Hey Canadien, you are welcome. Thank you for watching and for the feedback! Hope to see you around!
Hey. Thanks for this great video. Would you be so kind as to send me a picture of the wiring of the rocker switch. I had to replace mine however I can’t remember how the wires were connected
Thank. You.
This video was VERY helpful.
You're welcome! Glad it was helpful. Thanks for the feedback!
Interesting approach. Does this meet US NEC? Been trying to explain something similar to my dad (career electrician) and not only do I think he doesn't understand what I'm getting at, I think he just wants to argue with me.
😂 yes still all code compliant.
Excellent Video! Made perfect sense. Well done!
Thank you! Glad you liked it!
I plan on installing a 10-circuit transfer switch, do the circuit breakers need to match, example my electrical panel uses square D, does the transfer switch circuit breakers have to be square D too?
Amazing explanation
I know in sub panels the ground and neutral are "unbonded". It looks like your neutrals ang grounds are unbonded in your main panel also. Is this the case or are they just run neutrals to one side and grounds to the other? Or is this panel a subpage? If the neutrals are bonded does it change how you connect them from the transfer switch? I have read your update.
Lastly what gauge did you run to supply power from the 50 amp breaker to the transfer switch? Thanks, Rick
Great video, is the well pump 220 on the double pole?
Yes it is. Thanks for the feedback!
Quite informative. Muchas gracias!
Glad you liked it! De nada!
So, this was exactly the video I needed.
My question, though, what do you do about permits in this situation? I’m very handy with electrical work, but, my local municipality requires permits, and only issues them to licensed electricians…
Well if your municipality won’t issue permits to homeowners and you want to make sure it’s permitted, then you would have to hire an electrician. Where I am they will issue permits to homeowners. Thanks for the feedback.
@@HowToHomeDIY I’m so jealous! They charge locally $200 for an electrical permit… so frustrating.
Haven’t been able to find an electrician that will actually return a call or show up when they say they will, so, I want to just do it myself, but, want to do the right way.
Your video was spot on in explaining what needs to be done.
Yeah getting trades to come by in some areas right now can be really difficult. One thing I noted in the description though is that in the video I connected the neutrals from the transfer switch to the neutral bar in the main panel. When I had it inspected those neutrals needed to be removed from the main panel and connected to the neutral wire of each corresponding circuit. The instructions that came with the transfer switch were clear as mud.
@@HowToHomeDIY Just to follow up here, I actually called the permit office today and spoke to a nice lady. She said homeowners can actually do the work themselves, so long as its under $30,000 - I just have to sign an affadavit that says I will do it to current code, and will not sell of rent the house for 12 months from date of completion and permit approved.
So, sounds like I have some paperwork to fill out.
Thanks again for posting this video!
@@HowToHomeDIY Would it be acceptable to wire nut the white natural wires when disconnected from the bus bar in the main box and label them to what circuit they came from, the same way you did the black positive wires?
Thanks, how to hook up an emergency power transfer switch to a multiwire branch circuit, if possible . . .. Two 20A breakers with handle ties feeding the kitchen. Yes, they are sharing a common neutral. The transfer switch has four 15A circuits; each circuit has a breaker and a 3 position switch: Line - Off - Gen Thanks, Bob
Most newer homes have ARC FAULT breakers a demonstration on how to connect and any problems?
You have added a 50 amp breaker to the main panel to power the Generac Transfer switch. However when the power from the Utility company is off, that breaker is dead. So no power is going to the second box. Also you take a wire from a breaker in the main box and attach it to the blue wire to get power to the Generac breaker. So if you have taken the black wire out of the breaker in the main box , how do you get power to the house circuit when you are on regular utility power , since there is no wire attached to it ?
i like the cat. i just got a 6500e i plan on getting hooked up this way. any grocery lists to get what i need?
Thank you for the great video! Quick question for you. Once I remove the wire from one of the breakers in the main panel, can I remove the breaker from the main panel? My main panel is full, and need some extra to install the 50A breaker. Also, it will be great if you can create a short video showing the natural wire issue during the inspection and how you actually fixed it. Thank you!
Hey yes you could then remove that or those breakers as they are now in the transfer switch. The neutral wire fix was removing the circuits neutral wire from the busbar in the main panel and connecting it to one of the white neutral wires coming from the busbar in the transfer switch. I hope this helps! Thanks for the feedback.
@@HowToHomeDIY Thank you for the reply! Have a great day.
Your neutrals should be extended from main panel via wire nut to xfer switch..then supply neutral #8 will carry current back to main panel.
Also code requirement to have neutrals grouped once they leave from service
Thanks for that info. That issue with the neutrals was the only point I was confused on.
wrong. neutrals can stay in the main. not code anywhere to label neutrals.
@ThePetersmith77
Circuits must originate from one location & neutrals need to be grouped with hot conductors.
Grouped not labeled
@@ThePetersmith77 the circuits need to be completely isolated for safety reasons.
If you remove a black wire from a selected circuit, you also need to remove white or neutral wire from the main neutral bar in the house breaker box. The only neutral wire coming from the main house Breaker box to the transfer switch, would be the large white wire, accompanied by the two black feed wires coming from the 50 amp breaker. Leaving the neutral wires of the selected circuits connected to the neutral wire in the main breaker box can still feed, electricity into the grid when there is a power outage. Local lineman are always at risk of being electrocuted because someone did not hook up their transfer switch properly.
You are correct!!
Circuits selected for transfer need to be completely isolated for safety reasons. if you remove a black power wire from a circuit, you also need to remove the white neutral wire from the neutral bar in the house main breaker box. These white neutral wires are attached to the neutral lug inside the transfer switch. The only neutral wire that is connected to the neutral lug in the house main breaker box, is the large white wire that companies the two large black power wires coming from the 50 amp breaker to the transfer switch. This isolates current that could possibly feed from the generator to the neutral lug in the house main breaker box. Local lineman are always at risk of being electrocuted because someone didn’t know how to hook up their transfer switch.
I already have the transfer switch in place but am planning to upgrade my gen from the current 6500w to a 10,000w constant power one. This so I can run all including the hot water at same time. Is it possible to add all lights into the box? As of now I only have downstairs lights available. Thank you
So the grounds must be seperated from nuetrals ??
If the circuit you are moving to the Generator Switch Panel is on a AF/GFI Circuit breaker does the circuit breaker in the switch panel need to be replace with a like corresponding circuit breaker?
By “diverting” to the transfer switch, will this inevitably free up space on my main panel?
My panel is currently full and to add the 50amp breaker, I’d obviously need space for it.
Thanks
Question, are you neutrals not tied into your grounds in that main panel? I'd love to do this your explanations were very good. Another question is stranded wire legal in home wiring?
yes nuetrals and grounds are bonded in main panel, if its first means of disconnect. yes stranded wire is legal.
@@ThePetersmith77 Thanks
When you switched back to utility power, its green light went off and seemed to stay off. Did it just go dim or was it completely off? Shouldn't the green utility light stay on even when the switch is using the utility power?
It completely goes away once you switch back to utility power. It’s purpose is just to let you know that utility power is back when you are using generator power. Kind of a nice feature really.
This vid answered the two questions I had. Thanks! I'm now very confident that I can install a 10 circuit transfer switch in my home.
On another note, that CAT generator is super loud! Damnnnn!
I have a Husqvarna 7500w with auto idle, picked up for a song. Owner said it would run for 2 minutes and quit, start right back up and do the same thing. I handed him $50 and took it home and installed a new fuel filter. Done. Runs awesome. More power than we need in an outage. Heat, lights, water, WiFi, etc.
Now I'll do it with the additional safety of a transfer switch.
Very clear instructions. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
When the power goes off, do you have to turn the main breaker off or can it stay on when you turn your generator on?
Great video, thanks. Quick question for you. When an outage occurs, and I have switched over to generator power through the manual transfer switch, do you recommend switching off the Main breaker to the house panel? (Mine is on the outside of my house, next to the gas meter.)
With a transfer switch like the one in the video there is no need to turn off the main as it is completely disconnected from your main panel.
@@HowToHomeDIYnot if there is a ground fault with the wiring you showed in the video, as the current will make its way back to the utility source potentially shocking someone working on the line.
Great video. Very helpful.
Hey Edward, thank you. I'm glad you found it helpful!
I wonder how much these transfer switches vary? I have seen transfer switch instruction where the individual circuits were moved but using the original breakers. In those boxes I believe you wire a transfer wire to the original breaker, it goes to the switch and another wire goes to the panel connecting the circuit with a wire nut.
In the transfer box I was talking about, each individual switch acts as utility/off/generator. Which would be a better switch?
Had mine hooked up last year and it worked. Just went out to test it and it’s not working. The yellow light comes on but when I hit the toggle it does not make a clicking sound and no power to the house any help would be great. Tku
I have a 6 circuit manual transfer switch, I have two circuits that have very little draw on them (one has 3 led lights and the other a smart TV) can I combine those two and gain another circuit ?
Great demo.
I’m wondering why you installed a 50 amp breaker in your sub panel for a 30 amp transfer switch?
Thank you! I have a question for you. Can I use a transfer switch panel as a main panel in a food truck... I mean can I run cables directly from a transfer switch to the walls to connect appliances and the ceiling to the lamps?
not recommended
Que tal saludos desde Penjamo GTO MÉXICO
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the feedback!
I have the same setup.
Instead of gasoline-powered generator.
I use 4 lfp batteries in parallel with 3000W inverter. I only selected 4 circuits into the house. My battery monitor says, I have 26 hours of capacity.
The main thing is I don't have to listen to the annoying generator noise.
Thank you for the info!
You are welcome! Glad it helped.
I currently have a 3,500W Generator. I would only need the basics and would be happy with a 4-breaker set up. Am I a fool? Should I upgrade my generator for more power? I don’t really want to do that. What’s your opinion? Would a 4 breaker option connected via 30A power be sufficient for basic needs? Thanks! Andy
A 3,500 watt generator is a little on the small side but it is what I started out with our first hurricane and I was able to power the fridge, some lights, and fans. So it certainly can power up necessities it just depends on what you deem necessary.
I have a question it may sound very silly but I don't know much about these systems .. my question is if you have the transfer switch working once you have no electricity then when the electricity returns to the panel it does not make contact with the electricity that is working with the generator
Not silly at all. No it does not make contact with the power being supplied by the generator when utility power comes back on. The transfer switch while in generator mode completely isolates itself from the main panel. Once utility power is back and you change your transfer switch to utility mode, to put simply, it will shut off the entry of the electricity from the generator. I hope this helps. Thank you for the question!
@@HowToHomeDIY thank you sir
Thanks… u the best!
the normal power has a 50a breaker protecting it what about the wires coming from the generator i dont see any ocpd, is the ocpd built into the gen ??
Is there any way possible to wire this transfer switch to work with a 120v 30amp generator?
Good video. One thing i would point out,, you said use a 10 gauge wire for the generator input box to the transfer switch,, this is not what is suitable for everyone. It is completely dependent on how long your wire run is. If its short yes 10awg could work,,, for others with long runs you need lower gauge (thicker wire) to reduce the voltage drop. For example my generator sits 85ft from the transfer switch and i need a 6awg. You have to use wire gauge chart.
Hello,
I’m having an issue with this very same transfer switch. It will switch from gen to utility using the push bottom. However, it will not switch back from utility to generator? I have to use the included rod to switch it manual. When I’m the gen mode if I press the button it will fire the solenoid and go back to utility. I purchased another one to see how the transfer switch wires are connected figuring the one I had was wired incorrectly from the factory. However the second one was exactly the same. I have one orange lead that goes nowhere. Both panels I purchased had this same wire not connected.
I any case… would you mind taking a photo of your transfer switch wiring so I could compare to yours? I would be much appreciated if it’s not too much trouble? 🙏
There is no way for me to post a picture. But you will not be able to switch to generator mode unless power is being sent from the generator to the transfer switch. Then the solenoid will engage. Not sure if you were doing that or not. The switch part itself comes prewired.
@@HowToHomeDIY
Hi,
Yes I had both utility and gen power being supplied to the transfer switch at the time of my trouble shooting. As it stands right now. I have to remove the cover and manual throw to gen mode evening while power is being supplied. However once in the gen position and Powering my circuits on the generator and utility power is present when I press the button it will go back to utility power source.
It’s very frustrating because tech support was useless and I cannot find a wiring schematic for the control side of this transfer switch.
Thanks for replying.
@@HowToHomeDIY I figured it out. Because i'm running a 125v 30A inverter generac generator is the issue. The transfer switch requires 240v in order to operate. Which makes sense as it will throw when on utility power but not on the current generator setup i have. It needs to detect 240v across L1 and L2. If this isn't present it won't operate via the push buttom. You must use the yellow lever included in the box which defeats the purpose because you need to remove the cover. I will purchase a 240v generator now. Just an FYI for anyone else in this situation. I found the info in bold in the manual.
I have a 70amp subpanel in my main panel, can i do transfer switch for that 70amp sub?
Thanks for this information! It really helped me make some good decisions!
You are very welcome! Glad I could help! Thank you for watching.
Is it really necessary to have a complete separate box? Are there any products that allow you to just switch with the utility wires going into the main box for whole house power?
yes, use an ATS.
Are there transfer switches designed in cases there is not enough room to install 50amps breaker in the existing electric box? Or what would be other possibility other than replacing existing electric box?
tandem breakers
So if I understand what you did... You moved eight circuits from your main panel over to the subpanel thus you have eight breakers in your main panel that are no longer being used. Correct? If that is correct, couldn't you physically move the unused circuit breakers from the main panel to the subpanel (assuming the breakers and panel are compatible)?
If they were compatible, yes. But you would need to fill the empty breaker spots with fillers or breakers.
Nice Job 10-4
Very good!
Hey Michael, thank you! I am glad it was helpful. Thank you again for the feedback!
so to confirm in my case 50 amp ATS unit with 12 circuits. need 50 amp breaker on the main service panel that connects to ATS. other side of ATS goes to generator plug in box. one more wire for ATS to signal portable generator startup because my portable is a 12000 was 240v 50AMP. Then need need to run wires from devices I need to pull over from the service panel to the TS circuits. In may case this is well, septic, water heater, bedrooms, living room plus lights for those and one of heat pumps. Eventually I would like to wire up the second heat pump when I can afford a bigger or second generator. Obviously knowing that I would need a different ATS to handle the additional amperage or just running in a second ATS. Unless there is a way to run a bypass to manually switch between the two heat pumps but that's adding some complication to the system that I would rather figure out after I have my ATS up and running. Do you recommend utilizing a knockout on my service panel/meter box for running the generator plugin or just putting a hole through the wall using conduit and sealing the entry hole? I would think less holes through the less chance for damage but maybe I am just worrying too much as if its sealed properly there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I'm not an electrician but I have a lot of electrical experience from wiring a lot of single phase +phase converters and three phase for CNC milling equipment over the years for my machine shop. Working in an electrical box doesn't scare me as I always ensure that my power is off before moving further.
Imma definitely have to pay somebody lol
Never a bad idea!
After I completed the wiring process I notice my green "Utility" light does not light up. All the circuits work that are connected through the transfer switch. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
It will not light up unless you are in generator mode. Then it will light up letting you know utility power is available.
why did the green utility power light go off when u transfered back?
How many watts does a generator need to have to run a house? Example , living room, water heater, kitchen and main bedroom?
Completely varies. You would need to figure it up.
Well explained!
Hey Ken, thank you! Glad it was helpful.
I installed my transfer switch and noticed that it wouldn't switch between utility power or generator power. I took the panel off and noticed that there was a orange wire coming from the back of the coil. There are two orange wires. But one is not connected to anything. Does it matter? I unplugged one and put it in the place of the other and now the switch works.
Thanks man!
You’re very welcome!
Good Video. However neutrals for each "line" in the transfer switch should not be bounded to the neutral bar in the main panel. Only the main lug neutral from the 50 amp utility service should be connected. Otherwise when you disconnect the utility power and run off the generator your bounded neutrals to the main panel provide a path back to the main panel and defeats the purpose of the disconnect. The correct way and what is documented in the Generac manual says is to remove the Hot and Neutral for each line from the main power panel.
Yes I talk about this in the description.
@@HowToHomeDIY yes I saw this... May want to move to the top of the description as it can easily be missed and is a dangerous mistake. Still great video
Hi, a single phase house has an L1 and an L2, each being 120V. If you had 2 generators (the little suitcase inverter types), is there a way to power up the main panel, with L1 being fed from one generator, and L2 being fed from the other generator? Keep in mind they'd be sharing the neutral in this case. The 2 generators would need to be kept synchronized 180 degrees out of phase. Is there a way to set up such a system?
I had a similar thought , it would be be tricky and probably against. Code as you would need to make suicide cords for l1 and l2 , I wouldn't wire it to any 220 circuits though
@@AlexLamar1 Yes they seem to have cables to synchronize the units in parallel for more current, but no one has invented the circuitry to synchronize them in series (or 180 degrees out of phase, more accurately). I think I saw a guy who came up with a way to do it, but it wasn't commercially available for plug and play.
Nice video what's a rough estimate to have that installed
Hey Joe, the costs for the transfer switch, extra wiring, different circuit breakers, and other small items was around $500-$600. Now if you are talking about how much it would cost for an electrician to install it, that will vary widely depending on your particular installation situation but I would estimate somewhere between $800-$1000 but again can be completely different depending on labor and materials needed. Thank you for your kind words and for watching! If you have anymore questions, please feel free to ask!
It’s simple but I’m gonna have to do just a little different because my breaker box is full I have no room for another breaker let alone a 50A
Tandem breakers or piggy backs are an option in some panels. Its a double breaker that takes up a single slot in the panel. Its only good for 120V circuits.
My wiring is a bit different, can you assist me?
great video and explanation ,where did you buy the Generac transfer switch?
Hey Craig, when I bought it, they were readily available in the big box home improvement stores but I have noticed they have really reduced the availability of them there. I did see you can find them on amazon now. Hope this helps, and thank you for the feedback!
Running wire inside the wall from outside receptacle to transfer switch, does the have to be in conduit ? Thanks
I'm confused about the 8 neutrals connected between the transfer switch box and main service box. In another video (using the exact same transfer switch) he did it this way as well, but later had it inspected and said he: "removed the neutrals from the bus and connected them to each branch circuit." And I've read other comments saying how this can be mildly hazardous. I keep reading things like this comment, but don't understand exactly what they mean: "the manual clearly indicates to use the white prelabeled neutral wires and hook them to your incoming circuits. The Generac panel Neutral bar is already connected to the house panel neutral bar." Does this mean to take the neutral from each circuit in the main box (removing it from the neutral bar) and wire nut it to the neutral incoming form the transfer box? Everything else I understand and can make sense of--it's just this bit dealing with the neutrals.
Hey Nikola, yes you have it correct. Each circuit's neutral that you are moving to the transfer switch, should be removed from the main panel neutral bar and directly connected to the neutrals coming from the transfer switch. Like I advise everyone, make sure if you do any electrical work yourself, have an electrician or local code inspector look at it. Thank you for the question!
So the “original” neutral from the line just stays as is? The only wire that’s marretted is the hot?
Just read your update in the description
Greetings, with your video I decide on that transfer switch, I ask you, my house is 110 volts, that is, I only have one phase, it is an old house, I will be able to make a bridge in the transfer switch to install the 6 brakers from the same phase , or can I only use 3 circuits?
Hey Melvin. No you cannot bridge it. You would only be able to use the 3 circuits. If you bridged it you would burn your service out. If you want to be able to use all of the circuits, you would need an electrician to upgrade your main service.
@@HowToHomeDIY ok thank you very much for your quick response! I am thinking of acquiring this model for home, as in my house there are only 3 wires, 1 phase, neutral, ground, and the main panel is one of the old ones that only has 1 30 amp delay fuse, I saw that it can also be configured to power the transfer switch with 30amp instead of 50, since I will not use things that require so much energy ... I don't know if it can be, I read something that could be configured for 30 amps
Yes in your case a 30 amp breaker would be good to use. However, you will still only be able to use the 3 circuits.
isnt there a safety lockout key that wont allow both city service and generator power to be on at the same time?
Hey, yes it is internal in the transfer switch itself. On the top left corner of the transfer switch box you will see a switch. On the left side of the toggle switch it says utility and on the right side it says generator power. If you hook your generator up to the transfer switch and power it on, sending power to the transfer switch, once you select generator power on that switch, it completely moves your power source to the generator. At this point, the transfer switch has completely disconnected from the utility source internally, regardless of whether there is utility power coming in or not. The transfer switch will not allow for the utility power and generator power to be on and powering the circuits at the same time. I hope this answered your question.
My main circuit box is on the outside of the house. I would need to place the transfer switch adjacent to the main panel, but the wires need to go inside the wall between the switch and main box. I think I'll have an electrician do this.
What gauge wire did you use between the 50amp breaker and the transfer switch?
It looks like 8 gauge. If so that is to small. It should be 6 gauge