200A mains transfer switch advice.

[Greg (2N) TX]

Can anyone advise on their experience good or bad with a home 200A mains transfer switch?
Plan on installing one.
Thanks in advance.
Greg

 

[Texasmark]

Check with Generac. They have a professional bullet proof switch that is used with their generators. I have one with my whole house generator that I installed in 2014 and the only problem, part replacement (other than oil, filters and batteries) was a premature failure on the seal of a filter because some do do at the factory torqued it rather than followed the mfgrs. recommendation of 3/4 turn after the seal mates....it wasn't a big deal, it just had a slight oil leak so I changed it when i saw the leak.

 

[Tramway Guy]

I have a cutler-hammer one that I installed myself. Was fortunate that there was already a disconnect switch after the meter, so it was pretty straightforward.

 

[MarkB_MI]

<a href=https://www.reliancecontrols.com/index>Reliance Controls</a> is probably the biggest manufacturer of home transfer switches, so I'd start my search there.

Do you currently have a main disconnect panel that is separate from your home's circuit breaker (main lug) panel? If so, Reliance makes a transfer switch that replaces the main disconnect. It's a very simple conversion, and all your home circuits may be powered by your generator.

The <a href=https://www.reliancecontrols.com/products/reliance-controls-twb-series-manual-transfer-panel-4-8-circuits-metal-outdoor-twb2003dr>Reliance TWB2003DR</a> is a replacement for a 200 amp main disconnect. It can handle up to a 30 amp (7200 watt) generator. If your generator is bigger than that, they offer 50A (TWB2005DR), 60A (TWB2006DR), 100A (TWB2010DR) and 120A (TWB2012R) versions of that panel.

 

[John T]

200 Amp is one huge transfer switch, bigger than needed for many home emergency power gensets and they are pricey. A main consideration when using transfer switches is how many poles you switch and whether or not you are switching the Neutrals or connecting them together. If you switch the Neutrals each source is typically configured as separately derived in which case the Neutral is bonded and there's connection to grounding electrodes. If you do not switch the Neutrals but connect the two together, remember there can be ONLY ONE NEUTRAL GROUND BOND.

If in doubt where fire and life safety are concerned ESPECIALLY 200 AMP SERVICE you may want to at least consider consulting professional electricians or electrical engineers and dont risk a fire or life on anything posted here ME INCLUDED, any electr4ical or legal question draws a ton of responses both lay and professional.

John T

 

[Gene Davis (Ga)]

I have a 400 amp manually operated transfer switch that I use to connect my natural gas fired 20ES Onan 20Kw generator that powers my whole house. I bought this Onan used from an electric Co-op that replaced them after 10 years regardless of the hours on the machine. This one had 402 hrs on the hour meter and looking at the maintenance log/records that came with it most of these hours were from monthly test runs.

It came with a 125 amp Onan automatic transfer switch. The licensed electrical contractor who helped me with the installation told me that if it was going to be used as a whole house transfer switch it has to be the same amp rating as my 200 amp entrance switch panel that was already installed to satisfy the NEC code. I did almost all of the install work by myself but the final hookup had to be made, inspected and then signed off on by a licensed electrician to satisfy my homeowner insurance company.

I already had this 400 amp switch installed that I used for many years with an 8Kw Winco generator before we got this Onan 20 Kw set. I bought the switch used when a local dairy disbanded and sold out. I just left it in in place and used it as I have for years with my previous generator.

My Onan generator is just outside the carport on a concrete pad and the transfer switch is in my electrical switch room under the carport, they are about 40 feet apart. Since my wife died several years ago there is no one here but me,(the cat died last year), when the power goes off I can have the generator cranked and online in 5 minutes or less.

The water cooled totally enclosed 4 cylinder Onan generator set is right outside my glassed in back porch where I can look out and see it but there is almost no inside noise from it through the double pane insulated sliding glass doors we used building the porch years ago.

 

[wp6529]

Be aware that there are two distinctly different types of transfer switches these days.

The traditional self contained transfer switch has all the control and monitoring electronics and provides a simple contact closure output to request the generator which has its own controls run.

The newer low cost transfer switches as used with residential package standby generator systems have little to no electronics and rely on controls integrated into the matched generator.

Then of course rhere are still manual transfer switches available in any size should that meet your needs.

For residential manual transfer I like the interlock kits that can be installed on a load center. They are quite cost effective and can work with up to a 30KW generator (125A max branch circuit breaker size).

 

[buickanddeere]

Code legal manual transfer
Switch .$40 iirc .

 

[wp6529]

(quoted from post at 23:04:51 02/26/23)
Code legal manual transfer
Switch .$40 iirc .

Yep, that's it exactly, a quality Square D QO panel with a Square D interlock kit.

 

[John T]

Sounds like a great system, congratulations

John T

 

[miangus]

You got a good price. I paid about double that for the one to fit my box. Easy to install and works well. Sizing a stand-by generator is an interesting thought process. I think you can get one that is too large. After all it is for emergency use.

 

[Butch(OH)]

Exactly what I have at less than a tenth
of the cost of a double throw. Even if a
person needs a new panel due to lack of
space an interlocked top breaker is still
cheaper than a double throw. I had it all
approved by the electric co-op before I
bought and installed it. They were happy
to see the install done correctly.

 

[showcrop]

I have one like B&amp;D's. The beauty of it is that you retain the use of ALL of your circuits. You have to use your head and manage your load and not overload your generator, but it is safer than running extension cords to the things that aren't powered by you eight switch transfer panel.

 

[Gene Davis (Ga)]

John T, I really like this set up myself. We used an 8Kw (33Amp) Winco set for many years hooked to the manual transfer switch through a dedicated cord with # 6 copper wire conductors and with a little load management we could live well when the power went out. We could run the furnace in the winter time, the well pump, lights, microwave, TV, fans in the summer and the computer. I would cut the water heaters off during the day and we had enough hot water for the day and for a bath at night because I have a 40 gallon water heater for the kitchen and the half bath on that end and another one on the other end of the house to supply the washing machine and the main bathroom.

Our 8Kw unit served well for many years but in January of 2014 during the last afternoon of a 3 day ice storm it got to running a little rough and I was going to the shop to get some tools to check the points when I shut it down to refill the gas tank and as I walked in the door, the power came back on. The next night I was searching online for Onan parts and the search engine brought up the ad for this 20Kw Onan. I jokingly showed it to my wife and after she read the ad she said we really need to buy that one. She did not like power outages at all because it interfered with her embroidery hobby and she did that big time. Long story short, she did not let me lag till I called the guy and we discussed it and went the ~70 miles to South Georgia the following Saturday and brought it home.

She was really looking forward to it but sadly did not ever get to enjoy it because she passed away in January of 2015 before I got it up and going. So I tell folks that the generator is dedicated to her because she was definitely onboard with it and she wrote the $2,500.00 check for it with a smile on her face.. That is about what one of those little loud Chinese screamers cost, but this one can be used as a primary power unit 24/7 if need be. BTW, she liked tractors also!!

 

[buickanddeere]

(quoted from post at 07:06:42 02/27/23)

(quoted from post at 23:04:51 02/26/23)
Code legal manual transfer
Switch .$40 iirc.
This 2nd larger image shows the factory transfer switch built into the breaker panel . Quit using it and installed the sliding interlock on the main breaker . Was not able to power enough circuits on just the original generator supplied section .

Yep, that's it exactly, a quality Square D QO panel with a Square D interlock kit.