Generac 6852 Transfer Switch installed (to power my house from the Pro Power 240V plug)

[TaxmanHog]

I know I will have to leave the ground disconnected at the PIB to make this work and I could trip the Lightnings 30 amp breaker if we draw over 30 amps. Only thing I haven't thought through is if a 200 main breaker is designed to be turned off repeatedly.

Many on the forum strongly discourage this type of operation. Not sure if the main disconnect would tolerate daily switching.

You should consider using a technically safe load transfer setup discussed numerous times in this and other threads, moving the majority of your moderate loads to the Lightning for peak rate shaving.

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[v2h8484]

Many on the forum strongly discourage this type of operation. Not sure if the main disconnect would tolerate daily switching.

Not sure why daily switching would be necessary. In any case, code compliant main/branch circuit breakers are UL489 approved which means they are rated for 10,000 switching cycles. Hard to see any home experiencing enough outage cycles to exceed that limit.

 

[Hammick]

Not sure why daily switching would be necessary. In any case, code compliant main/branch circuit breakers are UL489 approved which means they are rated for 10,000 switching cycles. Hard to see any home experiencing enough outage cycles to exceed that limit.

I was planning to do this very often during the hottest days of the summer from 4:00 - 8:00 pm to save electricity. It 36 cents per kwh during that time and only 3 cents to charge the Lightning from midnight to 6:00 am. Thanks for the info on the switching cycles.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Not sure why daily switching would be necessary. In any case, code compliant main/branch circuit breakers are UL489 approved which means they are rated for 10,000 switching cycles. Hard to see any home experiencing enough outage cycles to exceed that limit.

Great to know it'll last 27 years of manual switching OFF/ON

His intent is to simplify running the entire house with its light load requirements, NOT USING the grounding conductor from PPOB to the house via direct back feed circuit, he is disconnecting the house from the grid to shave peak rate costs and running from the Lightning during the peak rates.

 

[Hammick]

I am testing as I type this. As expected the truck ground faulted with the ground wire connected to the generator input. Disconnected the ground wire and it works fine.

Still testing but I think I have discovered that our 15 year old side x side basement fridge uses more power (at startup anyway) than our super efficient 4 ton inverter driven AC unit. The Lightning will run the AC but not that damn fridge. It keeps overloading the Pro Power. Time to shop for a new one. I'm a huge fan of inverter fridges for soft startup and efficiency.

 

[Maquis]

I am testing as I type this. As expected the truck ground faulted with the ground wire connected to the generator input. Disconnected the ground wire and it works fine.

Still testing but I think I have discovered that our 15 year old side x side basement fridge uses more power (at startup anyway) than our super efficient 4 ton inverter driven AC unit. The Lightning will run the AC but not that damn fridge. It keeps overloading the Pro Power. Time to shop for a new one. I'm a huge fan of inverter fridges for soft startup and efficiency.

If you put the loads you want to power with the truck in a subpanel, you can use a proper transfer switch instead of the interlock. The transfer switch only needs to be sized for the subpanel loads, not the entire service. And you can leave the EGC to the truck intact.

Similar to what I did here.

 

[Hammick]

If you put the loads you want to power with the truck in a subpanel, you can use a proper transfer switch instead of the interlock. The transfer switch only needs to be sized for the subpanel loads, not the entire service. And you can leave the EGC to the truck intact.

Similar to what I did here.

Thanks. I have more testing to do before I decide. My main floor 4 ton variable inverter AC is no problem to run. I cannot run the upstairs 3 ton two stage unit but that didn't surprise me.

What did surprise me is that my wife's freezer is overloading the truck. I'm assuming it's in combination with our main Samsung Inverter fridge. Tomorrow I'm going to put my amp meter on the individual fridges and freezers to figure out what's going on. I'm guess they are probably all on the same leg which is easy enough to remedy.

If I go forward with my plan I'll put the freezer and basement fridge on smart plugs. They can easily go 4 hours without thawing the food.

 

[v2h8484]

Still testing but I think I have discovered that our 15 year old side x side basement fridge uses more power (at startup anyway) than our super efficient 4 ton inverter driven AC unit. The Lightning will run the AC but not that damn fridge. It keeps overloading the Pro Power. Time to shop for a new one. I'm a huge fan of inverter fridges for soft startup and efficiency.

Your A/C is likely 240V while the fridge is likely 120V. If so, the old fridge could potentially cause overload while the A/C runs fine. It's because the Lightning is limited to half of the total power capacity on each 120V leg. An autotransformer would help overcome the limitation.

 

[Hammick]

Ok guys. You have convinced me to rethink this. I have a 200a subpanel that is identical to our main panel. Subpanel was installed when the basement was finished and is about half full. It's right next to the main panel and I could easily install a 1" or larger conduit between the two. Subpanel is fed by a 100a 240v breaker in the main panel. Subpanel has the same 200a disconnect breaker as the main panel.

I was thinking of moving my critical loads to the subpanel and then installing a Reliance six circuit manual transfer switch for only the subpanel. My goal here is to be able to leave the main panel on grid power and power the subpanel with critical loads from the Lightning. The main panel would be completely isolated from the sub panel when I connect the lightning.

Any problems with this approach?

 

[Maquis]

Ok guys. You have convinced me to rethink this. I have a 200a subpanel that is identical to our main panel. Subpanel was installed when the basement was finished and is about half full. It's right next to the main panel and I could easily install a 1" or larger conduit between the two. Subpanel is fed by a 100a 240v breaker in the main panel. Subpanel has the same 200a disconnect breaker as the main panel.

I was thinking of moving my critical loads to the subpanel and then installing a Reliance six circuit manual transfer switch for only the subpanel. My goal here is to be able to leave the main panel on grid power and power the subpanel with critical loads from the Lightning. The main panel would be completely isolated from the sub panel when I connect the lightning.

Any problems with this approach?

Not if everything in the sub will run on 30A even when grid-powered.

 

[wautard1]

This is what was causing my ground fault issue with the Generac switch panel. It's the wiring for a fireplace fan I installed two years ago. I did way more troubleshooting than was warranted for such a simple mistake but I eventually figured it out. I'm hoping for a power outage soon!

Was this a circuit one that you moved to the transfer switch? I’m also getting a ground fault and need to start searching. Would love to limit my search to just the circuits in the switch.
Originally thought it was due to shared neutral circuits I have but sounds like you have those as well but the system still works.

 

[Henry Ford]

Was this a circuit one that you moved to the transfer switch? I’m also getting a ground fault and need to start searching. Would love to limit my search to just the circuits in the switch.
Originally thought it was due to shared neutral circuits I have but sounds like you have those as well but the system still works.

Yes. I was able to isolate the circuit by checking continuity between the neutral and ground at the panel. Once I figured out which circuit was to blame I figured out exactly which outlets where on the circuit and started inspecting them one by one. Eventually I figured out the fireplace was on the circuit and discovered the miswired fan.

Come up with a troubleshooting plan and methodically execute it and you'll eventually figure it out. It took me a while to come up with a good plan.

 

[Maquis]

Was this a circuit one that you moved to the transfer switch? I’m also getting a ground fault and need to start searching. Would love to limit my search to just the circuits in the switch.
Originally thought it was due to shared neutral circuits I have but sounds like you have those as well but the system still works.

Start with all of the breakers off. Turn on one at a time until it faults.

 

[wautard1]

Start with all of the breakers off. Turn on one at a time until it faults.

It faults as soon as I plug in the cord to the truck even with all breakers off.
This has been extremely frustrating because the Generac documentation is very minimal at anything to do with troubleshooting.

 

[Maquis]

It faults as soon as I plug in the cord to the truck even with all breakers off.
This has been extremely frustrating because the Generac documentation is very minimal at anything to do with troubleshooting.

Does that TS switch the neutral? If not, that’s your problem.

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