PRO POWER OUTLET SUCCESS! Powering My House With Transfer Switch for GFCI Generators

[Tyler Durden]

I have a single-pole (120V) four-circuit manual transfer switch that is *not* neutral-switching. It was setup to use with portable backup battery systems--a large Goal Zero system in my setup (otherwise used for camping & such).

Breakers are 15 amps. In the event of a prolonged power outage, I use to it keep the (LED) lights on, TV, fridge, and other low-power stuff. Obviously no AC or heavy appliance use (my stuff is all gas anyways).

I haven't tested it yet with my F150L, but I assume I could isolate the ground with one of these: https://www.amzn.com/B01M0FXMFK/

This is what the Goal Zero system is doing after all...there's just a blank depression to accommodate the ground prong for the extension cord running from the Goal Zero pack to the transfer switch.

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[wiffleballpractice]

I haven't tested it yet with my F150L, but I assume I could isolate the ground with one of these: https://www.amzn.com/B01M0FXMFK/

This is what the Goal Zero system is doing after all...there's just a blank depression to accommodate the ground prong for the extension cord running from the Goal Zero pack to the transfer switch.

You can do that, but it's my understanding that this is not ideal or safe and you may end up with some funkiness at the truck or the things being powered. I think the safety issue is that the truck won't be able to detect a ground fault.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

The problem with all of this is that you have to do it yourself when the power goes out. The whole point of Ford's technology is automatic switchover. I have an aquaculture farm in Virginia with a 50kw propane generator and 42 kw of solar panels. We run heavy duty saltwater pumps pushing water through upwellers 24/7 and if one goes down millions of oyster babies die. It is so mission critical that we have alarm systems tied to a cell phone texting device to let us know when a single pump goes offline - because three hours is the limit before mortality sets in.

Our Florida house, where I have installed the SunRun HIS, is far less mission-critical, but the same principle applies - the whole reason we have it is so that when we are not there, which is abou six months of the year, the system will kick in automatically and run the refrigerators, freezers, etc. Needing to manually do anything defeats the purpose of these systems.

 

[capt_ramius]

The whole point of Ford's technology is automatic switchover.

If that’s worth 10x the price to you, then enjoy your Sun Run systems. This is just for emergency backup power, nothing more nothing less, so I don’t mind the manual aspect (which is honestly no more difficult than walking to basement and flipping a few switches) of this solution.

 

[Maquis]

Our Florida house, where I have installed the SunRun HIS, is far less mission-critical, but the same principle applies - the whole reason we have it is so that when we are not there, which is abou six months of the year, the system will kick in automatically and run the refrigerators, freezers, etc. Needing to manually do anything defeats the purpose of these systems.

I don’t think that being away from a home for that long of a stretch AND leaving your truck behind will be a very prevalent use case.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

If that’s worth 10x the price to you, then enjoy your Sun Run systems. This is just for emergency backup power, nothing more nothing less, so I don’t mind the manual aspect (which is honestly no more difficult than walking to basement and flipping a few switches) of this solution.

Only correct if you’re on-site. Which for a large percentage of Florida owners who are snowbirds, is not the case. One of their homes is always unoccupied unless they have staff. We’re in that middle ground, have staff at one home (an active farm with 12 employees) and none at the other place except an on-call handyman. We could have our caretaker at the unoccupied location stop by as we’re notified electronically whenever the house goes offline, but it’s far easier to have the peace of mind that comes with automatic switchover. I get the price difference but in the big picture it’s not that much. If it would work correctly, which in the Ford/SunRcase is not yet sorted.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I don’t think that being away from a home for that long of a stretch AND leaving your truck behind will be a very prevalent use case.

It is a use case for thousands of folks. At least a dozen of my neighbors in Florida drive EVs and are watching our bidirectional charging adventure very closely. They are all snowbirds, as are a very large contingent of the folks in Florida with the means to do this. All of us leave one or two vehicles behind for five or six months per year, and this is the perfect solution, good for the truck and far cheaper than a standalone generator or separate battery system.

 

[capt_ramius]

Only correct if you’re on-site.

I’d actually say your criticism is “only correct” if you need the backup power to engage automatically (or the full 9.6 kW output). In your use case, you’re still leaving a Lightning “on site” as a backup power source even though you’re not there to use it as a vehicle. And that’s fine if that’s what you want out of it, and Ford/SunRun Intelligent Backup Power will be a great solution for you.

TLDR, do whatever works for what you need or want. But please don’t say something is a “problem” just because it doesn’t work for you but it works for someone else.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I’d actually say it’s “only correct” if you need the backup power to engage automatically (or the full 9.6 kW output). In your use case, you’re still leaving a Lightning “on site” as a backup power source even though you’re not there to use it as a vehicle. And that’s fine if that’s what you want out of it, and Ford/SunRun Intelligent Backup Power will be a great solution for you.

TLDR, do whatever works for what you need or want. But please don’t say something is a “problem” just because it doesn’t work for you but it works for someone else.

Semantics. A backup generator that requires manual intervention to work is half a solution in my opinion, only my opinion. The very point for the majority of built-in permanent systems is to have them be on STANDBY. You don’t have a standby system. If that works for you, great, but for me and many homeowners that’s a problem that we need to solve, so calling it that is not an issue. YMMV, but all those standby generator sales with automatic switching say that function matters. For many of us, a huge contingent, it is essential. For the five million oyster babies at my Virginia farm, it’s life and death.

 

[Maquis]

It is a use case for thousands of folks. At least a dozen of my neighbors in Florida drive EVs and are watching our bidirectional charging adventure very closely. They are all snowbirds, as are a very large contingent of the folks in Florida with the means to do this. All of us leave one or two vehicles behind for five or six months per year, and this is the perfect solution, good for the truck and far cheaper than a standalone generator or separate battery system.

None of the snowbirds I know leave that expensive of a vehicle down there.

 

[capt_ramius]

You don’t have a standby system. If that works for you, great, but for me and many homeowners that’s a problem that we need to solve, so calling it that is not an issue.

But that’s the thing. I never called it a standby system. I said is it’s a way to send emergency backup power back into your house from the truck’s 240V Pro Power outlet.

If you need a true automatic standby system—which is a totally legitimate need—then the Intelligent Backup Power system sounds like it’ll be right up your alley, so find threads about that.

I appreciate you need something different. But this absolutely works for what it is, and is a solution to have backup power for your home from the truck’s bed outlet… which is exactly how I’ve portrayed it, no more no less.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

None of the snowbirds I know leave that expensive of a vehicle down there.

The snowbirds around us in Palm Beach leave Lambos, Ferraris and Bentleys for six months. Their maids drive Teslas. The number one items sold at auto supply stores in Florida is battery tenders. We leave an older Porsche C4S and the Lightning.

 

[skyak]

 

[Maquis]

The snowbirds around us in Palm Beach leave Lambos, Ferraris and Bentleys for six months. Their maids drive Teslas. The number one items sold at auto supply stores in Florida is battery tenders. We leave an older Porsche C4S and the Lightning.

You and I roll with different folks!

 

[Solar_EE]

I successfully sent power back into my home from the 240V/30A Pro Power outlet in the bed, the truck did not trip. I had an electrician install a Reliance LinkX neutral-switching transfer switch for GFCI generators, moved most of my home’s essential circuits into the transfer switch… tested it out by connecting my Lightning to the inlet, cut off utility power, turned on the transfer switch, and it worked like a charm!

This is basically the simplest and cheapest solution to power your house within code using the truck’s 240V bed outlet… no “suicide cord” and no questionable ground or neutral switch on the inlet. I won’t say what the cost (since there are so many variables to each installation) but it was a fraction of the reported cost of the Intelligent Backup Power system.

Please note: You have to use a transfer switch specifically designed for GFCI (neutral-bonded) generators. A normal transfer switch for backup generators will not work because of the neutral-switching issue.

30 amp generator cord connected to the Lightning:

Generator cord inlet’ed to the transfer switch:

The Reliance neutral-switching transfer stitch (it switches off one of the neutrals in the loop so you don’t get the fault in the truck):

Pro Power Onboard powering the circuits in the transfer switch… only drew about 500W:

Parts list:

• 30 amp L14-30P/R generator cord
• 30 amp generator inlet
• Reliance XRK0303D 30 amp transfer switch for GFCI generators (electrical supply house said it’s the updated version of the XRC3030D http://www.reliancecontrols.com/ProductDetail.aspx?XRC0303D, Generac also makes an equivalent 30 amp neutral-switching transfer switch for GFCI generators)
• A licensed, insured electrician to install

(I am not an electrician and this post is not advice or a “how to”… just sharing what I did, install at your own risk. Please consult a licensed electrician if you’d like to consider this option.)

Thanks for sharing your experience. I need the 240V for my mini-split heat pump that is hard wired so this type of installation is perfect for my needs. It is really nice to have backup power without a noisy and polluting generator.