So I'm looking at dual fuel generators and transfer switches. I've gotten a sense for what a generator and transfer switch will cost but don't have a sense for what installation of the transfer switch should be. Anyone have any experience with getting one installed and/or have a recommendation for a reputable electrician?
Transfer Switch Installation for Backup Generator
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MADad
Member
Are you looking to install a transfer switch for your entire panel or just certain loads, and will it be a manual or automatic transfer switch?
AliasNeo07
Ultimate Member
Following
Mine was $800 a few years ago but they had to go from the basement to the garage through a bunch of ceiling tiles. We had 10 circuits set up and it took a few hours to get done.
SKIP
Ultimate Member
I had Royal Electric (Sykesville) install a transfer switch long ago. Everything was switched from my home panel to the transfer except for the heat pump and range. RE has done a lot of work in my home. Completely satisfied.
Interlock Kit & Accessories For Your Home | Generator Interlock Kit
Our Interlock Kits act like manual transfer switches for electrical panels providing safe, easy connections between homes & portable generators.
interlockkit.com
I wish they had those when I put in mine. It gives you way more flexibility.
whistlersmother
Peace through strength
Those are good if all the circuits for backup are in one panel.
Mine are spread between two panels. So either I get two generators / interlock kits or I have to go with a subpanel between the two. Or move some circuits from one panel to the other. Or something.
I have some work estimates forthcoming and a manual transfer switch with potential subpanel is being estimated by a real electrician (not me).
Mine are spread between two panels. So either I get two generators / interlock kits or I have to go with a subpanel between the two. Or move some circuits from one panel to the other. Or something.
I have some work estimates forthcoming and a manual transfer switch with potential subpanel is being estimated by a real electrician (not me).
BUffaloSocks
Member
What was the code compliant method for two panels in your case?
(I have two panels and am curious...)
Depending on what you want, an interlock will be cheaper and more flexible.
You are in for one dual pole breaker , some screws and a piece of metal. It gets installed in the breaker next to the main breaker. It prevents the generator breaker from being switched on when the main breaker is on and Vice versa.
So basically the entire panel is fed from the generator. The two downsides are, you REALLY want to turn all breakers off before engaging the generator breaker. And if you only have one panel, you don’t know if the power has come back unless you see your neighbor’s power come back on.
Now, I am comfortable doing any residential electrical work whatsoever and I’ve done significant (major house rewire and an addition) electrical work. But an interlock set me back $65 and 45 minutes of my time to install.
An electrician would likely charge less. Even a small transfer panel is going to set you back about 2-4hrs of work and $250-300 for the transfer panel. So figure that labor.
Some panels cannot be setup with an interlock though.
My house is dual panel and I moved things around to rebalance it and ensure what I wanted backup power for was on the one panel. I then installed the interlock. Been working great. My 3200/3500w generator is a bit marginal. Though it has never crapped out running the few times a year maintenance run. Though I’ve intentionally not stressed it by doing things like running my 1200w microwave on top of the basics. My main generator is a dual fuel that is 5400/5800w on propane. That will run the entire house with the exception of the range and A/C. Heat is oil boiler, well and oil hot water. But it’ll run microwave, both zones of heat running, well and both fridges running plus typical background stuff like LED lighting in the house a TV or two, a couple computers. I made sure all the things were actively running.
Only hit around 3900w with all that with a few spikes a little higher as stuff kicked on (I also installed a power meter for the generator so I know the exact draw)
You are in for one dual pole breaker , some screws and a piece of metal. It gets installed in the breaker next to the main breaker. It prevents the generator breaker from being switched on when the main breaker is on and Vice versa.
So basically the entire panel is fed from the generator. The two downsides are, you REALLY want to turn all breakers off before engaging the generator breaker. And if you only have one panel, you don’t know if the power has come back unless you see your neighbor’s power come back on.
Now, I am comfortable doing any residential electrical work whatsoever and I’ve done significant (major house rewire and an addition) electrical work. But an interlock set me back $65 and 45 minutes of my time to install.
An electrician would likely charge less. Even a small transfer panel is going to set you back about 2-4hrs of work and $250-300 for the transfer panel. So figure that labor.
Some panels cannot be setup with an interlock though.
My house is dual panel and I moved things around to rebalance it and ensure what I wanted backup power for was on the one panel. I then installed the interlock. Been working great. My 3200/3500w generator is a bit marginal. Though it has never crapped out running the few times a year maintenance run. Though I’ve intentionally not stressed it by doing things like running my 1200w microwave on top of the basics. My main generator is a dual fuel that is 5400/5800w on propane. That will run the entire house with the exception of the range and A/C. Heat is oil boiler, well and oil hot water. But it’ll run microwave, both zones of heat running, well and both fridges running plus typical background stuff like LED lighting in the house a TV or two, a couple computers. I made sure all the things were actively running.
Only hit around 3900w with all that with a few spikes a little higher as stuff kicked on (I also installed a power meter for the generator so I know the exact draw)
As a couple mentioned above, your best option with two panels is figure out what you need backed up and move circuits between panels.
I had to move my well and both central air units (leaving the A/C compressors) to one panel and moved my range to the non-backed up panel. I also had to move a pair of 120v circuits to the backed up panel. It leaves the panel close to maxed out, but just about every 120v circuit is on it with the exception of 4 not important circuits (two outdoor circuits, one that energized the closet lightning in the house and the smoke detector circuit. The later is less ideal, but they are all battery backup and will work with the power out. Tested). So the big heavy 240v hitters are on there with them.
I had to reorganize a few of the circuits within the “main” generator backed up panel just because the circuits I moved, the wires weren’t long enough to stretch to where I had knock outs/blanks still. So they needed to go near or at the top of the panel, moving some stuff down. And making it more complicated is the guy who built my house (he and his buddy built each other’s houses in the 90s, So I mean it literally, the guy who built my house) ran all of the 120v as multi wire branch circuits. So I needed to move things in pairs from the other panel as well as within the “main” panel.
It’s clean in the end. And to code. But it did take a few hours (fishing the wires over was a pain).
I had to move my well and both central air units (leaving the A/C compressors) to one panel and moved my range to the non-backed up panel. I also had to move a pair of 120v circuits to the backed up panel. It leaves the panel close to maxed out, but just about every 120v circuit is on it with the exception of 4 not important circuits (two outdoor circuits, one that energized the closet lightning in the house and the smoke detector circuit. The later is less ideal, but they are all battery backup and will work with the power out. Tested). So the big heavy 240v hitters are on there with them.
I had to reorganize a few of the circuits within the “main” generator backed up panel just because the circuits I moved, the wires weren’t long enough to stretch to where I had knock outs/blanks still. So they needed to go near or at the top of the panel, moving some stuff down. And making it more complicated is the guy who built my house (he and his buddy built each other’s houses in the 90s, So I mean it literally, the guy who built my house) ran all of the 120v as multi wire branch circuits. So I needed to move things in pairs from the other panel as well as within the “main” panel.
It’s clean in the end. And to code. But it did take a few hours (fishing the wires over was a pain).
I did the last house myself and the breaker panel was right by the garage door where the generator was outside.
I bet a big portion of the cost will be running the cable to the outside and to where your generator will be. I had a neighbor run his all the way around his house and he said most of the cost was the cost of running the cable around to where the generator was.
When I did mine, I did a load assessment with a current probe before picking the 6 breakers.
Good Luck.
I bet a big portion of the cost will be running the cable to the outside and to where your generator will be. I had a neighbor run his all the way around his house and he said most of the cost was the cost of running the cable around to where the generator was.
When I did mine, I did a load assessment with a current probe before picking the 6 breakers.
Good Luck.
As Melnic said, try to position your generator near the box because copper wire is pretty damned expensive today.
SKIP
Ultimate Member
I have my switch next to the home breaker box. When the power goes out I move my 10K watt generator out in front of the garage.
Plug in a 20 foot cable and we are good to go.
Plug in a 20 foot cable and we are good to go.
Yeah I am fortunate in this house and my last. Main panel right by the garage side door. Last house that’s how I designed. Before that the original main panel was in the basement with the generator just outside side next to it above ground. But the main panel was eventually moved to the crappy garage. So some of the house circuits were on the sub panel (old main panel) with the transfer panel off that. So only some of the house could be backed up. The most important, but half the house was still in the dark with the power out. When I tore down the old garage and out on an addition I just installed a whole house transfer switch off the new main panel.
I don’t have it yet, but I have to replace the wood for the steps alongside the side of my house running down the hillside to my basement side door. My wife wants a small porch between those steps and the house in her garden, which is out the garage side door. So I can build a small 6x6x8x6 deck right next to the door. Store my pair of 30# propane bottles there for my generator rather than down in my shed. There will be enough space for that, a couple Adirondack chairs and a small bistro table on the deck without too much crowding. And then I can park my generator off to the side there so it isn’t in the way of the door.
Will you do work down here in PG?
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