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Installed Transfer Switch in House

jeffcrum

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In theory, I'd do it at the inlet box.
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jeffcrum

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Macatac

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I think you meant disconnect the Ground wire not the Neutral. Per Google:

The appliance will operate normally without the ground wire because it is not a part of the conducting path which supplies electricity to the appliance. ... In the absence of the ground wire, shock hazard conditions will often not cause the breaker to trip unless the circuit has a ground fault interrupter in it.

I've installed the interlock and had it inspected and will leave the house wiring alone. I cut off one of the heads of my generator cord and replaced without reconnecting the ground wire.

I'm still protected by the gfci on the truck, gfci's do not need a ground to operate effectively.
 

jeffcrum

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I think you meant disconnect the Ground wire not the Neutral. Per Google:

The appliance will operate normally without the ground wire because it is not a part of the conducting path which supplies electricity to the appliance. ... In the absence of the ground wire, shock hazard conditions will often not cause the breaker to trip unless the circuit has a ground fault interrupter in it.

I've installed the interlock and had it inspected and will leave the house wiring alone. I cut off one of the heads of my generator cord and replaced without reconnecting the ground wire.

I'm still protected by the gfci on the truck, gfci's do not need a ground to operate effectively.
Sorry, absolutely correct. I'll fix it up there.

That is why I don't give electrical advice.
 

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Hullguy

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I would also be interested in what setup you would do that would work and meet code?
Here is a picture of a proper install
The reason you don’t disconnect the bonding jumper in a house at the location of the main breaker is to keep any current from flowing down the ground wire instead of the neutral. The system is designed so that if any current does flow on the ground wire the amount becomes extremely high instantly and trips the breaker. Here’s a whole article on it. https://iaeimagazine.org/features/grounding-of-alternate-power/

I would install something like this that switches the grounded house neutral and power to the trucks grounded neutral and power. https://www.generac.com/all-product...generators/homelink-30a-transfer-switch-resin

You would have to install this with a regular portable generator as well!
Jim

Ford F-150 Installed Transfer Switch in House EADB23E7-97E3-4A5A-8180-FC9E83A0155B
 

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Basic question: I want to be able to power my house with the truck. Is there anything fundamentally different than any other generator WRT the wiring?

I am having an electrician set it up, so is there anything I need to tell him other than I want to install a switch so I can power my house with an external generator?
 

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Here is a picture of a proper install
The reason you don’t disconnect the bonding jumper in a house at the location of the main breaker is to keep any current from flowing down the ground wire instead of the neutral. The system is designed so that if any current does flow on the ground wire the amount becomes extremely high instantly and trips the breaker. Here’s a whole article on it. https://iaeimagazine.org/features/grounding-of-alternate-power/

I would install something like this that switches the grounded house neutral and power to the trucks grounded neutral and power. https://www.generac.com/all-product...generators/homelink-30a-transfer-switch-resin

You would have to install this with a regular portable generator as well!
Jim

EADB23E7-97E3-4A5A-8180-FC9E83A0155B.jpeg
I guess I was looking more for an existing system type of electrical box with plug for the truck that would meet the safety/code requirements. The system would have the required wiring instructions to my house breaker and how to prevent out flow of power to the grid.

Something like what they have for portable generators but work with the trucks system.
 

machz

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Will something like this work? Wouldn't be too hard to install but would make the main panel a bit of a mess.
I have to 10 circuit version and it does not work with the truck as you still have the same bonded neutral problem.
 

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I have to 10 circuit version and it does not work with the truck as you still have the same bonded neutral problem.
me too! ---talking to my electrician to see if a work around wasn't sure if HullGuy was on right track with this earlier on his post and has anyone done this successfully through a transfer switch my electrician would sure like to know. (His solution was to buy a generator I think he was kidding.)
It seems that Ford would not have been willing to send trucks out to the Texas dilemma without it being an option. Stuck for now with a really nice installed transfer switch.
 

Hullguy

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me too! ---talking to my electrician to see if a work around wasn't sure if HullGuy was on right track with this earlier on his post and has anyone done this successfully through a transfer switch my electrician would sure like to know. (His solution was to buy a generator I think he was kidding.)
It seems that Ford would not have been willing to send trucks out to the Texas dilemma without it being an option. Stuck for now with a really nice installed transfer switch.
me too! ---talking to my electrician to see if a work around wasn't sure if HullGuy was on right track with this earlier on his post and has anyone done this successfully through a transfer switch my electrician would sure like to know. (His solution was to buy a generator I think he was kidding.)
It seems that Ford would not have been willing to send trucks out to the Texas dilemma without it being an option. Stuck for now with a really nice installed transfer switch.
I guess I was looking more for an existing system type of electrical box with plug for the truck that would meet the safety/code requirements. The system would have the required wiring instructions to my house breaker and how to prevent out flow of power to the grid.

Something like what they have for portable generators but work with the trucks system.
This transfer switch states it will work for a bonded neutral and gfi protected generator like the truck has.

http://www.reliancecontrols.com/Products.aspx?pl=x_series&c=&f=
This is from the Reliance FAQs
Does it matter if the generator is GFCI (ground fault) protected, and what is the difference between a “bonded-neutral” portable generator and a “floating-neutral” portable generator?
Most portable generators will come in 2 primary types, defined by the internal wiring of the generator related to the neutral and ground. The neutral and ground are either tied together, or separated, inside the generator. A generator with the neutral and ground tied together is referred to as a "bonded-neutral" generator. It might also be described as "neutral bonded to frame". A generator with the neutral and ground isolated and separated from each other, is referred to as a "floating-neutral" generator.

Certain industrial/commercial generators must be “bonded-neutral” to pass OSHA inspection on job sites, which is why there are many generators with this bonded-neutral attribute. Some of these bonded-neutral generators also might have GFCI protection built-in, due to another requirement on job sites related to ground fault protection. It’s important to identify these generator attributes at the time of selecting a generator and transfer switch, because it’s possible that some job site generators with GFCI protection will require a special type of transfer switch installation.

Please contact the generator manufacturer to confirm if the generator is bonded-neutral and if the receptacle being used is GFCI protected. The Reliance X-series neutral switching panels are ideal for use with certain job site generators that use GFCI protection. Note: Any Reliance manual transfer switch will work with any floating neutral type of generator sized appropriately.
 

machz

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This transfer switch states it will work for a bonded neutral and gfi protected generator like the truck has.

http://www.reliancecontrols.com/Products.aspx?pl=x_series&c=&f=
This is from the Reliance FAQs
Does it matter if the generator is GFCI (ground fault) protected, and what is the difference between a “bonded-neutral” portable generator and a “floating-neutral” portable generator?
Most portable generators will come in 2 primary types, defined by the internal wiring of the generator related to the neutral and ground. The neutral and ground are either tied together, or separated, inside the generator. A generator with the neutral and ground tied together is referred to as a "bonded-neutral" generator. It might also be described as "neutral bonded to frame". A generator with the neutral and ground isolated and separated from each other, is referred to as a "floating-neutral" generator.

Certain industrial/commercial generators must be “bonded-neutral” to pass OSHA inspection on job sites, which is why there are many generators with this bonded-neutral attribute. Some of these bonded-neutral generators also might have GFCI protection built-in, due to another requirement on job sites related to ground fault protection. It’s important to identify these generator attributes at the time of selecting a generator and transfer switch, because it’s possible that some job site generators with GFCI protection will require a special type of transfer switch installation.

Please contact the generator manufacturer to confirm if the generator is bonded-neutral and if the receptacle being used is GFCI protected. The Reliance X-series neutral switching panels are ideal for use with certain job site generators that use GFCI protection. Note: Any Reliance manual transfer switch will work with any floating neutral type of generator sized appropriately.

Maybe but I can tell you that the one I have doesn't work. I also find it interesting that on the bottom they say it will work with "certain" job site generators that use GFCI but it says will work with "any" floating neutral type.
 

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@Hullguy, in your professional opinion, which of these would be preferred as "safest" option?

  1. Use panel earth ground: Create a custom cord from the truck to the panel that does not connect the ground (only populates the hots and neutral in the cord), use standard transfer switch.
  2. Use truck's ground: Use a standard cord, install a transfer switch that switches all 4 terminals to the truck (effectively disconnecting the panel's earth ground)

From many threads, both methods above appear to work with no ground faults thrown by the truck. My intuition says #1 is safer (built in lightning protection) but I'd love to hear from an expert and understand why!

(full disclosure - I don't plan to do any of the above, my power has never been out for more than about 5 minutes in 12 years, we don't have extreme weather, and local power is all underground)
 

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I have to 10 circuit version and it does not work with the truck as you still have the same bonded neutral problem.
Shawn, not sure what you have, but the link from jcasper was to a basic Reliance panel, whereas HullGuy linked to the Reliance X-Series - need the X-Series to have a switched neutral and avoid the GFCI issue.
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