Installed Transfer Switch in House

[Hullguy]

@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)

#3. A transfer switch that switches the two hots and the neutral from the house power to the trucks power. There’s a difference between bonding and grounding. The truck will never be grounded due to the rubber tires until you plug it into the generator side of the transfer switch. The earth ground in the transfer switch is hard wired into the houses ground wire. This causes the truck to be grounded to the earth when plugged into the transfer switch

@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)

Sorry for the delay. Life! Part of the problem is that a bond is not a ground.
I would g o for option #3. This is where the transfer switch switches the 2 hot legs and the neutral to the trucks power. the ground is never switched! In fact, when the truck is plugged into the transfer switch the truck becomes grounded with the house ground.

It's the two bonded neutrals from the truck and the house tied together that cause the ground fault

Pretty good explanation. https://www.electricgeneratorsdirec...ipping-a-Generator-With-a-Bonded-Neutral.html
Good explanation on how a transfer switch transfers the house neutral to the trucks neutral without a GFI trip. https://www.wincogen.com/knowledge-...i-protected-generator-with-a-transfer-switch/

This stuff gets confusing as hell! Hope I am helping out. Jim

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[Hullguy]

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.

The X series transfer, (and any other transfer switch rated to switch electricity from a bonded neutral generator), switches break the 2 hot conductors first and then the neutral conductor from the house. Conversely, it connects the neutral conductor from the truck first and then connects the two hot wires afterwards.

 

[jcaspar]

Has anyone found an X series transfer switch for sale? All the online sources show them discontinued. Price seems pretty reasonable.

 

[machz]

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.

Ahhh IC, I'm not sure what one was installed I will have to take a look.

Thank you

 

[Trashman]

Yea! Successful with my Transfer Switch that kept triggering ground default. Electrician disconnected ground back to main and grounded to transfer box. Worked wonderful. My electrician was definitely intrigued with the truck and impressed.

 

[Rahul]

I am in the process of ordering a Powerboost with a 7.2Kw ProBoard Inverter Gen. I was contemplating getting a portable generator and the hybrid came along!!

I had discussed the option of installing a "manual transfer switch" with my electrician and he suggested another option --- installing an interlock it with a 30A inlet box.

I chose the interlock kit over the manual transfer switch cause it gave me full control over my electrical panel vs creating an essential circuit. Also, it was also cheaper to install ($500 difference)

You have to have room to add the generator breakers on your main panel. IF not you could add a sub panel and move breakers to create room (that was my situation). Also, you have to be careful when turning breakers back on so you don't overload your generator (as you have total control over your main panel) The video below provides some useful information about an interlock kit, color coding your essential breakers, etc..

.

I have not yet tested this set up with the the hybrid F150 but in theory my electrician has mentioned it should work. I am hoping to can get my hands on a vehicle shortly and test it out...

 

[Vulnox]

I am in the process of ordering a Powerboost with a 7.2Kw ProBoard Inverter Gen. I was contemplating getting a portable generator and the hybrid came along!!

I had discussed the option of installing a "manual transfer switch" with my electrician and he suggested another option --- installing an interlock it with a 30A inlet box.

I chose the interlock kit over the manual transfer switch cause it gave me full control over my electrical panel vs creating an essential circuit. Also, it was also cheaper to install ($500 difference)

You have to have room to add the generator breakers on your main panel. IF not you could add a sub panel and move breakers to create room (that was my situation). Also, you have to be careful when turning breakers back on so you don't overload your generator (as you have total control over your main panel) The video below provides some useful information about an interlock kit, color coding your essential breakers, etc..

.

I have not yet tested this set up with the the hybrid F150 but in theory my electrician has mentioned it should work. I am hoping to can get my hands on a vehicle shortly and test it out...

I am eager to see what happens for you with this. This is the same setup we have, except we have a 50 Amp receptacle outside because I bought an 11,000 Watt portable generator a year or so ago and it has a 50A output. But it's easy enough to still utilize that with the truck and it would be a nice alternative, especially since the truck's inverter generator will be cleaner power than the portable (non-inverter) that I got.

 

[Rahul]

I am eager to see what happens for you with this. This is the same setup we have, except we have a 50 Amp receptacle outside because I bought an 11,000 Watt portable generator a year or so ago and it has a 50A output. But it's easy enough to still utilize that with the truck and it would be a nice alternative, especially since the truck's inverter generator will be cleaner power than the portable (non-inverter) that I got.

Initally,I wanted to get a 50amp inlet box myself incase we got a larger size portable generator instead of the hybrid. So my electrician has used higher guage wiring (for 50amp) but used a 30amp inlet box. I was also informed by Albert from Granger Ford (super helpful) not to exceed 30 ft distance from the inlet box to the Proboard port due to amp. draw loss.

 

[Hamboni]

Has there been any updates on your setup? Any GFCI issues?

I just got my 30a inlet and generator interlock installed, then I found these threads! I sure hope I can still use it to power the house

 

[Rahul]

Has there been any updates on your setup? Any GFCI issues?

I just got my 30a inlet and generator interlock installed, then I found these threads! I sure hope I can still use it to power the house

Hope to test the set up once I receive my truck. I think you may be able to get a vehicle from a dealership and have them test the inverter from your home. Unfortunately, I have not found any PBs close by.

 

[jeffcrum]

If anyone close to New Orleans needs a truck to test, I'd love to drive mine over ?

 

[Hamboni]

Hope to test the set up once I receive my truck. I think you may be able to get a vehicle from a dealership and have them test the inverter from your home. Unfortunately, I have not found any PBs close by.

Thanks. I will do the same

Stock here in Houston is super low, my usual dealer had a grand total of 6 4x4's in stock... Unreal

 

[pjb]

If anyone close to New Orleans needs a truck to test, I'd love to drive mine over ?

Are those 18'' or 20'' wheels

 

[jeffcrum]

Are those 18'' or 20'' wheels

20s

 

[Hamboni]

Interesting video, it appears to be using an inlet port...



I wonder how he has it hooked up

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