Ready To Wire The House

[cool rod]

I think I understand the basic idea of installing a transfer switch to prepare my house for a power outage. But before I call an electrician can you all tell me if I'm on the right track?

I have the 7.2 KW generator and that has a 30 amp outlet. From what I've read on here a good setup would be a Generac 6852 manual transfer switch and a Generac 6346 aluminum inlet box. I'll get a 30 amp extension cord. The company I've been talking with is Electric Generators Direct, and they've been helpful but they aren't familiar with the Powerboost system specifically, but they've done their best.

One thing I've read about on here is neutral ground and I don't understand it so I hope the Generac system will be a straitforward job without anything to confuse my electrician.

Is there anything I need to know before I call him?

Thanks

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[Kanuck]

Forget about the transfer switch or touching any existing wiring. Install a little 4 or 6 circuit breaker box hook up to a 30 Amp 120/240 Volt weatherproof plug outside your house. Run separate wires from this small panel to plugs (of a different color) beside what you want to run on the truck. Example : fridge, gas furnace, freezer, some lighting and maybe any pumps you might have. All you have to do is move the plug from one receptacle to the one connected to your truck system. This way, your cost is down and there is no connection to your main power when it comes back on. You can also control what your truck system is running as far as load goes by turning on only the circuits you want when you want them. If you don't go into thee freezer it doesn't need to be on all the time.

 

[Twg1]

I’ve never heard of the split outlet solution. With the cost of Romex these days and the length of multiple runs for different outlets, I’m not sure that its cheaper than a regular transfer switch. Also, Ive done the extension cord game, unplugging appliances, etc. Its painful.
I just had a 50a transfer switch installed. Cost was ~$1000, in FL panhandle. My cost was higher due to length of wire run to main panel. (Opposite corner of house, attic wire run)
I’d suggest starting with an electrician for the install. They can match the outlet or even make you the patch cord. I don't think you need Generac in the discussion. If you need any dogbones or cords and dont want to use your electrician, all are available on amazon. Just make sure you know your NEMA outlet designation on both ends.

 

[blentre]

I'm looking at doing a breaker in the main panel with an interlock kit. We already have a subpanel for the solar/grid-tie inverter and didn't want to sub the sub for a transfer switch setup. If your neutral is bonded to ground, and it normally is in a home, you'll need to do something like not connect the ground wire on the new plug at your breaker box or the truck will just trip it's own ground fault every time you hook it up. Disclaimer: I'm not an electrician and this is just based on my research and experience.

 

[Ajzride]

Forget about the transfer switch or touching any existing wiring. Install a little 4 or 6 circuit breaker box hook up to a 30 Amp 120/240 Volt weatherproof plug outside your house. Run separate wires from this small panel to plugs (of a different color) beside what you want to run on the truck. Example : fridge, gas furnace, freezer, some lighting and maybe any pumps you might have. All you have to do is move the plug from one receptacle to the one connected to your truck system. This way, your cost is down and there is no connection to your main power when it comes back on. You can also control what your truck system is running as far as load goes by turning on only the circuits you want when you want them. If you don't go into thee freezer it doesn't need to be on all the time.

While this is a solution, it seems like the one with that requires the most work and provides the least convenience. IN addition to having to pull wires through the attic to different walls and then fish the walls, you have to go around and move the plugs every outage? How do you handle things like A/C and ceiling fans that have no plugs?

 

[Kanuck]

Depending on the size of your AC unit, that maybe all you can run off your truck system. You only have 30 amps total. Which means if your wanting to run other electrical equiptment you will have to shut down some and start up others.

One thing that I have a hard tme getting over is that you have spent over $60k on a truck with the plans to use as a backup, where you can get a generator that would give you a lot more power (11 to 15KW) for under $1500. And if your truck system screws up, will it be fixed under warranty?

 

[Sentinel1201]

Depending on the size of your AC unit, that maybe all you can run off your truck system. You only have 30 amps total. Which means if your wanting to run other electrical equiptment you will have to shut down some and start up others.

One thing that I have a hard tme getting over is that you have spent over $60k on a truck with the plans to use as a backup, where you can get a generator that would give you a lot more power (11 to 15KW) for under $1500. And if your truck system screws up, will it be fixed under warranty?

There's a lot of other uses for the 7.2KW pro power inverter generator than just powering your house in an outage. Not everyone buys it to power their house.

 

[Ajzride]

Depending on the size of your AC unit, that maybe all you can run off your truck system. You only have 30 amps total. Which means if your wanting to run other electrical equiptment you will have to shut down some and start up others.

One thing that I have a hard tme getting over is that you have spent over $60k on a truck with the plans to use as a backup, where you can get a generator that would give you a lot more power (11 to 15KW) for under $1500. And if your truck system screws up, will it be fixed under warranty?

My guess is it probably depends on how often you need it. I've needed a generator once in six years. Spending $1500 on a 15K generator is not the concern, having to maintain that generator is. Doing yearly oil changes and starting it up just to make sure it works, draining the gas every few months.... Plus keeping lots of gas cans full around the house to run it. Your truck already gets maintenance and has 30 gallons of gas in it. Also the ProPower is for more mobile if you need your power on the go frequently and someone might not want to maintain two generators.

For myself I did buy a roll around generator, but I put a natural gas conversion kit on it. Now it plugs into the side of the house and will run forever and I don't have to worry about storing gas or draining tanks, but not everyone has natural gas service so the ProPower might be the better option for them.

 

[cool rod]

I'm having trouble finding step-by-step directions for setting up the truck for a standby generator mode. I read it somewhere but now I can't remember all the steps to have it act as an emergency generator for a power outage. I'll have the house wired but I need the directions for the truck. Thanks

 

[Sentinel1201]

I'm having trouble finding step-by-step directions for setting up the truck for a standby generator mode. I read it somewhere but now I can't remember all the steps to have it act as an emergency generator for a power outage. I'll have the house wired but I need the directions for the truck. Thanks

What? When your power goes out, go out, start your truck, turn on pro power onboard high power mode, close door, do whatever you need to do on your transfer switch, and go back inside.

Why would you leave the truck always running for the power to go out once every few years?!?!

 

[blentre]

You can go through the features menu then pro power on the touch screen and there's a physical button for pro power above the screen. Be careful, that button actually turned the various configurations on/off. I learned that the hard way the other day when testing on an RV accidentally tripping a breaker due to the A/C. It's best to use the touchscreen so you know what's actually happening.

 

[cool rod]

What? When your power goes out, go out, start your truck, turn on pro power onboard high power mode, close door, do whatever you need to do on your transfer switch, and go back inside.

Why would you leave the truck always running for the power to go out once every few years?!?!

OK, next time there's a hurricane outside and the power goes out I'll go out and start my truck.

 

[Sentinel1201]

OK, next time there's a hurricane outside and the power goes out I'll go out and start my truck.

OK, if you are going to leave your truck plugged into the wall AND engine on (which you have to, for high power generator mode) for the next 5 years, please leave your garage door open. Among other things.

This is so fascinating. To buy a $60k+ truck to leave permanently connected to the house as backup. Seems a generator would be more logical.

 

[cool rod]

OK, if you are going to leave your truck plugged into the wall AND engine on (which you have to, for high power generator mode) for the next 5 years, please leave your garage door open. Among other things.

This is so fascinating. To buy a $60k+ truck to leave permanently connected to the house as backup. Seems a generator would be more logical.

Aren't you from DFW? Isn't that Texas? Didn't your state have a crazy cold spell this winter and loss of electric power and didn't Ford contribute Powerboost F-150s to supply power to houses that lost their power so the people didn't freeze to death?

What part of emergency power don't you understand? It all seems so simple...

 

[Sentinel1201]

never mind

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