Transfer switch question

[Wsaunders2]

So I’m no electrician and had a couple companies give a proposal to wire the house for a transfer switch. The bids differed substantially though both specified the same Generac switch that I’ve seen referenced here. One technician said that the switch could NOT be used with a standard portable generator, the other said it could. From what I read I believe it cannot. If not, do I trust the technician who believes it can to do the work since they had the lower bid? Both companies are well known electrical companies in my area. Thank you for your thoughts and opinions.

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[xtraman122]

There are a few electricians on here that can chime in, but I believe if you were to use a non-bonded generator with the proper full transfer switch that cuts your neutrals and grounds over (What’s required to make the PB work) you’d lose GFCI functionality.
@Hullguy ?

 

[imnuts]

It will only work safely with bonded neutral generators, which is probably most inverter generators. Non-inverter generators could be bonded or floating neutral, but there are typically instructions on how to go from one to the other.

 

[Gros Ventre]

Can the Generac transfer switch be used with a portable generator? Yes. It is a neutral switching panel. Whether the generator is portable or fixed is irrelevant. The issue to be addressed is whether the generator is a floating or bonded neutral generator. The Generac Panel is designed for a Bonded neutral generator. The underlying issue is where and how many places are the neutral and ground bonded. In your house these are bonded either in the main panel or elswhere depending on your utility provider's requirements (mine requires it at the meter box on the outside of the residence). The NEC requires only one place. If you have a bonded neutral generator you'll have this bonding in two places... The Generac Panel then effectively opens the bonding connection inside the residence allowing the bond in the generator to be the single bonding point.

 

[Kanuck]

Also note, if bonded/grounded in two places you get ground looping and that is the problem.

 

[Gros Ventre]

Also note, if bonded/grounded in two places you get ground looping and that is the problem.

Yes, that's why the NEC requires only one place.

 

[Kanuck]

Yes, that's why the NEC requires only one place.

So does CEC in Canada.

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