Once the power is restored, it shuts off on its own. On the other hand, if you have a portable generator, you will have to connect it to the generator and flip the switches manually. When the power is restored, you will need to flip the switches again by hand.
Having a transfer switch makes it easy to choose which household circuits need power during an outage. It means you will safely run power to your refrigerator, microwave, computers, television, and other appliances required during a power outage. It can also run a security system, well pump, and HVAC blower.
A single load transfer switch helps connect generator power to a home, garage, or establishments that utilize one circuit. You can also use it as a backup to supply power to a suction pump or HVAC system. In some cases, the transfer switch is required to connect to more circuits than the generator can accommodate all at once.
This is why it is also essential to keep track of which circuits are on. Also, be careful not to overload the system. Read the manual that comes with the transfer switch.
This way, you will know the proper operating procedure for the device. Power outages are such a headache for most of us, especially to those who are business owners. With the aid of a generator transfer switch, you do not have to wait for hours or days until the power returns.
Simply switch to another energy supply, and you can go on with your day. To provide more information, below are two types of transfer switches that you can use:. This type of switch is used with standby systems.
It has a control circuit that senses the power supply. It is a helpful device because it allows the control circuit to start up the Genset. It then disconnects the house from the utility, and connects it to the Genset when a power interruption occurs.
After that, it continues to monitor the main status, and then once it is restored, it will commutate the household wiring from the generator back to the utility.
This type of transfer switch is best used for businesses since it is more of an advanced option. This one is mostly used with portable Gensets. It consists of two double-pole breakers with mechanically interlocked handles, unlike the usual ones with a true DPDT device. It is installed next to the main service panel to override the normal electric service, which gets power from a backup generator when a power outage occurs.
It is mostly used and stored in small spaces since it is not exactly that big, making it the ideal choice for homes and other small areas. Aside from that, this type of transfer switch is much easier to find, obtain, and install. These two types of switches are both helpful, but it is still essential to choose what best fits your needs. It is for you to be able to mount it next to the household electrical panel in the garage, basement, or any other location.
You may be wondering why you should invest in a transfer switch, and the answer to that is because a standard generator cannot operate without it! It is the device that allows the transfer of power from the main service of the home to the generator, and vise versa. Aside from that, it is one of the key devices that play a huge part in solving power outage problems.
Here are a few of the reasons why you need to get a generator transfer switch today:. A transfer switch is a device that does not only make switching to backup power easier, but it also highly contributes to your safety. Even if you are an engineer, it is still dangerous to manually hook up generators to circuits, especially in low light conditions.
With the help of a transfer switch, it is safe to say that threats and complications while doing the job are less likely to happen. As mentioned earlier, a power outage is a struggle and adds to frustration on the lives of some people. This is hard if you rely mainly on electricity for your health or for work. A transfer switch allows you to get the sufficient power you need, regardless if it is automatic or manual.
Now that we have provided the types and importance of transfer switches, it is now time to give you the criteria in selecting one. The following factors are essential so that you will not waste money on something that will immediately get broken, or worse, cause a lot of trouble. Make sure that you take note of these before we proceed with the generator transfer switch installation:. After choosing the transfer switch, you can now proceed with the generator transfer switch installation steps below.
Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article Steps. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Decide which home conveniences you'd like to be generator accessible. Access your fuse box and calculate the amount of power that will be demanded of the generator to run each of these devices separately.
Confirm that the amperage of needed power does not exceed the generator's capacity. The combined amperage may exceed the generator's capacity as long as the instruments aren't running simultaneously.
Assign each appliance a number which coincides with its circuit and label this in the circuit breaker of the switch. The sizes of the assigned breakers must be equal in both the transfer switch and the home's load center. Cut the main power supply to the circuit breaker. Trim the unit's insulating tube, which will cover the wires, to a workable length using a utility knife. Use the transfer switch's wiring harness to connect the unit to the circuit breaker. The wires should be drawn through 1 of 3 knockouts located on the underside of the switch.
They should join the circuit breaker through a knockout found at the bottom of the box. Lift the transfer switch up to the wall where it is to be installed and label the placement of the mounting screws. Affix the transfer switch to the wall, using mounting screws.
Join the wires to the transfer switch referring to the labels created previously. Attach the miscellaneous black wires to the Utility 2-pole breaker in the transfer switch. Join the white wire to the neutral area located in the middle of the transfer switch. Join the green wire to the grounding bar on the left side of the lower portion of the switch.
Confirm that the power supply is cut off at the main load center. Detach the assigned wires for each appliance from the circuit breaker box. Attach to the transfer switch using wire connectors and again referring to the labels.
Detach the 2 individual pole breakers from where each assigned appliance wire was removed. Join the green wire to the ground bar. Put the cover back on the main circuit breaker, and restore the power supply. Convert to generator power and return to utility power as per manufacturer's instructions. There are two black wires on some of the breakers, so how do I find out which is the positive and which is the negative? My transfer switch kit has red and black wires. If this is a standard circuit breaker, there is no possibility of it having more than one wire of different definitions any wire directly attached to a circuit breaker terminal is considered "hot".
A single-pole breaker will have one wire, a double-pole breaker is actually two breakers ganged together and will have two wires one on each terminal. It's possible a double-pole breaker could have two wires of different colors, but they are still "hot" wires at volts each. It's also possible that a single-pole breaker will have two wires in its one terminal - which means someone wired two different circuits to the same breaker.
Yes No. Not Helpful 7 Helpful 6. Can I wire from an outlet directly to a circuit on the transfer switch? This is a hunting cabin and there is no fuse box currently. I don't know where you are, but in Ontario, Canada, not having a fuse panel or circuit breaker panel wouldn't be allowed. So here, an outlet cannot be attached to a transfer switch.
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