[PVRCNC] Re: [PVRC] Emergency generator power

[Pete Smith]

At 07:03 AM 9/26/03 -0400, Jim Jordan K4QPL wrote:
>I'll start working on that transfer switch.  But I've got to get something
>that will switch the entire input ahead of the panel. Those little 4 or 8
>circuit transfers aren't much better than extension cords, particularly when
>you live out of town where everything, including water, cooking and heat is
>electric and your house has over 30 different circuits and you have to
>juggle the load.

I have seen at either Lowe's or Home Depot a Square-D product that is 
designed for this purpose but appears much heftier than those crummy 
Generac things.  It uses back-to-back 220V breakers linked with a permanent 
mechanical bracket such that one must be off when the other is on.  someone 
wrote me telling me that he used a 200 amp breaker on the leg that handled 
his entire house current, and a breaker sized to his generator on the other 
side, which would somewhat help to keep the cost down.  The Square D unit 
comes in a box that is punched for breakers for selected circuits to be 
connected to the generator (following the apparent code restriction that it 
not be possible to overload the generator), but I don't think there's any 
practical reason why it couldn't be set up to feed your entire house panel 
instead.

73, Pete N4ZR
The World HF Contest Station Database was updated August 30.
129 stations were added or updated.
Are you current? www.pvrc.org/wcsd/wcsdsearch.htm