They take almost no time for installation, physically prevent the main power line from being turned on at the same time as the generator switch, and the inspectors seem to be satisfied with them (they follow the code, so better!), It`s a rural area, and I think the inspectors are just happy to see the lock there and not see, how people change without the lock. We recently bought a house in Ontario, Canada. It has a Sylvania panel, but I don`t think it`s a zinsco panel. However, I have a hard time finding a lock kit to install our generator circuit. And you don`t really have the option to just switch the desired circuits to the generator because you can overload this device. The latch is the easiest and safest way to connect a portable generator and give you control of what is powering you at any given time. (I don`t want to pull “selected” circuits to a generator panel, it`s an older house and some of the circuits are a bit weird/not like I would with a new build, I want to be able to send electricity where it`s needed when it`s needed). Electric generator “lock kits” are a simple mechanical device that allows a home power supply to be “returned” by a portable generator during a power outage. “The transfer switch is easier to install and requires less hardware, resulting in a more cost-effective and efficient solution,” said Chris McGregor, president of Sommers Motor Generator Sales. “In addition, it continues to give homeowners the ability to adjust their backup energy priorities while being cost-effective. In the event of a power failure, the main circuit breaker is turned off and locked by the locking plate, as we will describe below. Then, a backup generator connected to the panel can power some of the panel`s circuits.
Pictured here: a typical panel “locking kit” used in some installations as an alternative to manual transfer switches to connect a portable backup electric generator to a home electrical system. We know what drawing is on a particular circuit and can`t leave the circuits off and then turn them on when needed to balance the load and power of the generator. We had a similar setup in a previous house, and it worked fantastically. A standard electrical transfer switch is simple and safe for future building users, as residents are unlikely to make a mistake, overload a circuit or cause an electrical fire, or shock an electrical worker outside your home standing near a pole and not knowing that a homeowner is accidentally reinjecting electricity into power lines. Below is the Eaton Electrical Panel – Backup Generator Interlock Kit compatibility list by lock kit model. Do you suggest a sub-panel with another 200-amp main piece and the “Gennie” switch (30 amps or 50 amps, depending on the generator we are working with), with this sub-panel then providing power to the existing main panel? I`ll also take a look at the other section of the website that you mention, thank you. Guide to buying, installing and using locking kits to connect backup electric generators in residential real estate. 1This transfer switch is CERTIFIED UL (Underwriters Laboratories) 1008 (Transfer Switch Equipment) and CSA (Canadian Standards Association) Standard C22.2 No. 178.1 – Automatic Transfer Switches.
The utility power turns off – turn off the main switch and all circuit breakers (including the generator switch in the control cabinet), start the generator, stabilize it, connect it to the house, turn on the generator output, go down, turn on the generator switch on the panel, and then turn on the desired circuit breakers. Since all circuit breakers must match in one panel and by brand type, does this code requirement include branded generator lock kits? Would an Eaton sign meet FL building codes to install a “Genterlock” generator bypass kit versus the corresponding Eaton generator bypass kit? (i.e. with genterlock`s EAT-PN200 part versus the Br BR generator from Eaton`s 100A-125A lock kit). In the standard connection of the backup generator, you would use a transfer switch, IMO more secure than a lock kit; With this approach, you don`t need another 200A main field, just a subfield large enough to accommodate the key circuits you want to power via a generator in an emergency, + the transfer switch. Before you try this approach to connecting a backup generator to your electrical system, check with your local building code agents for approval and make sure all work is done by a licensed electrician who is an expert in backup generator wiring. If you`re considering a generator, do your homework and fill out a list of wattage needs from home. This will determine the size of the generator you should consider. A microwave, for example, consumes more than 1200 watts to operate.
Many devices have starting power and then mileage. Stoves are an example of this. In your analysis, first select the electric “must have”. Make a “list of watts,” starting with your oven, electricity for your freezer and refrigerator, your water pump if you live in the country, the sump pump in the basement, and a few lights. Laptops and TVs don`t shoot much. A laptop, for example, consumes an average of 250 watts. Generators are also designed with starting power and mileage, hence the term 9000/7200 watts, as can be seen in a generator of this size. This size would be my recommended minimum for a portable generator, which is mainly used for backup power. Portable generators make up more than 90% of the systems we see in homes. The answer is simple; Install a transfer switch for your electrical system in the household. This switch is actually just a smaller control panel with a hammer built into the box that eliminates the feedback problem.
Once installed, this control cabinet crusher cannot be connected to the generator and the hydroelectric power plant at the same time. This transfer panel allows you to select the circuits you want to have in operation during a power failure. You got this information from the list of watts you created earlier. Your electrician will inform you of the size of the transfer switch and adjust it to the generator in the right size. This transfer switch/control cabinet should be located next to the main electrical panel of your home. Photo: A CR-1 generator lock kit from National Ram Electronics. This lock fits the control panels of Challenger, Westinghouse and Thomas & Betts. The red plate slides to the left when the main crusher is turned off, allowing a 50A crusher powered by a backup generator to be lit. Okay, but using a lock kit instead of a transfer switch, as you describe, requires that anyone using the electrical system in the future understands overload and safety issues; We prefer to design and install electrical equipment in such a way that no special knowledge is required from the users of the building, as we do not rely on future users of the building to have the same level of expertise as you.
