Looking for a Generator Ckt Panel
- Thread starter wmeek
- Start date
- Status
You might look at this:
http://www.amazon.com/GenTran-3028K-8-Circuit-Transfer-Generators/dp/B000E673HS
http://www.amazon.com/GenTran-3028K-8-Circuit-Transfer-Generators/dp/B000E673HS
izak
Senior Member
- Location
- Springfield, MO
am I the only one here who feels like generator panels and determining separate 'emergency circuits' is somewhat ridiculous compared to a simple interlock kit bolted to the main breaker and the backfed breaker behind the deadfront?
Siemens makes about six versions of interlock kits for their panels, and range in price from 25$ to 100$
Siemens makes about six versions of interlock kits for their panels, and range in price from 25$ to 100$
ceb58
Senior Member
- Location
- Raeford, NC
Not much different except you don't have to look around in the dark to see which breakers you can leave on and which one you need to turn off. It also makes for a simpler install for home owners that,lets say, are not that electrically adapt. If the load is calculated for the generator and those circuits are brought to a separate panel it takes the "what if" factor out of it.
bradleyelectric
Senior Member
- Location
- forest hill, md
With the main breaker interlock you don't have to decide ahead of time which bathroom light you will be able to use and which 1 you wont be able to use. No reason to turn off breakers other then the main.
kbsparky
Senior Member
- Location
- Delmarva, USA
Make your own. A NEMA L14-30 flanged inlet is all you need, with the appropriate interlock kit.
goldstar
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
ceb58
Senior Member
- Location
- Raeford, NC
How do you come to that conclusion? If the interlock is installed on a 200amp panel with a 30 amp gen. breaker and a 5kw gen. you will have to shed loads.
bradleyelectric
Senior Member
- Location
- forest hill, md
It's a system that is designed for temporary emergency power. If you don't decide to cook thanksgiving dinner with it you can still turn on a burner on an electric stove. It is possible to use common sense when using loads. It you don't have common sense you will be able to hear the generator struggle and know to much is being run. If that doesn't tell you the tripped generator breaker will. You just don't have to decide what light will be oporational in emergency power mode. Just don't think you can run them all at the same time. Sure you may run into problems it the electric hot water heater kicks on at the same time as the freezer compressor, but the generator will let you know if that happens and as long as you don't abuse it you should be fine.
ceb58
Senior Member
- Location
- Raeford, NC
And that is fine,well and good for us.But that is why I said
Look at the wording of 702.5 B 1. You are assuming a lot when it comes to some home owners.
The problem I find now is that if you use a gentran or similar panel and have arcfaults, it causes nuisance tripping of the arc fault due to the imbalance of current not flowing through the breaker when you are on generator power. The last new home install I did, I built a seperate subpanel with the loads the homeowner wanted and put one of those interlocks on it. Ordinarily if the homeowner is one that I don't think can manage the load, I will do the gentran set up if I can. More savvy ones get the interlock. I have it on my panel and have installed 6 or more for customers. I like them.
bradleyelectric
Senior Member
- Location
- forest hill, md
I enjoy educating people.
ceb58
Senior Member
- Location
- Raeford, NC
Then have all the fun you can handel
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
Why is this not intuitive to so many?
bradleyelectric
Senior Member
- Location
- forest hill, md
Don't know. Maybe people just want to see problems not how to handle situations.
- Status