Transfer switch/Service Panel integration

ironmanco

ironmanco

Member
Location
Colorado
Occupation
Engineer
I'm about to redo my entire 200A service panel and in doing so would like to add transfer capabilities. Optimally, I want to be able to select any of my 45+ circuits (well maybe not all, but definitely a lot) to be powered by the alternate power source. In a dream world, this would be a smart panel that would intelligently limit the circuits allowed to be transferred at any one time. I know there are a ton of options for separate transfer switches (and interlocks) that allow for pre-determined circuits to be transferred but what I would really like is something that allows this to be more dynamic. So if I want to shut off the circuit for my fridge and then turn on the circuit for my garage heater, I can choose to do this.

Anyone know if something like this exists?
 
ironmanco said:
I'm about to redo my entire 200A service panel and in doing so would like to add transfer capabilities. Optimally, I want to be able to select any of my 45+ circuits (well maybe not all, but definitely a lot) to be powered by the alternate power source. In a dream world, this would be a smart panel that would intelligently limit the circuits allowed to be transferred at any one time. I know there are a ton of options for separate transfer switches (and interlocks) that allow for pre-determined circuits to be transferred but what I would really like is something that allows this to be more dynamic. So if I want to shut off the circuit for my fridge and then turn on the circuit for my garage heater, I can choose to do this.

Anyone know if something like this exists?
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There is. It's called "Walking over to the Panel and turning off the Breaker and turning on the Other Breaker."

More seriously, unless you have a lot of electric heat something like a 15KVA generator should run the house.
 
Honestly I haven’t seen many, if any, homes, I couldn’t run the entire thing off a single air cooled home standby generator.

Biggest one I’ve installed for a residence is a 26kW.

Have an electrician do a load Calc, and unless you have an all electric house with multiple simultaneous EV chargers and hot tubs, that will all run at once while the power is out, you shouldn’t have a problem.

If there is a high demand load that you don’t want to run while on gen power, a simple load shed device will work.
 
If you're looking for automatic and expensive, go for an ATS with load shedding and stationary generator.

If you're looking for manual and inexpensive, go for a manual interlock and an inlet for a portable generator.
 
ironmanco said:
Optimally, I want to be able to select any of my 45+ circuits (well maybe not all, but definitely a lot) to be powered by the alternate power source.
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IMO since you're willing to choose the loads there is no reason to spend a ton more money on a permanent/automatic generator system. A good inverter type portable generator, inlet, interlock kit, some miscellaneous parts, and you're done.
 
During my research, I stumbled across this. Currently, they only offer it in 30 and 40A versions, but plan a 50A version. IMHO - it's pretty slick and allows for one to choose whatever (within load capacity) circuits you would like to run off of the alternate power source.
 
ironmanco said:
During my research, I stumbled across this. Currently, they only offer it in 30 and 40A versions, but plan a 50A version. IMHO - it's pretty slick and allows for one to choose whatever (within load capacity) circuits you would like to run off of the alternate power source.
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Wouldn't it be nice if all POCO's offered a version of this? Unfortunately around here they don't.
 
ironmanco said:
During my research, I stumbled across this. Currently, they only offer it in 30 and 40A versions, but plan a 50A version. IMHO - it's pretty slick and allows for one to choose whatever (within load capacity) circuits you would like to run off of the alternate power source.
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I have installed a few, its a decent product especially if you have a older panel or service or rent.
Since we have mainly 100% electric homes here in the PNW what I typically do for folks is put all the critical 120V circuits in a sub panel, so a non technical person can fire up the generator (or alternate source) and power up the correct circuits easily, refrigeration, lights, plugs.
I recommend that same setup for both a ATS and manual transfer (interlock).
 
infinity said:
Wouldn't it be nice if all POCO's offered a version of this? Unfortunately around here they don't.
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Our utility has two objections to this type of equipment. First it requires a wire jumper to the neutral in the meter can, and since our utility requires a GEC connection in the meter can, there is no terminal available for the neutral jumper.
Second, they have temperature sensors in the blades of their smart meters to detect a poor connection between the meter blades and the meter socket. This type of equipment adds an additional blade to socket connection that is not monitored for temperature.
 
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