marmathsen
Senior Member
- Location
- Seattle, Washington ...ish
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
In a residence, if someone is opting for a manual startup generator and manual transfer switching, why would they opt for a generator subpanel (with feeder) or the kind with the individual circuit transfer switches (what do you call that?) as oposed to a backfed breaker with an approved interlock kit?
I have always been of the option that feeding into the main panel and installing an interlock kit is better because then you have the ability to power anything in the house (assuming only one panel). Obviously the onus is on the homeowner to manage the load so as not to overload the generator.
I'm surprised how often I see generator panels though. Doesn't that seem like an inferior installation because you have to predict ahead of time what circuits you want to be able to run in a power outage? Plus the fact that it's more labor and materials to install? I know dedicated generator panels have ammeters but so does the generator.
Maybe I'm missing something (hopefully nothing too big, I've installed a number of interlock kits). Which do you install most often and why?
I have always been of the option that feeding into the main panel and installing an interlock kit is better because then you have the ability to power anything in the house (assuming only one panel). Obviously the onus is on the homeowner to manage the load so as not to overload the generator.
I'm surprised how often I see generator panels though. Doesn't that seem like an inferior installation because you have to predict ahead of time what circuits you want to be able to run in a power outage? Plus the fact that it's more labor and materials to install? I know dedicated generator panels have ammeters but so does the generator.
Maybe I'm missing something (hopefully nothing too big, I've installed a number of interlock kits). Which do you install most often and why?