My New Generator Setup

[Hobbes]

Beautiful day to roll the generator out and exercise it.
I had an interlock kit installed a couple of months ago and thought you might be interested in it for your own setup.

Obviously you can't run everything at once and you do have to manage your loads but it's doable in emergencies.

I'm lucky that my panel is right next to my garage door so I had the inlet box installed right below it and use a 25 foot cord to
backfeed the panel from there.

A closeup of the interlock kit
You can install one of these yourself if you're very handy but I had an electrician install mine and he installed this
first one for him in less than 2 hours from the instructions provided.

They are UL listed. You must buy the correct one for your panel or it won't work.

Briggs and Stratton Elite Generator Pics

[Broken External Image]

The big generator is to run the water well and refrigerator a couple of hours in the morning and evening but it
would consume a lot of fuel for extended outages.
It's also not the cleanest power for sensitive electronics.

So, a small inverter generator can run the wood pellet stove, satellite receiver, TV, and a fan all day long on a gallon of gas
and it's super clean power as well.

So, after 2 crappy Winters with ice and lots of snow shoveling I'm all set.

It's 66 degrees outside today.

 

[dowmace]

It's been years since I've done any resi work but I believe there is a code violation in the interlock kit. If memory serves there has to be a hold down on the breaker if being used to backfeed a panel through the bus. I'd have to look up a code section to be sure I know I was failed for it years ago (2006ish) but I haven't touched a residential service other than mine since the 2007 ice storm. I bet electrician mike knows off hand though.

Other than that awesome set up, the only thing that would make it better would be a natgas 15kw generator. I used to install them years ago and believe they are the next best thing since sliced bread.

 

[Hobbes]

If memory serves there has to be a hold down on the breaker if being used to backfeed a panel through the bus.

The electrician used the included tie-wrap to bind the generator breaker to to the breaker on the opposite side of the panel.
I guess that's how they comply and get UL approved.


I was looking at the guardian 12kw propane generator but went this route instead so I could take it with me if I moved.

 

[dowmace]

Well if he did that then your a-ok as far as I can remember. Just lookin' out for a fellow OSA'er

 

[vvvvvvv]

That UL listing is expensive...

 

[BadgeBunny]

Very nice!! I love our new genny ... of course, now that we have shelled out money for a new one and sold the old one there won't be any kind of extended power outage for 20 years or so ... fine by me ... whatever gets it done!

 

[jc5420]

Looks good, I had to do this in 2007 for my father-in-law durring the power outage. It was a good thing too because he went without power for 2 weeks.

Who knows you may never have to use it, but its nice to have just in case.

 

[Ozark Tracker]

we installed one of these this last summer for generator hook up. kinda expensive, but hook it up and your done. Generlink.


http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200379219_200379219?cm_mmc=Aggregates-_-Google-_-Generators>Generator Accessories-_-100315

 

[alank2]

Looks great Hobbes - I especially like that you've got the big genset for when you need it and the small one to save fuel! Very nice.

I sure wish my generator location and fuse box were so close!! I've got some 8 gauge wire that has to traverse across most of my attic...

 

[Electrician Mike]

Those style interlock kits are nice and legal. Only problem is they are not offered for all panels, and you have to have 2 extra spaces in your panel. I have installed a couple of them, although I prefer to set a seperate 8 circuit gen panel either below or beside the existing panel. That eliminates the risk of someone trying to run everything in their house at the same time while running on gen power.