Installed Transfer Switch in House

[OddManOut]

You're exactly right. That's where mine is different from yours. Unfortunately, I don't have a place to plug in the orange wire, like you do.

Time to call Generac. Thanks for the reference photo.

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[BLoflin]

Don’t act so inconvenienced! You love explaining things else you wouldn’t be here. Thank you!

Ha, I was implying that the instead of waiting for a new answer, you may find your answers in the forum by searching.

 

[Hullguy]

You're exactly right. That's where mine is different from yours. Unfortunately, I don't have a place to plug in the orange wire, like you do.

Time to call Generac. Thanks for the reference photo.

Mine is a 6853, upgradable to an auto transfer. I’m thinking this is the same harness used in all of their transfer switches and this wire is not used in the 6852?

 

[BLoflin]

So i'm curious is this something the market place can solve with a new product?

Not sure exactly what you are refering to, but... there are products in the market place (transfer switch) that handles switching the neutral as well as the hots, which allows it to work with a bonded neutral generator (including the PB). Search the forums for examples of what was used.

 

[Addabob64]

@Meterman - the error message you are getting with regards to the ground fault when trying to use the "Test" button is covered in this Ford TSB. It was supposed to be corrected in an OTA in July 2021, but that is obviously not the case. For what it is worth, I have the same as I presume all other PB owners would have if they hit the test button.

 

[Gros Ventre]

Here's some info on Separately Derived Systems. https://www.inspectionbureau.com/studyGuides/GroundingSeparatelyDerivedSystems17.pdf

 

[OddManOut]

Here's an update on getting my 2.4kW Powerboost connected to a Transfer Switch to power some (small) circuits in the house (fridge, and a few other things).

1) From Powerboost to Transfer Switch

I used a 5-15P to L14-30 connector to go from the normal household outlet in the truck bed to a 4-prong twistlock socket.

And then used a normal L14-30 extension cord to go from the the above adapter to the Transfer Switch Inlet Box.

2) Transfer Switch

Based on the recommendations in this thread, I went with the Generac 6852.

When I ordered the 6852, I carefully considered the circuits I wanted to move from the main panel or subpanel over to the transfer switch. The transfer switch supports 8 circuits, but with only 2400 watts from the truck, I could only support the load from 4 lightly loaded circuits (I did the math after using a clamp meter on the individual circuits).

Normally, the circuits are connected to the switch by routing each circuit's load and neutral wires from the main/sub panel to the switch. In my case, I was able to pull the Romex wires completely from the main/sub panel and run them directly into the transfer switch. I know most folks can't do that, but it worked in my case. It makes for a cleaner circuit panel since there are no extra connections made in there.

3) Transfer Switch operation

In the end, the switch almost works as designed. a) I hooked up the truck to the Inlet Box; b) put the truck in generator mode; c) see the orange light on the transfer switch. All good so far. d) Hit the Utility-->Generator switch on the transfer switch and ... nothing happened. I don't know if that's a problem with my 6852, or maybe a problem due the fake 240 volt input from the 120 volt input (via the 5-15P to L14-30 connector). <shrug>

e) So I pull the front panel off the transfer switch, and f) manually throw the switch from Utility to Generator; then ... Ground Fault Error on the Powerboost. I think the error happens due to the actual transition in the switch over - not the wiring of the cables used or switch wiring. g) I clicked Reset on the touch screen in the F-150 to clear the generator mode error; and now the Powerboost is running the Transfer Switch circuits exactly as it should.

I confirmed that the truck really is powering the circuits by turning off the main panel power. It's all working great!

4) Watt draw on touch screen not working

For some reason, the touch screen on the truck would only show 200 watt draw on the Powerboost. I used the clamp meter and a Line Splitter to read about 17-18 amp draw from the truck's 120 Volt outlet. That's odd, but not a deal breaker.

I want to run one more test and connect the truck AFTER I manually put the transfer switch in Generator position. That should prevent the Ground Fault error (since the truck won't be connected when I throw the switch), which might allow the truck's internal watt meter to be happy again.

So, there you go. I successfully got the 2.4 kW Powerboost to run some critical circuits in my house. This was a fun project. When I ordered the Powerboost, I really had no plans to use Generator Mode. Now, I wish I had opted for the full 7.2 kW upgrade. Regardless, I am making the best of the 2.4 kW that I have available to me.

I appreciate the information I got from this thread. I hope this write-up might help someone else.

 

[Chris Martinez]

at last something I have a clue about !
The transfer switch in the house end IS VERY important and a legal requirement BUT it has nothing to do with the house. It HAS EVERYTHING to do with isolating your generator from the SUPPLY GRID !
Otherwise you are feeding into the supply grid and some poor poor technician comes to work on the line, say a downed wire in what he has BEEN TOLD is a deactivated power line. And there you are, watching Dancing with the Stars and powering your house. WITHOUT a transfer switch, you ARE back feeding power into the grid and will likely endanger electrical workers on the line. Not to mention potential damage to your house when the power does come back on unexpectedly.
A lock out switch is a cheap work around that may or may not be legal.
I ran a hunting and fishing lodge totally OFF grid and some of my wiring of small generators into the system were drastically short of "up to code" but being off grid and remote it was my problem alone. I also was THE SOLE operator of the system. Let's just say one set up I used is affectionately know as a "suicide connection"
Another way for the 7.2kw power on board is to use the 30 amp, appropriate wiring and have a portable sub panel. I have one of those for use with my hybrid car charger that is in the garage so I now have a 50 amp subpanel available to run the beer fridge ! Because it is in a residential house I had that professionally and code worthy installed. Remember the consequences of anything you do if you need to fill in an insurance claim

My electrician disconnected the ground to get the truck generator to work. Is this safe - I’m an accountant and don’t comprehend this process entirely.
I just want to make sure that in the event we lose power and I use the Truck generator and transfer switch we are safe!!

 

[MDH]

This is a follow up video. While they did get the manual transfer switch to work to power the house there was specific detail to what had to be done to get the ground properly set up to work with the Powerboost.

16:09 Now playing Watch later Watch later Add to queue Add to queue

 

[GolfR]

I don't think this will work ? as the F150's Generator is "bonded-neutral" which Generlink specifically call out as being incompatible - it will cause the GFCI to trip. FWIW, the F150 is designed this way to be OSHA compliant for GFCI safety at job-sites etc. but this is redundant for the home situation where the house panel is also protected. We need a different kind of transfer switch which properly handles a bonded-neutral generator with GFCI on the 240V output.

Anyone know the easiest / least expensive way to provide for the F150 to power the whole house panel - like the Generlink meter mounted approach - but compatible with the bonded-neutral?

As I mentioned above, put in the standard transfer switch and make (yourself or an electrictian) a $30 ground to neutral pigtail and you are GTG. Old school farmer folks would just cut off the ground pin ;-) In the case of the bonded ground of the truck, this will do the exact same thing as isolating the ground pin in the transfer switch with *may* not even be allowed by code.

 

[GolfR]

Can't understand why the ground in the electrical panel can't be disconnected instead of removing the ground from the male end of the cord. Any thoughts?

If you wire the transfer switch or the box without the ground and you connect a generator that isn't ground bonded you could be in for a very bad surprise...like a floating chassis ground that builds up to 100s of volts and kills you when you touch it. That's why you do it in the cable or an adapter.

 

[PBXL]

These guys revisited how to power your house with the Powerboost. I am not an electrician so I am not advocating for anything so use this information at your own discretion:

 

[MDH]

Do you have a drawing or picture for how the cable is configured? Is the cable you reference going from the the truck to the inlet box that feeds the panel?

thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[Gros Ventre]

They didn't actually solve the Bonded-neutral vs floating neutral issue. They just sidestepped it, thus neither complying with the NEC nor the safety issues...

 

[Gros Ventre]

As to cabling connecting the truck to the house. You need a 4 conductor 30 amp 240 VAC extension cable (available at Home Depot - but check availability before you go to the store as it's not a high volume sales item). You also need an inlet box at the house with a male connection. Do not use a male-male cable truck to house... that's a ticket to heaven one day.

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