Installed Transfer Switch in House

[redactedAlias]

yeah, 50' of 6/3 is almost $300

ITS ALIVE! I used the Generac 6852 from this thread, and a reliance 30a power input box. The generac doesn't come with the plug. I had to order it from the web and inside the box were about 5 pieces of paper that said "If product is faulty, do not return to the store." So you'll be forced to work with generac if it comes broken. You may be able to purchase from a local generac dealer, I didn't try.
Anyway, the generac works great. I have most of my house hooked up to the 10 circuits with the exception of heat and AC. Going to get a small portable AC unit for a sleeping room, or look into the multi split AC thing. Our unit is 20a constant, so even with a soft starter it just wasn't worth taking most of the power.
The only time the truck threw a ground fault was when we used the manual switch on the box to go from generator to utility power and the generator was still connected. It threw the ground fault when the generac box cut it off, as intended.

If you are in Jax / St Aug etc, call these guys. The number on their google listing is their house phone, this is their cell. Jack's Electrical Services - 904 626 8230

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[redactedAlias]

Distance doesn’t matter. The cost of extending the circuits might cause you to gag. It’s $120 for a roll of 14/2 romex in Massachusetts

Yea it was about $200 just for the wiring used for the transfer switch (2 feet from the breaker box) and the materials to make a 35 foot 240v cord. Gag.

 

[cool rod]

ITS ALIVE! I used the Generac 6852 from this thread, and a reliance 30a power input box. The generac doesn't come with the plug. I had to order it from the web and inside the box were about 5 pieces of paper that said "If product is faulty, do not return to the store." So you'll be forced to work with generac if it comes broken. You may be able to purchase from a local generac dealer, I didn't try.
Anyway, the generac works great. I have most of my house hooked up to the 10 circuits with the exception of heat and AC. Going to get a small portable AC unit for a sleeping room, or look into the multi split AC thing. Our unit is 20a constant, so even with a soft starter it just wasn't worth taking most of the power.
The only time the truck threw a ground fault was when we used the manual switch on the box to go from generator to utility power and the generator was still connected. It threw the ground fault when the generac box cut it off, as intended.

If you are in Jax / St Aug etc, call these guys. The number on their google listing is their house phone, this is their cell. Jack's Electrical Services - 904 626 8230

Did you need to add an adapter kit to deal with the bonded neutral GFI issue or did the Generac unit just work without any problem? Is the Generac device and an inlet box and extension cord all I need? Thanks

 

[Ajzride]

This is from the Generac installation manual:

The Upgradeable Manual Transfer Switch is designed for use with portable generators with a bonded neutral, and used as a separately derived system. A grounding system and a grounding electrode system shall be connected to the ground terminal on the portable generator. See NEC Article 250.30(A)(4) and (5) for code compliance.

 

[cool rod]

This is from the Generac installation manual:

The Upgradeable Manual Transfer Switch is designed for use with portable generators with a bonded neutral, and used as a separately derived system. A grounding system and a grounding electrode system shall be connected to the ground terminal on the portable generator. See NEC Article 250.30(A)(4) and (5) for code compliance.

Thanks, that seems clear enough. It should work without any further equipment.

 

[UGADawg96]

These TFL dudes should have read this thread first.... but then they wouldn't have content for clicks....

 

[jesaf00]

ITS ALIVE! I used the Generac 6852 from this thread, and a reliance 30a power input box. The generac doesn't come with the plug.

Is this installed outside by the main panel or inside with a sub panel?

 

[MDH]

These TFL dudes should have read this thread first.... but then they wouldn't have content for clicks....

Has there been any update on this video. Looking for a safe and efficient way to install a 3 pole GFCI transfer switch so that I can use the F-150 Powerboost to run home during outages.

 

[MDH]

Has there been any update on this video. Looking for a safe and efficient way to install a 3 pole GFCI transfer switch so that I can use the F-150 Powerboost to run home during outages.

Has anyone looked into the Generlink (Generlink.com) transfer switch is compatible with the Ford Powerboost 7.2 KW generator. This transfer switch is mounted right behind the utility meter supplied by the power company.

Specifically, I wonder is Generlink mode MA23 (30-Amp) will resolve the grounding issue on the Ford Powerboost.

Thoughts?

 

[xtraman122]

Has anyone looked into the Generlink (Generlink.com) transfer switch is compatible with the Ford Powerboost 7.2 KW generator. This transfer switch is mounted right behind the utility meter supplied by the power company.

Specifically, I wonder is Generlink mode MA23 (30-Amp) will resolve the grounding issue on the Ford Powerboost.

Thoughts?

They show it as compatible with both bonded and floating neutral generators, but looking at how it actually connects, I don’t see how it would break the neutral and ground from the utility side to isolate it from the truck, so I don’t think so, but I’m sure an electrician will reply.

Edit: If you look at their list of supported generators below, you can see a bunch say no for the reason of all outlets being GFCI protected. So no, I don’t believe this would work with the truck. It’s not breaking the connections to the existing neutrals/grounds and therefore GFCI won’t be happy.
http://www.generlink.com/files/136155645.pdf

 

[jeffcrum]

I looked into Generlink. They say it will work. But, I wasn't too comfortable with the person giving the answer having the knowledge.

I was going to try it. But, my power company, Cleco, will not let anything be installed on the meter side of the box.

I invited the Generlink folks here to hock their wares. It seems they weren't interested. ?‍

 

[MDH]

They show it as compatible with both bonded and floating neutral generators, but looking at how it actually connects, I don’t see how it would break the neutral and ground from the utility side to isolate it from the truck, so I don’t think so, but I’m sure an electrician will reply.

Edit: If you look at their list of supported generators below, you can see a bunch say no for the reason of all outlets being GFCI protected. So no, I don’t believe this would work with the truck. It’s not breaking the connections to the existing neutrals/grounds and therefore GFCI won’t be happy.
http://www.generlink.com/files/136155645.pdf

So so complicated, I wish that someone, or some company could come up with a solution that that is safe to energize the main panel from the Ford F150 Powerboost!

 

[Gros Ventre]

A transfer Switch is not necessarily required. The Powerboost generators are wired as a bonded-neutral because they're set up for contractor use on a jobsite. OSHA requires jobsite generators to be bonded neutral. The conflict comes when your Powerboost generator senses a neutral-ground bond inside the house as the NEC requires. If the Power boost generator were setup with a floating neutral (like the 2.0kW generator on a non-Powerboost F-150) this would not happen. Your house must be wired by the NEC which requires an interlock between the generator input and the mainline input to prevent both being closed at the same time. The NEC also requires there to be only one neutral-ground bond. I've put in a request to Ford on how to convert a PowerBoost 7.2 kW generator to floating neutral. Their first answer was a non-answer about danger (eg they just didn't want to answer). But be clear: your house must be properly wired by the NEC to include an interlock (a manual interlock, UL Approved & by Square D, is available over the internet). This interlock is a safety item: it prevents your house shocking a worker out on the mainline and if mainline power were restored with both the main and generator breakers shut you'd have an explosion and fire on your hands. Your cable from the PowerBoost to the house must have four wires: 2 hots, a neutral and a ground. You cannot get by with only three. Also the input plug on the house must be a male connector box (available at Home Depot), using a cable with two male ends and a female receptacle on the house is a ticket to electrocuting someone one day.

 

[xtraman122]

So so complicated, I wish that someone, or some company could come up with a solution that that is safe to energize the main panel from the Ford F150 Powerboost!

It definitely is a pain. Like others have pointed out, the intended purpose for the plug was more for job site use, where the GFCI protection is a benefit and in some cases required. That just doesn’t play well with powering a home panel.

Somewhat makes sense that there is very little marketing material bragging about its ability to power a home. With the 9.6Kw on the Lightning, I’m sure the transfer switch in there will have everything to fully cutover the neutrals and ground from the main panel and have a single derived system from the truck when that’s powering it. They really needed something like that (Or of course a full GFCI compatible transfer switch that switches your ground and neutrals over like some have used) to properly use it to power a house.

I really wish they had made some way to un-bond the neutral like others have wanted, but probably just not something they’re willing to do.

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