Installed Transfer Switch in House

[HammaMan]

Thanks for reporting back! Great info! I understand this setup will only work with a dogbone, but I still don’t know what the heck that is? Google search shows lots of different options for a dogbone, but what does PB require?

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/transfer-switch-gameplan-thoughts.19520/#post-379173

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[Kodiak]

@HammaMan can explain better than I can.

But, in layman’s terms, you have to interrupt the ground wire between the plug and the Generlink or the truck will throw a ground fault. You can do this with a short plug to plug dogbone where the ground isn’t connect to the plug on one end or another. (I just used a 20’ one because I needed the length).

I am not up to date on the properties of electrical engineering, but I believe the Hamma dogbone that defeats the ground in the dogbone was suggested that you make it and only have it about 1 foot long and clearly labeled as such for this purpose only. This is so you cannot/likely would not, use it for other purposes since it looks like a regular cord but it is not. It is a dogbone with the ground defeated. You do not want to use this for other purposes.

 

[Hullguy]

I am not up to date on the properties of electrical engineering, but I believe the Hamma dogbone that defeats the ground in the dogbone was suggested that you make it and only have it about 1 foot long and clearly labeled as such for this purpose only. This is so you cannot/likely would not, use it for other purposes since it looks like a regular cord but it is not. It is a dogbone with the ground defeated. You do not want to use this for other purposes.

You don’t want to use it at all

 

[wyoming]

I am not up to date on the properties of electrical engineering, but I believe the Hamma dogbone that defeats the ground in the dogbone was suggested that you make it and only have it about 1 foot long and clearly labeled as such for this purpose only. This is so you cannot/likely would not, use it for other purposes since it looks like a regular cord but it is not. It is a dogbone with the ground defeated. You do not want to use this for other purposes.

You are correct, this is not an extension cord, it’s an extended dogbone and his been labeled as such. I have the materials to make the 1-foot dogbone, but didn’t feel like adding a 3rd set of plugs into my setup.

 

[Deepfork]

What cord are people using? I need one that's at least 40 feet but don't want to order the wrong one.

 

[dochawk]

With a lower gauge wire, you can go farther with the same or less loss.

I'm kind of curious about the gauge in this one I just brought back from my father; it's about half an inch in diameter! 4, maybe?

But do take those limits seriously: when we were doing my roof, I got a compressor big enough to run two nail guns--but missed the bit about about not using an extension cord. Aside from the fire that didn't happen, there was enough loss over the extension that the voltage wasn't high enough to keep the guns going.

Fortunately (?) at the time, we were renting so much from Home Depot, that I was able to send my kid (a minor with a license) in, they recognized her on sight, asked "How's Dr. Hawkins doing?" (up on a roof with kids with nail guns!) and simply hand her a couple of extension airbuses.

 

[HammaMan]

What cord are people using? I need one that's at least 40 feet but don't want to order the wrong one.

Whatever suits your needs

 

[Kodiak]

What cord are people using? I need one that's at least 40 feet but don't want to order the wrong one.

If you are talking about a regular 30 amp 4 prong cord for a proper transfer switch you will use something like this.

GearIT 30-Amp Generator Extension Cord 4-Prong 7500W (acezeus.store)

Get for whatever length you need, probably a 50 footer for you.

 

[UGADawg96]

I went with this 40 foot one, but they have all the sizes.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079D2Q47T/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[FaaWrenchBndr]

I went with this 40 foot one, but they have all the sizes.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079D2Q47T/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

That’s a great price on that cord as well….

 

[Deepfork]

Here is what I ordered.

 

[don.mullins]

Is it me or are people just making things more complicated by trying different routes when a clear path is available?

Because the transfer switch you show is not a clear path to powering the whole house?

 

[Tigmd99]

Because the transfer switch you show is not a clear path to powering the whole house?

because the truck cannot…..

 

[don.mullins]

because the truck cannot…..

I can have all my circuits powered and choose to run what I want.

Yes, I have to manage a power budget, but everything is available. As an RVer, I am used to this concept - a 30A RV can pull way more than 30A if everything is turned on at once. We learn to manage the budget and turn off some things when we want to use others.

So I can run both my HVAC systems; I just need to make sure they don’t both run at the same time. If I “mess up” I trip the PB protection circuit Or the 30A input breaker.

You cannot.

 

[Tigmd99]

I can have all my circuits powered and choose to run what I want.

Yes, I have to manage a power budget, but everything is available. As an RVer, I am used to this concept - a 30A RV can pull way more than 30A if everything is turned on at once. We learn to manage the budget and turn off some things when we want to use others.

So I can run both my HVAC systems; I just need to make sure they don’t both run at the same time. If I “mess up” I trip the PB protection circuit Or the 30A input breaker.

You cannot.

Sure, but i already KNOW what i want to run when power goes out. I don’t need to play with the circuits and always make sure what works and what can overload the system. PIA IMHO.

When power goes out, my truck powers up my family room and kitchen along with window AC during the day. At night, it powers up my master bed central AC and whatnots.

There is no guessing. My kids can do whatever they want and i am not afraid of tripping anything that then requires me to go out to my truck in the rain/heat/whatever to reset it.

YMMV.

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