Home generator transfer switch?

[Done-it-again]

Can someone let me know what is needed?

My MIL is in the wind tunnel (I.E) and power keeps getting shut off so we bought her a generator, but now need to get something that she can plug the genny into.

Needs to be simple as she is single

If anyone can do this too, let me know.

 

[Waterjunky]

I will be doing the same thing over the next month or so. I just bought a pair of 9500 Predator inverter generators I will be pairing. HF had them $800 off as a Christmas special this Saturday. This should run my entire house, well and other stuff, unfortunately other than primary heat, I am all electric. I can also shut one down to service the other. We get extended outages as we are remote. Kinda turns into a thing of SMUD making a repair and getting 5000 people back on line or making a repair and getting 8 of us back up. We are commonly last priority for SMUD. This means we can be out for 2-5 days.... I don't like it but I understand it.

I now have the generators, the location to put them, the conduit to my main, I will be running primary wire here very soon, but I still need to figure out the transfer switch part. Want a manual as there is no automation in the system. That said, if someone knows how to automate a Predator generator, I am all ears...... Could be a bottle of something good in it for you!

 

[adam909]

Reliance Controls 10-Circuit 30 Amp Manual Transfer Switch Kit 310CRK - The Home Depot

Deliver power to hard-wired appliances in your home with the selection of this Reliance Controls Manual Transfer Switch Kit.

www.homedepot.com

This is what I have installed. and no issues. Where in IE? Im in north Fontana and they shut off our power all the time when the wind blows.

I run my whole house except the washer and dyer and AC. My yamaha 3400 powers my house with no issues.

 

[Done-it-again]

Reliance Controls 10-Circuit 30 Amp Manual Transfer Switch Kit 310CRK - The Home Depot

Deliver power to hard-wired appliances in your home with the selection of this Reliance Controls Manual Transfer Switch Kit.

www.homedepot.com

This is what I have installed. and no issues. Where in IE? Im in north Fontana and they shut off our power all the time when the wind blows.

I run my whole house except the washer and dyer and AC. My yamaha 3400 powers my house with no issues.

MIL is in Rosena Ranch and soon as it blows she’s out for a few days min. We are down the street off Duncan canyon and are never shut off.

 

[Done-it-again]

I will be doing the same thing over the next month or so. I just bought a pair of 9500 Predator inverter generators I will be pairing. HF had them $800 off as a Christmas special this Saturday. This should run my entire house, well and other stuff, unfortunately other than primary heat, I am all electric. I can also shut one down to service the other. We get extended outages as we are remote. Kinda turns into a thing of SMUD making a repair and getting 5000 people back on line or making a repair and getting 8 of us back up. We are commonly last priority for SMUD. This means we can be out for 2-5 days.... I don't like it but I understand it.

I now have the generators, the location to put them, the conduit to my main, I will be running primary wire here very soon, but I still need to figure out the transfer switch part. Want a manual as there is no automation in the system. That said, if someone knows how to automate a Predator generator, I am all ears...... Could be a bottle of something good in it for you!

I wanted this for the MIL https://www.globalpowerproducts.com/transfer-switches/generlink-transfer-switch/ but SCE doesn’t not allow the simpler version.

Father has it at his Floria house and works great.

 

[adam909]

MIL is in Rosena Ranch and soon as it blows she’s out for a few days min. We are down the street off Duncan canyon and are never shut off.

Im in Rosena as well. Theres two electricians in the ranch that pretty much have done everyones installs. I can get you there info if needed.

 

[adam909]

The transfer switch that i linked above is the main go to for transfer switches. Depending on what panel she has there are cheaper options.

 

[X Hoser]

I’ve always installed a whole house generator/transfer switch in all of my houses. So Cal and Idaho. Will be doing the same in Tennessee. Generac 22kw on Propane. I run it on Nat Gas, so 19kw I believe. I think it is a good investment. Power goes out, generator comes on and transfers the house to it automatically. Power comes back on, transfers back and generator shuts down. I can live without lights and TV, but the refer, A/C and Heat are important to me. Garage doors work too! So why not just continue on as if the power was never off? I know they are somewhat expensive, about $10k installed, but the peace of mind and ease of operation is well worth it for me.

 

[Done-it-again]

Im in Rosena as well. Theres two electricians in the ranch that pretty much have done everyones installs. I can get you there info if needed.

If you have it please send it.

I’ll be hooking up the gen to the natural gas meter and setting it up for her every “season”. Then all she needs to do is plug it in and hit start in the gen.

 

[viperized_jr]

I’m in the community also and kick myself for never doing it. We had a few good years of them not shutting it off but this year sucks. I have solar and might do the battery wall but want to move so I’m not sure with worth it.

 

[Xring01]

I have stated many many times…
Portable Generators are not the best idea for home backup for pro longed outages…

Why… because they run out of gas, and people pour gas into a very hot engine/exhaust… which can cause fire based on the fuel vapors alone. But if it gets over filled, then you have and extremely high likelihood of causing a fire.

FOR HOME BACK UP for long periods of time, please get a generator thats connected permanently to Nat Gas or Propane with a Auto Transfer Switch…

Please, call the local Generac dealers, and get 3 - 4 quotes, and go with the one you like the best. Its not cheap… but its not going to burn your house down…

Seriously… portable gas generators in this application is just STUPID… DONT DO IT!!!!!!!

 

[Done-it-again]

I have stated many many times…
Portable Generators are not the best idea for home backup for pro longed outages…

Why… because they run out of gas, and people pour gas into a very hot engine/exhaust… which can cause fire based on the fuel vapors alone. But if it gets over filled, then you have and extremely high likelihood of causing a fire.

FOR HOME BACK UP for long periods of time, please get a generator thats connected permanently to Nat Gas or Propane with a Auto Transfer Switch…

Please, call the local Generac dealers, and get 3 - 4 quotes, and go with the one you like the best. Its not cheap… but its not going to burn your house down…

Seriously… portable gas generators in this application is just STUPID… DONT DO IT!!!!!!!

Will be running on natural gas.

 

[Willie B]

I have stated many many times…
Portable Generators are not the best idea for home backup for pro longed outages…

Why… because they run out of gas, and people pour gas into a very hot engine/exhaust… which can cause fire based on the fuel vapors alone. But if it gets over filled, then you have and extremely high likelihood of causing a fire.

FOR HOME BACK UP for long periods of time, please get a generator thats connected permanently to Nat Gas or Propane with a Auto Transfer Switch…

Please, call the local Generac dealers, and get 3 - 4 quotes, and go with the one you like the best. Its not cheap… but its not going to burn your house down…

Seriously… portable gas generators in this application is just STUPID… DONT DO IT!!!!!!!

… what if you were to move the fuel tanks, a distance away from the generators?!?…

 

[adam909]

If you have it please send it.

I’ll be hooking up the gen to the natural gas meter and setting it up for her every “season”. Then all she needs to do is plug it in and hit start in the gen.

sent PM

 

[Gramps]

I'm NOT an electrician but I know a lineman that works for Rocky Mountain Power. He was telling me about a whole system switch that mounts behind the meter. It has a receptible that a generator plugs into, when the store bought power goes out the switch automatically switches to the generator receptable....all you need to do start the generator

Amazon.com

 

[Taboma]

I'm NOT an electrician but I know a lineman that works for Rocky Mountain Power. He was telling me about a whole system switch that mounts behind the meter. It has a receptible that a generator plugs into, when the store bought power goes out the switch automatically switches to the generator receptable....all you need to do start the generator

Amazon.com

Keep in mind --- verify with your utility if it's approved & keep in mind, the meter and the section it plugs into are on the "Utility Side". In some communities the utilities themselves sell and install these types of devices. It requires a 120/240V generator which disqualifies many models that might otherwise have 30 amp capability, but are 120V only.
Here's a compatibility list. Also, depending on your generator size, you will need to manage the load(s) accordingly. https://generlink.com/files/123356851.pdf

 

[Done-it-again]

I'm NOT an electrician but I know a lineman that works for Rocky Mountain Power. He was telling me about a whole system switch that mounts behind the meter. It has a receptible that a generator plugs into, when the store bought power goes out the switch automatically switches to the generator receptable....all you need to do start the generator

Amazon.com

Keep in mind --- verify with your utility if it's approved & keep in mind, the meter and the section it plugs into are on the "Utility Side". In some communities the utilities themselves sell and install these types of devices. It requires a 120/240V generator which disqualifies many models that might otherwise have 30 amp capability, but are 120V only.
Here's a compatibility list. Also, depending on your generator size, you will need to manage the load(s) accordingly. https://generlink.com/files/123356851.pdf

California does not allow the ones on the meter, you need a box next to the meter and tie them together

 

[Waterjunky]

I have stated many many times…
Portable Generators are not the best idea for home backup for pro longed outages…

Why… because they run out of gas, and people pour gas into a very hot engine/exhaust… which can cause fire based on the fuel vapors alone. But if it gets over filled, then you have and extremely high likelihood of causing a fire.

FOR HOME BACK UP for long periods of time, please get a generator thats connected permanently to Nat Gas or Propane with a Auto Transfer Switch…

Please, call the local Generac dealers, and get 3 - 4 quotes, and go with the one you like the best. Its not cheap… but its not going to burn your house down…

Seriously… portable gas generators in this application is just STUPID… DONT DO IT!!!!!!!

I totally get this! That said, I am setup better than that. Not my first rodeo. The generators are setup in a different building, and fuel is not going to be from a typical pour can. All of this has already been considered. Additionally I wanted something that was inverter based or alternatively heavy enough that I didn't get strange power cycles when things like my well kick on. Many of the smaller whole house generators do cycle hard when a load like a well kicks on. As we all know, this is how you destroy anything with a circuit board in it.

 

[DILLIGAF]

I am just adding a plug at the pole on the cust side. Not putting in a trf switch and will just roll out my 240w/50a genset when needed.

 

[BabyRay]

I am just adding a plug at the pole on the cust side. Not putting in a trf switch and will just roll out my 240w/50a genset when needed.

You might fry a lineman, but think of all the money you’ll save!

 

[D19]

Can someone let me know what is needed?

My MIL is in the wind tunnel (I.E) and power keeps getting shut off so we bought her a generator, but now need to get something that she can plug the genny into.

Needs to be simple as she is single

If anyone can do this too, let me know.

I did this when Edison was replacing all the poles in my neighborhood. I bought a Reliance switch and installed it. Super easy and works great. Runs about 60% of my house. 5 gallons of fuel will last from sun up to sun down.

If you have surveillance I recommend a separate battery back up that runs your cameras and internet when power is down.

 

[brianwhiteboy]

I’ve got the same Reliance 10-circuit transfer switch (not installed yet) that will be mated up to a Honda EU7000is.

 

[jetboatperformance]

This is what I use

 

[DILLIGAF]

You might fry a lineman, but think of all the money you’ll save!

lol.....Naw.....an electrician is doing the job not me personally. The power co also gave me their blessing to do it. It will be a manual operation when the power goes off so I have to roll it out and plug it in. While working on the genset side of the pole their switch will be manually turned off.

 

[BabyRay]

lol.....Naw.....an electrician is doing the job not me personally. The power co also gave me their blessing to do it. It will be a manual operation when the power goes off so I have to roll it out and plug it in. While working on the genset side of the pole their switch will be manually turned off.

Huh, never heard of that. I thought you were joking.

 

[The Chicken]

I will be doing the same thing over the next month or so. I just bought a pair of 9500 Predator inverter generators I will be pairing. HF had them $800 off as a Christmas special this Saturday. This should run my entire house, well and other stuff, unfortunately other than primary heat, I am all electric. I can also shut one down to service the other. We get extended outages as we are remote. Kinda turns into a thing of SMUD making a repair and getting 5000 people back on line or making a repair and getting 8 of us back up. We are commonly last priority for SMUD. This means we can be out for 2-5 days.... I don't like it but I understand it.

I now have the generators, the location to put them, the conduit to my main, I will be running primary wire here very soon, but I still need to figure out the transfer switch part. Want a manual as there is no automation in the system. That said, if someone knows how to automate a Predator generator, I am all ears...... Could be a bottle of something good in it for you!

I read your reasons for not just getting a "whole home" standby generator, and while I don't necessarily agree with the conclusion you came to, I understand your logic.
Anyway you cut, any type of backup generator has drawbacks.
You should be able to automate the predators-but by the time you go through doing it, you will likely wish you had just purchased a 22 or 24KW standby generator built for the purpose.
To clarify, I have modified a number of portable generators to serve as two-wire start standby generators with success, but at the end of the day, what you have is a modified generator that is still a portable generator.
Here's the challenges and issues you are up against:
1-Most portable generators do not have an automatic choke. This is a pretty critical feature for automating a generator. I know the smaller HF generators do not have an automatic choke, I can't remember if the 9500 version does. In very mild/warm climates this may not be an issue.
2-While the process of starting a generator seems very simple, it is actually a series of steps with sorta go/no go options along the way. When you are manually flipping switches, pushing buttons, or pulling cords, these processes and steps seem simple and intuitive. Like just about any automation project, once you decide to let a machine do it, that "simple" operation suddenly needs careful consideration and implementation. In this scenario, if you add things like cold weather, a hard starting generator, or a generator that starts and then dies on the first attempt, the solution to successfully starting, monitoring and protecting the generator run and start circuits gets way more complex that one would think. Standby generators have all of this thought out and built in. If you must automate your portable generator, check out Atkinson Electronics GSCM modules. I have used them, they are well thought out, address most of the issues I mention above, and likely have a wiring schematic for your generator by now. An additional challenge you will face is deciding what device you want to signal the generator to start-and you will likely have to make some sort of relay output device for that task.
3-You will be breaking into the wiring of your generator to modify it. Voids your warranty. And depending on the generator and your skill level, can be a LOT more work than you are looking for.
4-Colder climates? You may very well need an oil pan heater with outboard thermostatic controls to keep the oil warm enough to get the generator to stay running. Installing one of these on an enclosed inverter generator requires you to tear the generator very far apart. A problem I've seen is cold weather will cause thick oil. The generator will start, run for several seconds, then due to thick oil and low oil pressure, will shutdown due to a low oil pressure switch designed to protect it from low oil levels. In a manually operated generator, the person operating the generator would simply restart the generator once or twice and then everything is fine. In an automated portable, the module that you add can be fooled by this unusual set of events into a fault and lockout mode-requiring a person to reset the controls of the generator and module.
5-To automate a portable generator for continuous standby duty, you will need to leave the generators control circuit on all the time. This requires that you add an outboard battery charger/minder. I have used Noco products successfully for this application.
6-To run your battery charger and possible oil heater, you will need to supply a dedicated 120VAC power circuit to your generator. This will likely need protection from the elements.
7-Portable generators are not meant to be left outside 24/7. Doing so is hard on them. UV degradation of paints and plastics occurs rapidly. Water incursion of the controls and outlets can cause tripped breakers or damaged components.
8-Rodents. Fucking rodents. They will eat your portable generators power output cords, the power cord you use to run the battery charger, the wiring and plastic of the generator itself if they manage to find a way in-which they are disturbingly adept at doing.
9-Automating two generators to run in parallel? I haven't even done THAT! Sounds like a challenge, as IIRC, one generator often needs to be running before the second one starts and connects.

None of the above problems are insurmountable. Lots of DIY folks who are, shall we say adventurous, have done it. I've done it. But in the end, it typically ends up being a lot of work, if you hire a pro to do it-and a lot of pros understandably won't touch such a project-it will be quite expensive, and the end result can produce sub-par results or an installation that isn't really that reliable because its quirky or subject to weather or animal damage.
Whereas a home standby generator address ALL of the above, and often includes a whole-home or critical-loads transfer switch that controls the generator for in the $5000 range. Granted, you still have the installation costs of that generator, which typically equal the purchase price for most installations, but then it's done and done.

I don't know if that helped you at all, but at least you should have a clear picture of what you can expect based on hard-won experience, as well as a couple of parts sources should you decide to move forward.

 

[McKay]

I read your reasons for not just getting a "whole home" standby generator, and while I don't necessarily agree with the conclusion you came to, I understand your logic.
Anyway you cut, any type of backup generator has drawbacks.
You should be able to automate the predators-but by the time you go through doing it, you will likely wish you had just purchased a 22 or 24KW standby generator built for the purpose.
To clarify, I have modified a number of portable generators to serve as two-wire start standby generators with success, but at the end of the day, what you have is a modified generator that is still a portable generator.
Here's the challenges and issues you are up against:
1-Most portable generators do not have an automatic choke. This is a pretty critical feature for automating a generator. I know the smaller HF generators do not have an automatic choke, I can't remember if the 9500 version does. In very mild/warm climates this may not be an issue.
2-While the process of starting a generator seems very simple, it is actually a series of steps with sorta go/no go options along the way. When you are manually flipping switches, pushing buttons, or pulling cords, these processes and steps seem simple and intuitive. Like just about any automation project, once you decide to let a machine do it, that "simple" operation suddenly needs careful consideration and implementation. In this scenario, if you add things like cold weather, a hard starting generator, or a generator that starts and then dies on the first attempt, the solution to successfully starting, monitoring and protecting the generator run and start circuits gets way more complex that one would think. Standby generators have all of this thought out and built in. If you must automate your portable generator, check out Atkinson Electronics GSCM modules. I have used them, they are well thought out, address most of the issues I mention above, and likely have a wiring schematic for your generator by now. An additional challenge you will face is deciding what device you want to signal the generator to start-and you will likely have to make some sort of relay output device for that task.
3-You will be breaking into the wiring of your generator to modify it. Voids your warranty. And depending on the generator and your skill level, can be a LOT more work than you are looking for.
4-Colder climates? You may very well need an oil pan heater with outboard thermostatic controls to keep the oil warm enough to get the generator to stay running. Installing one of these on an enclosed inverter generator requires you to tear the generator very far apart. A problem I've seen is cold weather will cause thick oil. The generator will start, run for several seconds, then due to thick oil and low oil pressure, will shutdown due to a low oil pressure switch designed to protect it from low oil levels. In a manually operated generator, the person operating the generator would simply restart the generator once or twice and then everything is fine. In an automated portable, the module that you add can be fooled by this unusual set of events into a fault and lockout mode-requiring a person to reset the controls of the generator and module.
5-To automate a portable generator for continuous standby duty, you will need to leave the generators control circuit on all the time. This requires that you add an outboard battery charger/minder. I have used Noco products successfully for this application.
6-To run your battery charger and possible oil heater, you will need to supply a dedicated 120VAC power circuit to your generator. This will likely need protection from the elements.
7-Portable generators are not meant to be left outside 24/7. Doing so is hard on them. UV degradation of paints and plastics occurs rapidly. Water incursion of the controls and outlets can cause tripped breakers or damaged components.
8-Rodents. Fucking rodents. They will eat your portable generators power output cords, the power cord you use to run the battery charger, the wiring and plastic of the generator itself if they manage to find a way in-which they are disturbingly adept at doing.
9-Automating two generators to run in parallel? I haven't even done THAT! Sounds like a challenge, as IIRC, one generator often needs to be running before the second one starts and connects.

None of the above problems are insurmountable. Lots of DIY folks who are, shall we say adventurous, have done it. I've done it. But in the end, it typically ends up being a lot of work, if you hire a pro to do it-and a lot of pros understandably won't touch such a project-it will be quite expensive, and the end result can produce sub-par results or an installation that isn't really that reliable because its quirky or subject to weather or animal damage.
Whereas a home standby generator address ALL of the above, and often includes a whole-home or critical-loads transfer switch that controls the generator for in the $5000 range. Granted, you still have the installation costs of that generator, which typically equal the purchase price for most installations, but then it's done and done.

I don't know if that helped you at all, but at least you should have a clear picture of what you can expect based on hard-won experience, as well as a couple of parts sources should you decide to move forward.

This! As an electiral contractor I feild this "call" for friends and aquaintences 4-6 times a year. So frustrating. I don't think most can be done for even the $10K mentioned above. Most all my calls want whole home backup and I personally think most need to budget $20K plus for a complete safe install on a decent quality unit. Double that for Diesel, which is my choice. We are commercial electrical contractor an install 2-5 generators on our projects a year. In my 21 years in buisness for myself we have never installed or seen a spec on anything other than Diesel.

 

[BabyRay]

This! As an electiral contractor I feild this "call" for friends and aquaintences 4-6 times a year. So frustrating. I don't think most can be done for even the $10K mentioned above. Most all my calls want whole home backup and I personally think most need to budget $20K plus for a complete safe install on a decent quality unit. Double that for Diesel, which is my choice. We are commercial electrical contractor an install 2-5 generators on our projects a year. In my 21 years in buisness for myself we have never installed or seen a spec on anything other than Diesel.

I’d say you’re correct on the cost. I got three quotes, in March of 2021, and all were $18-20k. And, those didn’t include moving our gas meter, which would have been required, at a cost of over $2k. I’m sure that by now those quotes would be even higher.

What killed me was that just a few years earlier, we had one installed at our cabin, which was in bum-f*ck Egypt, for about $10k. That made it difficult to swallow the new quotes that WEREN’T in bumf*ck Egypt, so I stuck with a small portable and heavy extension cords to the fridge and the fireplace blower…one at a time. I might regret it as I get older and it gets hard to deal with, but it would have been very expensive insurance for our needs.

I considered a manual transfer switch and a larger portable, but at the time I wanted whole-house or nothing. Maybe I’ll reconsider that.

 

[X Hoser]

This! As an electiral contractor I feild this "call" for friends and aquaintences 4-6 times a year. So frustrating. I don't think most can be done for even the $10K mentioned above. Most all my calls want whole home backup and I personally think most need to budget $20K plus for a complete safe install on a decent quality unit. Double that for Diesel, which is my choice. We are commercial electrical contractor an install 2-5 generators on our projects a year. In my 21 years in buisness for myself we have never installed or seen a spec on anything other than Diesel.

I’d say you’re correct on the cost. I got three quotes, in March of 2021, and all were $18-20k. And, those didn’t include moving our gas meter, which would have been required, at a cost of over $2k. I’m sure that by now those quotes would be even higher.

What killed me was that just a few years earlier, we had one installed at our cabin, which was in bum-f*ck Egypt, for about $10k. That made it difficult to swallow the new quotes that WEREN’T in bumf*ck Egypt, so I stuck with a small portable and heavy extension cords to the fridge and the fireplace blower…one at a time. I might regret it as I get older and it gets hard to deal with, but it would have been very expensive insurance for our needs.

I considered a manual transfer switch and a larger portable, but at the time I wanted whole-house or nothing. Maybe I’ll reconsider that.

I’m sure commercial applications are much higher kW and cost much more, but I don’t know that for sure?

Right now at electricgeneratorsdirect.com you can get a Generac 22kW, 200A whole house generator that will run on LP of NG with the flip of a switch. They also come with Whole House transfer Switches and shipping is included for $6250. Installation will vary widely depending on location of the electrical meter and gas meter. On my last one the main electrical panel and gas meter were within 8’ of each other. Electricians charged me $1500. to install the transfer switch during rough electric and $500 to wire to the generator post exterior finish. Plumber charged $250 to run the 1” gas line to the generator with shut off valve. I also had a cement pad poured for it at a cost of $1000. (Larger than what I actually needed). I think my last one was best case scenario for ease of installation.

That is how I came up with the $10k. I did check with the contractor that is building the homes in or subdivision and he said his charge to include it in the price of the home is $15k. at the signing of the purchase contract.

 

[DirtyWhiteDog]

California does not allow the ones on the meter, you need a box next to the meter and tie them together

View attachment 1462769

Also you have just modified a listed product, the meter box, if there is an electrical fire while on the generator or even utility power your insurance has a way out to cover you.

 

[Done-it-again]

Also you have just modified a listed product, the meter box, if there is an electrical fire while on the generator or even utility power your insurance has a way out to cover you.

Maybe not as California approves this "modified" product.

If what you say is true, then all transfer switches fall under what you say.

 

[Waterjunky]

I read your reasons for not just getting a "whole home" standby generator, and while I don't necessarily agree with the conclusion you came to, I understand your logic.
Anyway you cut, any type of backup generator has drawbacks.
You should be able to automate the predators-but by the time you go through doing it, you will likely wish you had just purchased a 22 or 24KW standby generator built for the purpose.
To clarify, I have modified a number of portable generators to serve as two-wire start standby generators with success, but at the end of the day, what you have is a modified generator that is still a portable generator.
Here's the challenges and issues you are up against:
1-Most portable generators do not have an automatic choke. This is a pretty critical feature for automating a generator. I know the smaller HF generators do not have an automatic choke, I can't remember if the 9500 version does. In very mild/warm climates this may not be an issue.
2-While the process of starting a generator seems very simple, it is actually a series of steps with sorta go/no go options along the way. When you are manually flipping switches, pushing buttons, or pulling cords, these processes and steps seem simple and intuitive. Like just about any automation project, once you decide to let a machine do it, that "simple" operation suddenly needs careful consideration and implementation. In this scenario, if you add things like cold weather, a hard starting generator, or a generator that starts and then dies on the first attempt, the solution to successfully starting, monitoring and protecting the generator run and start circuits gets way more complex that one would think. Standby generators have all of this thought out and built in. If you must automate your portable generator, check out Atkinson Electronics GSCM modules. I have used them, they are well thought out, address most of the issues I mention above, and likely have a wiring schematic for your generator by now. An additional challenge you will face is deciding what device you want to signal the generator to start-and you will likely have to make some sort of relay output device for that task.
3-You will be breaking into the wiring of your generator to modify it. Voids your warranty. And depending on the generator and your skill level, can be a LOT more work than you are looking for.
4-Colder climates? You may very well need an oil pan heater with outboard thermostatic controls to keep the oil warm enough to get the generator to stay running. Installing one of these on an enclosed inverter generator requires you to tear the generator very far apart. A problem I've seen is cold weather will cause thick oil. The generator will start, run for several seconds, then due to thick oil and low oil pressure, will shutdown due to a low oil pressure switch designed to protect it from low oil levels. In a manually operated generator, the person operating the generator would simply restart the generator once or twice and then everything is fine. In an automated portable, the module that you add can be fooled by this unusual set of events into a fault and lockout mode-requiring a person to reset the controls of the generator and module.
5-To automate a portable generator for continuous standby duty, you will need to leave the generators control circuit on all the time. This requires that you add an outboard battery charger/minder. I have used Noco products successfully for this application.
6-To run your battery charger and possible oil heater, you will need to supply a dedicated 120VAC power circuit to your generator. This will likely need protection from the elements.
7-Portable generators are not meant to be left outside 24/7. Doing so is hard on them. UV degradation of paints and plastics occurs rapidly. Water incursion of the controls and outlets can cause tripped breakers or damaged components.
8-Rodents. Fucking rodents. They will eat your portable generators power output cords, the power cord you use to run the battery charger, the wiring and plastic of the generator itself if they manage to find a way in-which they are disturbingly adept at doing.
9-Automating two generators to run in parallel? I haven't even done THAT! Sounds like a challenge, as IIRC, one generator often needs to be running before the second one starts and connects.

None of the above problems are insurmountable. Lots of DIY folks who are, shall we say adventurous, have done it. I've done it. But in the end, it typically ends up being a lot of work, if you hire a pro to do it-and a lot of pros understandably won't touch such a project-it will be quite expensive, and the end result can produce sub-par results or an installation that isn't really that reliable because its quirky or subject to weather or animal damage.
Whereas a home standby generator address ALL of the above, and often includes a whole-home or critical-loads transfer switch that controls the generator for in the $5000 range. Granted, you still have the installation costs of that generator, which typically equal the purchase price for most installations, but then it's done and done.

I don't know if that helped you at all, but at least you should have a clear picture of what you can expect based on hard-won experience, as well as a couple of parts sources should you decide to move forward.

This very much sounds like the answer...... Manual it is! I chose to go portable for a handful of reason that are specific to my application. I am not in a colder climate so that should not be a terrible issue for me. I will be adding a battery maintainer to them just as a matter of function. The automation part was just a passing thought once I went to the portable side. If I was doing a real standby, I would totally go that direction but I am not. I truly wanted a diesel powered unit as I have a reasonable supply on property, but that gets into real money very fast. I do not have Natural Gas and for the duration of my outages over the last several years, propane is less than ideal. Gas or diesel, I can easily haul in, propane is call someone and have it show when it is convenient for them. As an added benefit, If I move in the near future, the expensive part of the system moves with me. I am not worried about short term blackouts like many on here are. They are not my issue. I am fine for an hour or two without power. My concerns are the 1/2 day and longer issues.

Again, every situation is different. This is the most cost effective and practical for me.

Thanks for the breakdown on this. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[Done-it-again]

Just bought this and have an electrician to wire it in as soon as I get it.

Now just need to tap the NG meter to feed the generator. Soon as this is all done, Rosena Ranch won’t be shut off do to winds anymore. Lol

Reliance Controls 10-Circuit 30 Amp Manual Transfer Switch Kit 310CRK - The Home Depot

Deliver power to hard-wired appliances in your home with the selection of this Reliance Controls Manual Transfer Switch Kit.

www.homedepot.com

 

[adam909]

Just bought this and have an electrician to wire it in as soon as I get it.

Now just need to tap the NG meter to feed the generator. Soon as this is all done, Rosena Ranch won’t be shut off do to winds anymore. Lol

Reliance Controls 10-Circuit 30 Amp Manual Transfer Switch Kit 310CRK - The Home Depot

Deliver power to hard-wired appliances in your home with the selection of this Reliance Controls Manual Transfer Switch Kit.

www.homedepot.com

which electrician was able to squeeze you in? Rosena just had a shut off a week or so ago so im sure they got slammed.

 

[Done-it-again]

Just called Hugo and he sent me what was needed. Said as soon as I get the parts he can schedule that same week.

 

[adam909]

Just called Hugo and he sent me what was needed. Said as soon as I get the parts he can schedule that same week.

Glad it worked out.

 

[SHOCKtheMONKEY]

If you want to go cheap...

Safety Generator Interlock kit

Natupal Generator Interlock Kit Compatible with most mode

www.amazon.com

Amazon.com

 

[Ricks raft]

I have stated many many times…
Portable Generators are not the best idea for home backup for pro longed outages…

Why… because they run out of gas, and people pour gas into a very hot engine/exhaust… which can cause fire based on the fuel vapors alone. But if it gets over filled, then you have and extremely high likelihood of causing a fire.

FOR HOME BACK UP for long periods of time, please get a generator thats connected permanently to Nat Gas or Propane with a Auto Transfer Switch…

Please, call the local Generac dealers, and get 3 - 4 quotes, and go with the one you like the best. Its not cheap… but its not going to burn your house down…

Seriously… portable gas generators in this application is just STUPID… DONT DO IT!!!!!!!

Though I get your point and permanent auto switch generators are great. Those of us in rural areas have been using portable generators for years/decades. Whether simply plugging in individual items, Or as long as you disconnect utility feed, you can use an existing feed like a 30amp dryer plug, or a manual or automatic switch. So maybe we’ve been “stupid” for a long time….

 

[DirtyWhiteDog]

Maybe not as California approves this "modified" product.

If what you say is true, then all transfer switches fall under what you say.

The one shone, actually attaches to a listed product. Having the feeders from the meter box going to a separate listed transfer switch is a different story. I'm not saying that it will be a problem, just that it could be.