Question on generator hook up to meter

rcems2000

rcems2000

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I'm looking at getting this to be safe and make simple hook up for generator. Any options, options yall have would help. I have no idea on this subject. I called Duke power this morning trying to get instal price. Was told engineer would call me back. Im sure duke will be $$$$$. Can regular electrician install ?.Screenshot_20201218-115038_Gallery.jpg
 
it is up to the power company if they allow them, and your power company or a licensed electrician can install. out here i just had the power company install, it was quick and easy.
 
You do not hook up to a meter 99% of the time. You set up a feed to your home with a transfer switch into your breaker box ... which is done by an electrian and usually requires county permits and inspection to be all proper. The generator dealer should be your main source there.
 
That seems like and over-engineered solution to me. The big transfer (on-off-lon) switch is simple and effective (albeit bigger). And it doesn't require all the mess and paperwork.... just a reputable electrician.

Of course, I haven't been an electrician in a decade or so. It's possible they've been outlawed because they're simple and effective.
 
NCFubar said:
You do not hook up to a meter 99% of the time. You set up a feed to your home with a transfer switch into your breaker box ... which is done by an electrian and usually requires county permits and inspection to be all proper. The generator dealer should be your main source there.
Click to expand...

this is a transfer switch that installs at the meter, which is why it requires permission from the power company. its actually pretty nice, hook up your power cable and you have full control over what you power in your panel. iirc, there is also an option to automatically switch off generator power once is senses power has been restored. it cost me the same as it would've to have a limited transfer switch panel installed by an electrician, so no brainer.
 
SPST said:
I just had a transfer switch panel installed by my main panel for my generator. I called several electricians and they wanted $800+ to install. A member here turned me on to a guy that would do it on the side and he did it for $300. View attachment 279189
Click to expand...
How much was the permit for that? How did you get around the code violations?
 
One of the better ways to hook up a generator is through a manual transfer switch (MTS). The easiest method is to install one that is the same capacity as your incoming power (typically 200 amp), otherwise you have to select which circuits to switch over to a subpanel that is fed by a lower capacity transfer switch.

Here is a new, 200A manual transfer switch for sale for $410 with $100 shipping.

www.ebay.com

Eaton DT224URK-NPS C-H 200A 240-Volt Safety Switch Double Throw for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Eaton DT224URK-NPS C-H 200A 240-Volt Safety Switch Double Throw at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
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Have an electrician install this in-between the meter and your main load center. Then your generator would wire into this MTS and you'd be ready to go. The MTS will prevent your generator from back-feeding the main power lines, yet allow you to operate anything in your home as long as it does not exceed the current capacity of your generator.
 
Scsmith42 said:
One of the better ways to hook up a generator is through a manual transfer switch (MTS). The easiest method is to install one that is the same capacity as your incoming power (typically 200 amp), otherwise you have to select which circuits to switch over to a subpanel that is fed by a lower capacity transfer switch.

Here is a new, 200A manual transfer switch for sale for $410 with $100 shipping.

www.ebay.com

Eaton DT224URK-NPS C-H 200A 240-Volt Safety Switch Double Throw for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Eaton DT224URK-NPS C-H 200A 240-Volt Safety Switch Double Throw at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com

Have an electrician install this in-between the meter and your main load center. Then your generator would wire into this MTS and you'd be ready to go. The MTS will prevent your generator from back-feeding the main power lines, yet allow you to operate anything in your home as long as it does not exceed the current capacity of your generator.
Click to expand...
This the best way to do this^^^^• Also simple.
 
BlackGun said:
This the best way to do this^^^^• Also simple.
Click to expand...
This is what I ended up with. Because Duke said no.
But how is that simpler than a plug and play to the meter?
I watched the job being done. It was not simple.
 
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Just really looked at the OP specs ... rated for 4,000 to 10,000 watts. That is enough to run lights, compute & modem, TV along with a frig and freezer but after that you’d need to count load items ... 1,000 watts for say microwave, coffee maker, toaster oven ... it adds up.
 
BASIL said:
This is what I ended up with. Because Duke said no.
But how is that simpler than a plug and play to the meter?
I watched the job being done. It was not simple.
Click to expand...
Simplier than a manual switch or a whole house generator auto system. For an electrician that is.
 
Scsmith42 said:
One of the better ways to hook up a generator is through a manual transfer switch (MTS). The easiest method is to install one that is the same capacity as your incoming power (typically 200 amp), otherwise you have to select which circuits to switch over to a subpanel that is fed by a lower capacity transfer switch.

Here is a new, 200A manual transfer switch for sale for $410 with $100 shipping.

www.ebay.com

Eaton DT224URK-NPS C-H 200A 240-Volt Safety Switch Double Throw for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Eaton DT224URK-NPS C-H 200A 240-Volt Safety Switch Double Throw at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com

Have an electrician install this in-between the meter and your main load center. Then your generator would wire into this MTS and you'd be ready to go. The MTS will prevent your generator from back-feeding the main power lines, yet allow you to operate anything in your home as long as it does not exceed the current capacity of your generator.
Click to expand...

BlackGun said:
This the best way to do this^^^^• Also simple.
Click to expand...

This is what I was trying to say. Y'all just said it better.
 
I had an electrician quote me $600 to install a 50a exterior hookup. I would jump on a $300 install quickly.
 
Y'all made me curious about my set up. We haven't had to run the generators since we moved to the mountains. I think I'll drag them out tomorrow and fire them both up for a bit.
Gen1.jpg
Gen2.jpg
 
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BASIL said:
This is what I ended up with. Because Duke said no.
But how is that simpler than a plug and play to the meter?
I watched the job being done. It was not simple.
Click to expand...
Basil, it’s simpler than other options if the power company does not allow the use of the MTS plug into the meter base.

clearly, the plug and play into the meter is more simple than anything else..... if the power company allows it.
 
SCshooter57 said:
Y'all made me curious about my set up. We haven't had to run the generators since we moved to the mountains. I think I'll drag them out tomorrow and fire them both up for a bit.
View attachment 279376
View attachment 279377
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Be very careful with that setup as i do not see a means of line power and gen power being interlocked so that it has to be one or the other unless i am missing something.
 
SCshooter57 said:
Y'all made me curious about my set up. We haven't had to run the generators since we moved to the mountains. I think I'll drag them out tomorrow and fire them both up for a bit.
View attachment 279376
View attachment 279377
Click to expand...


That setup works well, and is commonly referred to as "backfeeding" through a breaker. I don't even have the fancy receptacle. If I ever need my generator (still in the box at 5 years old) I'll simply run a cord from the generator directly to a breaker in my garage subpanel. (But I was an electrician off and on for a couple of decades. Don't try this at home.)

Just be absolutely sure to turn your main breaker OFF before plugging in and turning on your generator. If you don't, you'll be sending power down the power lines and quite possibly risking injury to those working to do repairs down the line.

So....

1) Turn the main breaker OFF.

2) Plug in the generator.

3) Make sure the breaker labeled generator is ON.

4) Crank that puppy up and enjoy electricity once again.
 
two fingers said:
Just be absolutely sure to turn your main breaker OFF before plugging in and turning on your generator. If you don't, you'll be sending power down the power lines and quite possibly risking injury to those working to do repairs down the line.
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Yes. that works great. It's very simple and it's still beyond the capabilities of lots of people. it has gotten people hurt/killed.
I'd say "do it at your own risk" but when you do it, you're putting other people at risk.
I will admit to having done it. Sometimes you don't have a lot of choice.
But yeah, disconnect the main first and reconnect it last. I know linemen have to be VERY worried in the suburbs when they are trying to fix lines and hear a few generators one each block humming away...
 
bariman00 said:
Do you have any experience with these? It seems very simple and economical compared to other options.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
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Yup.

Ordered one for my panel, along wuth the plug for outside the house. Had an electrician run the wiring and hook it up. Coulda done it myself in retrospect, but it wasnt an argument I was gonna win with the wife.

Super easy to use too.. usually need to run ours once or more during the summer storms thst come over the mountains and cause outages from wind and crap.
 
Jabroni said:
Yup.

Ordered one for my panel, along wuth the plug for outside the house. Had an electrician run the wiring and hook it up. Coulda done it myself in retrospect, but it wasnt an argument I was gonna win with the wife.

Super easy to use too.. usually need to run ours once or more during the summer storms thst come over the mountains and cause outages from wind and crap.
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Thank you, ill be purchasing this. I've been researching for a simple inexpensive way to hook up and keep from backfeeding the main line. I hadn't found a suitable answer yet. So glad you posted this. Thanks

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
bariman00 said:
Thank you, ill be purchasing this. I've been researching for a simple inexpensive way to hook up and keep from backfeeding the main line. I hadn't found a suitable answer yet. So glad you posted this. Thanks

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Np.
 
DrScaryGuy said:
Yes. that works great. It's very simple
and it's still beyond the capabilities of lots of people. it has gotten people hurt/killed.
I'd say "do it at your own risk" but when you do it, you're putting other people at risk.
I will admit to having done it. Sometimes you don't have a lot of choice.
But yeah, disconnect the main first and reconnect it last. I know linemen have to be VERY worried in the suburbs when they are trying to fix lines and hear a few generators one each block humming away...
Click to expand...

The good news is that those linemen have been trained to assume every linemen is hot always.

But, yeah.... it's the version of generator connectivity that requires the end user to he on top of his game.
 
I use an interlock similar to this, my panel is a 200A Westinghouse. You can buy these or make one yourself.
No way to have both utility and generator feeding the panel, avoids 'crossing the streams'.

Screenshot 2021-01-03 011600.jpg
 
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I have years of experience in residential wiring, commercial facilities wiring, machine tool wiring and controls wiring and yes I've backfed a house.

The problem as I see it with many of the DIY solutions is that "solution" being there for your wife or kids to attempt being "pretty sure" they "know how to do it correctly". 3am with a flashlight in an ice storm is not a time to be "pretty sure".
 
Aardvark said:
I have years of experience in residential wiring, commercial facilities wiring, machine tool wiring and controls wiring and yes I've backfed a house.

The problem as I see it with many of the DIY solutions is that "solution" being there for your wife or kids to attempt being "pretty sure" they "know how to do it correctly". 3am with a flashlight in an ice storm is not a time to be "pretty sure".
Click to expand...

We have gas logs for that. Honestly? We use them about once a year. And my wife is the one who remembers the order of what to do to turn them on. Ha!

But seriously, many here seem to live in a world of worst case scenarios. I can't even remember a time when I wasn't home and the powere was out. And we live in Eastern NC, home of the annual hurricane. I do all of the electrical stuff at my house. Why would I care if my wife and kids know how to do it? That would be like my wife (a pediatrician) worrying about my kids getting sick when she's away. What are the chances of that even happening?
 
DrScaryGuy said:
It's very simple
and it's still beyond the capabilities of lots of people. it has gotten people hurt/killed.
Click to expand...
It makes me wonder how fast that generator would either stall or blow a fuse upon seeing the load for the everything on those two hot phases plus the rest of the grid impedance reflected through the transformer? Still there would be a moment where things would be hot.
 
I had a transfer switch added by a licensed electrician (all permits, inspection, etc performed); this was about 10 years ago and he charged me $600. Worth every penny and we have used it many times. I originally had a gas only generator but gave that to my brother and bought a dual model that will run on propane. Best purchase ever! I keep a 30lb propane tank ready to go (in addition to my various 20lb versions that I keep on hand and use anyway).

I wrote down a step by step procedure, put it in a ziplock bag and taped it to the generator. My wife has done the process multiple times with no issue by following the list. Honestly, go a year without touching it, and I have to review the process once to recall it; but it is very easy.

The transfer switch cuts off from the Power company and back-feeds into the main breaker panel. Only issue is I cannot run HVAC; but can selectively turn on everything else I want to run at the breaker box.

With all that, been seriously thinking about a whole house generator. Spoke to an electrician and got a quote of about $10K. We plan to stay/retire in the house we are in and as I get older, I don't want to have to mess with anything if the power goes out.
 
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