Which generator

[velvetfoot]

499 with coupon. Seems like good deal if it works, hah. My store was out.

http://www.harborfreight.com/8750-P...zIjoiNDk5Ljk5IiwicHJvZHVjdF9pZCI6IjExODQ5In0=

 

[velvetfoot]

I'm not even sure you need the coupon - I think it's built in. 11250080

 

[jatoxico]

@jetsam what do you think about this switch? If feasible I would want it to co-exist with my 240v transfer switch to power a couple low watt load devices/lights. Running the bigger gen-set to keep the lights on at night is loud and silly.

https://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/Reliance-Controls-104B/p50912.html

 

[jetsam]

499 with coupon. Seems like good deal if it works, hah. My store was out.

http://www.harborfreight.com/8750-P...zIjoiNDk5Ljk5IiwicHJvZHVjdF9pZCI6IjExODQ5In0=

"harbor freight" and "good deal" are mutually exclusive in my book.

 

[jetsam]

@jetsam what do you think about this switch? If feasible I would want it to co-exist with my 240v transfer switch to power a couple low watt load devices/lights. Running the bigger gen-set to keep the lights on at night is loud and silly.

https://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/Reliance-Controls-104B/p50912.html

I moved from a similar-but-larger transfer panel to an interlock switch. The interlock is easier to set up but it is more complex to actually use with a smaller generator (because ALL circuits in the house are powered, you have to go around and shut off everything- which may not even be doable if you have children).

I miss the ammeters that my transfer panel had, but otherwise happy with the move. It seems safer to me too, as it guarantees that the mains will be thrown before any circuits in the house are energized. I like that because even with a transfer panel, you never know who has tied what together inside a wall somewhere in your house. Show me a box with two circuits and a three-way switch in it, and I'll show you a high risk situation for some guy on a pole somewhere 20 years down the road.

I would not really want to add a second smaller transfer panel to a box with an existing transfer panel. Are you going to set up a second inlet box? Are you going to be happy with "these 6 circuits only work if generator A is running but these 4 only work if generator B is running?"

I guess in theory you could feed one transfer panel's circuits from the other, and I can't think of a safety reason not to offhand, but I would want to research that before I did it. (I also wouldn't want to explain to a homeowner how to switch between generators with that setup... 'No, when you're using generator A, transfer panel A is on generator and panel B is on utility.... yes, I know you're using a generator...")

I really can't think of why that would be unsafe, but I feel like I'm missing something that I should have thought of here...

 

[jatoxico]

Are you going to be happy with "these 6 circuits only work if generator A is running but these 4 only work if generator B is running

Offhand I think I would. One set up for day time running in a multi day blackout where its worth it to drag the bigger unit out so I can run mult high draw circuits at the same time.

The other for more short term power losses, in between times running the larger unit and for overnight. With that I'd run the fridge which needs to be on for long stretches and to run lights, TV, fans and other comfort items.

 

[jotul8e2]

My setup is a little different. Because the switching and pressure tank for the well is in my shop, I have two circuits that run from the meter box - one to the house and one to the shop. We are a 100 % electric household, and this will run everything including the two heat pumps, electric water heater, oven, even the dryer. But during heating season I am running the Jotul F500 anyway.

I have this Generac Guardian generator


which plugs into these outlets


Which is switched and isolated from the utility lines here


The generator is run every quarter for a couple of hours. The electric cord you see at the bottom of the top photo is the lead from the battery tender. This has served us well through several power outages of half a day to two weeks. Fuel consumption seems reasonable, but I shut it off overnight (and put it back in the basement. You never know...). It is too loud to be used in a neighborhood, in my opinion.

I can recommend it if you have larger loads to feed.