[Sidewinder]

I just bought a home standby generator 16,000kw.

It comes with a 100amp Transfer Switch.

My question is will this transfer switch be able to power my double throw 100amp sub panel that runs my basement.

Or do I need to get a 200smp transfer switch?

[ZX-12R]

16 megawatts? Damn that's large!

Typos aside, 16KW is still pretty damn big. Anyway, if you are planing on running everything in your house off of the generator when the power fails, it is accepted practice to match the rating of your transfer switch to the main breaker in your panel. Unless you are running some serious hydroponics and growing lights in your house, it is very unlikely that you would ever draw over 100A.

You'll be perfectly fine with your 100A transfer switch.

[RandyO]

16,000kw...... you need more than a 200 amp switch


I assume you mean 16kw or 16,000 w

@ 110v that is 145 amps or @ 220 only 72 amps

sounds like if it's puttin out 220 feed yer ok with a 100 amp switch

that's a BIG generator, I power my whole house with a 6500w generator and it keep up pretty good @ 50% load

[Sidewinder]

Yes my bad, 16kw

Yes I plan on powering my whole house with this guy.

I have 3 floors of living, heated garage and a hot tub I would like to keep running incase of a long winter powerloss. "Not all at once"

Thanks guys that ease my mind as the 200 amp switch is just another 1,000 to the already expensive project.

[richw]

I say NO

The transfer switch SHOULD intercept the connection of the house to the grid.

When it is thrown the house is disconnected from the line and hooked to the generator.

The other way disconnects the generator and then hooks you back to the grid... so the full line power passes through the disconnect switch.

That is the legal way so that you don't try to power the world with your generator. POP and you let the smoke out.

Your generator does NOT energize the wires so a lineman does not get Killed which makes them unhappy and you liable if they caught you.

If you were 100% organized like me and ALWAYS pulled the whole house breaker then you can just hot wire it

16000 watts is a biggun so I might actually do it right especially if you need it often. I am happy to say I have had my generator for 8 years and never really used it.



Look at home depot I thought a MANUAL 200 A 220S switch was under $400 everyday

[Sidewinder]

I'm not doing the work, I'm having a electrician do the work. So I would only have to assume that its going to be hooked up the to code.

My own concern right now is puckering up another grand or not.

Do I need the 200amp or not?

[ZX-12R]

Originally posted by Sidewinder
Do I need the 200amp or not?

You do not need a 200A switch. 100A is just fine.

For my own curiosity, is it a manual or automatic one?

[Sidewinder]

Automatic I belive, When the power goes out the generator kicks on then when the power comes back on the generator stops running so I would assume automatic?

[ZX-12R]

That's an automatic one. Manual transfer switches of the same rating are typically less than half the price of an automatic one.

[Nazo]

Just get a few guys to lift it up


just my $.02

[Sidewinder]

Yea I'm going to need a couple of guys to lift it are you volunteering?
Haha good one!

[burnham]

Be carefull with your electronics when using the generator, as the load increases the voltage goes down. You'll notice the lights dim, a digital volt meter is the way to go if you can get one. If the unit is new, tighten all the connections inside the cabinet, they're usally loose. What size is the service on your house? If you are trying to feed the whole house you will need to size the transfer switch based on the size of your electrical service, as it will need to si-mul-tay-nee-yus-lee (spelling?) disconnect the line from the street and connect the generator ( what Rich said ).The transfer swith will carry the load for the home under normal conditions, it's basically a double pole double through switch. Probably going to need a 200 amp transfer. When you feed the house this way there is nothing to keep you from overloading the generator, so be mindfull. The other way of doing it is using a Gen-Tran sub-panel, and pick 10 or 12 circuits you want to feed off the generator. I think I saw somebody install one of these, once.

[KevinB]

I haven't done gen set ups with auto transfer switches, but pretty sure you want to match the rating of your main circuit breaker. I've done a few of the Gen Tran manual set ups, they work fine for most people. I'd only buy an auto transfer switch if the generator system is fully automatic.

KevinB

[R7]

Only cost me 40 bux to hook the gernerator to the house and it involves a cord from my generator to the drier plug Turn the main breaker off and whatever else is not needed. Illegal, yes, fuctional.. VERY

[snaggle]

Did it come with a transfer switch or a transfer panel? If it is a switch then your whole house will be running through it. Since you say you have a 100 amp sub panel in the basement then I assume you have a 200 amp service to your house. Most of these generators come with transfer panels where you select 20 or so circuits that you want to run with the generator and your electrician will wire these into the new panel which has the integral auto transfer switch. When the power goes out this panel starts the generator and transfers the selected circuits to generator power. ese panels are usually prewired and are not capable of running a 100 amp sub panel.

[burnham]

Only cost me 40 bux to hook the gernerator to the house and it involves a cord from my generator to the drier plug Turn the main breaker off and whatever else is not needed. Illegal, yes, fuctional.. VERY

That's what I do.

[Rice-rocket1]

Originally posted by R7
Only cost me 40 bux to hook the gernerator to the house and it involves a cord from my generator to the drier plug Turn the main breaker off and whatever else is not needed. Illegal, yes, fuctional.. VERY

Not only illegal, but a good way to get some one killed.

[Rice-rocket1]

Simple answer.

(If you are feeding the whole house)

If your main breaker in the house panel is 100 amps then that is all you need for the transfer switch. If your main breaker is 200 amps then you need a 200 amp transfer sw.

The 100 amps for the generator and street power do NOT add up to make 200 amps. Whether you’re using street power or gen power it is still only 100 amps going through the switch. If you have 200 amp street power then you need to have the 200 amp switch because the switch current carrying parts need to be able to carry that power.


(If you are feeding just a 100 amp sub panel then the 100 amp transfer is fine.)


Also don't do the drier receptacle route as like I said it is a good way to kill some one. It leaves a chance that one of the exposed male plugs can be energized when you’re working with it, because it can be back fed from the generator or the house.

[richw]

I have the drier back feed too but requires responsible care.

Your generator seems to big for the drier deal

If you need it often and maybe a young family and you travel etc. then the auto may be worth it

[Sidewinder]

Well I have 200 amp service, according to the manual I only have 16 circuits that are covered on the transfer switch. I have 22 circuits in the house total. So I wont be feeding all of the circuits.

Your supposed to match up the Circuits on the trasfer switch to what you have in the house. On this model that I purchased there is not a circuit large enough for 2 100 amp throws.

If I buy the 200amp does it come with 2 100amp throws?

I'm freaking lost!

[RandyO]

what kid of fuel does your generator run ?

gasoline, natural gas, lp gas or diesel ?

is your generator 16kw peak or continuous load?

mine is not automatic, or even electric start, I have to pull start the 12hp tecumsa then throe a 100 amp manual switch

works nice

generators are most efficient at 50% load and I have to turn stuff on and use more electricity than normal to get it up to 50%

I thinks that generator is powerful enuf to power 3 homes

[KevinB]

Do you have a link,website,or photos. What brand, model generator, who makes the switch.I'm guessing you bought something like this.


If so you all set, but you can only run 16 circuits, typically some lighting, kitchen, TV room,bathroom, garage door openers and heating.

Kevin

[Wishbone]

if you have an electrician that is doing the work make him research it. thats what your paying him for

if he don't know, or can't figure it out fire him and hire me, because i could always use side work

[ZX-12R]

Originally posted by Sidewinder
If I buy the 200amp does it come with 2 100amp throws?

A 100A 220V breaker has 2 100A poles.

A 200A 220V breaker has 2 200A poles.

If one pole of the breaker trips, it will also trip the other one because they are connected together.

The circuit breaker protects your wiring from too much current. The more current you are drawing, the hotter your wiring will get. Voltage has no direct effect on wire size (only insulation size). If you are drawing 100A on a 220V circuit, you are pulling the limit of what your 100A wiring can take so the 100A breaker will trip. If you are drawing 100A at 110V on just one phase, the 100A breaker will trip.

Think of it this way. A 220V 100A breaker has a power limit of 22,000W (Power = Voltage * current). That means each phase (110V) has a maximum power of 11,000W. If you exceed 11,000W on either phase, the main breaker will trip. This is why you should not put all of your high power appliances (water heater, range, oil burner, well pump, welder, etc.) on one phase since it will be overloaded while the other one is barely being utilized.

This all made sense to me while I was writing it. If you are lost, I can regroup and think of a better way to explain it.

[Sidewinder]

Not like it exactly it, I talked over the phone with the "sparky" today, he told me I need to get a 200 Amp Transfer Switch with Service Disconnect "If" I wanted to run the whole house.

Kevin says I can run 16 circuits using the 100amp switch while other here say I need to match my street power which is 200amp.

So If I want to power 16 circuits excluding the subpanel I'm "ok"
But If I want to use the generator to run everything I must get a 200amp transfer switch.

ZX12 very good break down thank you!

Originally posted by KevinB
Do you have a link,website,or photos. What brand, model generator, who makes the switch.I'm guessing you bought something like this.
Kevin