That's what I have.

And, there is no possibility of intercepting the incoming wires and rerouting them to your double throw switch without lengthening them. I'm not too keen on trying to lengthen them by adding a crimped lug inside the original 100 amp panel (if legal at all).

I'd probably need new leads from the weather head to the switch.

I did, however find a 100 amp breaker panel on e-bay that included a 30 amp breaker for the generator. The panel functioned just like your double throw transfer switch...........either the 100 amp breaker powered the panel from the utility or the 30 amp breaker powered the panel from the generator. It looked like a real clean solution for about $200.

They want to be able to run the AC, and it draws a bit, plus a dryer.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I bought this in 2003 after the great Northeast Blackout. I've always had generators, this replaced a 1967 10KW Pincor with a VH4D Wisconsin engine. It worked great, it just produced too much heat for summer operation. I took it with me when I moved to PA, where it is installed in my second garage. It was made by Global Power Products, a division of Mack Boring and Parts in NJ. It uses a Yanmar engine and Newage alternator. It is auto-start capable but I'm not using that feature. Due to its location and its 1800 RPM operation, I can't hear it and neither can any of my neighbors. Of course, since I moved to PA I haven't needed it, but it did see some use on LI.

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Brian,

You can extend your wires using some of these and taping or heat shrink tubing them for protection. Of course, they would have to be in a weatherproof enclosure.

Shop IDEAL Terminal Wire Connector at Lowes.com

Here's a picture of my old transfer switch that I built for about $70. I fabricated the red slider that keeps the breakers separate and prevent back feed.

The power and generator feeds come into the 2 breakers and out of the main lugs to the other breaker box.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

That's a really nice setup! I bet that Midwest switch wasn't cheap!

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

Thanks Evan.

That's a decent homemade transfer switch.......

Those connectors look perfect, but I'm not exactly enamored with the Rube Goldberg approach with tape and/or heat shrink tubing to prevent them from contacting the enclosure shell.

Do you know if they make insulated connectors of the same type?

I've never seen insulated ones. I think standard procedure is to wrap them with tape. An all weather plastic enclosure would further insulate them from a short. I'm not a "real" electrician, I just play one on TV so there may be better solutions out there that I'm not aware of.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

NSI makes a nice insulated connector. If you use the uninsulated ones wrap them with insulating tape which is different from electrical tape. Done hundreds of both and never had a problem with either, just that the insulated ones are about 5 times the cost of an uninsulated one. There is a company that sells interlock kits like you made, but they are a UL listed component. If you were to ever have a fire, or someone got electrocuted, and your insurance co. discovered a homemade device on your panel your coverage would be denied, regardless of whether or not it caused the problem. There are also some panels that come from the factory with the interlock setup. Personally, I prefer to feed the whole house like you did and just monitor what you use instead of doing a critical load panel. Almost every install I have done with a critical load panel I have had to go back and tie other circuits into it as the locations of power usage in the house have changed, but the total load has not increased.

__________________
1984 300TD 1981 240D

Great to see!

We just ordered a diesel generator a few weeks ago which I thought was very odd (We're always get along just fine whenever we lose power.) However losing the food in the fridges and freezers is always a worry.

__________________
1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

Similar, without the need for the secondary switch panel:

Generator Transfer Switch Panel100 Amp / 30 Amp

That thing was $2400??

I know little to nothing about generators, but I expected the price to approach $10k. Nice to know

__________________
08 R320 CDI current

Past
95 E420
87 300D Turbo 5spd
90 300TE
83 300SD
85 300TD
92 400E
85 190D

I had a local electrician (the same one who wired the house when it was built) do the job. It included wiring from the shop building to the house (underground), the transfer switch ($400 and change), the trenching, and the inspection by the local utility. I sited the generator and wired it to it's existing breaker, and ran the exhaust outside. The generator was $6200 in 2003. I keep about 10 gallons of diesel fuel on hand, and of course can access the fuel in my 300D, and if things are really bad, can tap into the 2003 Dodge with its 35 gallon capacity.

Couple new ones:

New gas line installed:



Prepping the area where the trench is running:



It's been far too rainy to do any dirt work so It will have to wait a while.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

I'm back on this job now.

I rented a 24" trencher and did the trench work. One note, I wouldn't recommend this type trencher unless you're at least 200 pounds. To steer, you have to lift yourself up on the handles, make it "pop a wheelie" and then swing it around. You really have to physically jerk it around and by the end of the day, I was pretty beat.

they make other types that have actual steering wheels and I'd look for one of those instead.



For trenching up to the fence, I had to turn around and back trench until the two met.



After finishing the heavy work with the machine, I had to clean up the trench by hand. the trench shovel comes in handy for this.



My best side!



Finally finished and ready for conduit tomorrow.



More to come.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250