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  #31  
Old 04-07-2012, 11:12 PM
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Wuss dig it with a hand shovel!

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  #32  
Old 04-08-2012, 08:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hatterasguy View Post
Wuss dig it with a hand shovel!
Shoot, the machine beat me bad enough as it is!

A little more progress today:

Had to drill an extra hole in the housing for the power wires. The factory provided a pitiful 1" opening. I don't know if they expect everything to go through that but no, it won't...



Here's the connection to the housing with the LB's installed and connected to the conduit:



I used a heat gun to bend a few custom angles to avoid more joints and the expense of extra fittings:



From there, I moved down the line, cutting, fitting and bonding the pieces:

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  #33  
Old 04-08-2012, 08:41 PM
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That's pretty neat how you did that "Captain Audio Video".
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  #34  
Old 05-26-2012, 03:54 PM
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So, for the final chapter in this saga, the conduit is now buried and cable pulling begins. I stretched out the control cables and cut them to length:



Since the cables are all the same color, they're marked with roman numerals. Later, they'll get colored tape:



Now the hard part begins, the pulling. Here, the power cable is prepped. I used lots of cable lube and had a friend push the cable on one end while I pulled the other. I ended up using rope to pull the cable rather than pull string because of the gauge of cable:



Success! When pulling cable, it's key to have everything working in your favor. Pull downhill if possible, make sure all your couplings are connected so that they don't catch the cable and arrange for someone to help. This is an impossible job without a helping hand:



Routing the control cables in the generator:



Completed generator cabling with color coded tape. The generator wiring was done first since it's the "dead" end of the circuit:



Here's the completed transfer switch wiring. Doing this part last minimizes the home power down time. I also left a generous service loop and secured it wire ties:



The only remaining task before testing is to install the battery. I took the extra step of buying a plastic tray since the bottom of the battery compartment is metal:



The battery is a very tight fit:



I test fired the generator manually first then in auto mode with the cover off. Everything seems to be working perfectly. The control system requires you to go to the corporate website and register for an activation code. This code has to be entered into the system at the generator before it will operate in auto mode:



Everything finished, buttoned up and cleaned:







That's it! If anyone wants to do the same install, I'll be happy to answer any questions. The generators are still available at Costco for around $2300.00 complete with transfer switch. The install materials were about $800.
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Benz Fleet:
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1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250
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  #35  
Old 07-14-2012, 05:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KarTek View Post

That's it! If anyone wants to do the same install, I'll be happy to answer any questions. The generators are still available at Costco for around $2300.00 complete with transfer switch. The install materials were about $800.
Evan,

I've done my research and I'm going to get a portable diesel generator of about 5.5K. It'll be fine for what I need.

However, I loathe giving $350 for a 10 circuit transfer switch or about the same money for a SPDT switch that can handle the utility power of 100A.

What would be the harm in putting an additional 30A breaker in the existing box and wiring the generator to that breaker? If the power fails, I simply turn off the main 100A breaker and turn on the 30A generator (double) breaker.

Cost: $25.00

Simplicity: PRICELESS

Of course, the system relies on ME to shutoff the main and turn on the generator breaker. I'm OK with that.
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  #36  
Old 07-14-2012, 06:16 PM
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Nice install, but...

Why the blue Hell would they require an ACTIVATION CODE for a hardware device? I guess they want to tie it to an owner's name and address, but what business of theirs is that info?

Next they'll be asking for copies of permits and an electrician's signoff before they activate. Someone at Honeywell deserves to have their family yarbles whipped with a thick power cable.
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  #37  
Old 07-14-2012, 08:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Brian Carlton View Post
Evan,

I've done my research and I'm going to get a portable diesel generator of about 5.5K. It'll be fine for what I need.

However, I loathe giving $350 for a 10 circuit transfer switch or about the same money for a SPDT switch that can handle the utility power of 100A.

What would be the harm in putting an additional 30A breaker in the existing box and wiring the generator to that breaker? If the power fails, I simply turn off the main 100A breaker and turn on the 30A generator (double) breaker.

Cost: $25.00

Simplicity: PRICELESS

Of course, the system relies on ME to shutoff the main and turn on the generator breaker. I'm OK with that.
Your solution is fine, but its 100% illegal because most people are stupid and back power the lines in the road. Remember the average person is a moron.

Fine for you, but if you ever move get rid of it.

You could also just get a double sided plug and plug the generator in to power the panel that way.
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  #38  
Old 07-14-2012, 08:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hatterasguy View Post
Your solution is fine, but its 100% illegal because most people are stupid and back power the lines in the road. Remember the average person is a moron.

Fine for you, but if you ever move get rid of it.

You could also just get a double sided plug and plug the generator in to power the panel that way.
Are you an "Average" Person?
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  #39  
Old 07-14-2012, 11:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Hatterasguy View Post
Your solution is fine, but its 100% illegal because most people are stupid and back power the lines in the road. Remember the average person is a moron.

Fine for you, but if you ever move get rid of it.

You could also just get a double sided plug and plug the generator in to power the panel that way.
Yes, I'm fully aware it's not to code. But, since the installation isn't going to be permanent, I'm not too concerned about it.

I don't want to go the route of the double sided plug because the generator output is 30A and one double sided plug is going to be excessive for the 15A or 20A circuits in the house. However, what about simply making my own cable that goes from the generator's 30A receptacle to the 30A receptacle on the dryer? In that scenario, there is no overload to the line and the generator can feed both legs at the same time.
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  #40  
Old 07-14-2012, 11:38 PM
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As I said before for you it would be fine, just make sure no one else ever uses it. From a strictly functional perspective their are no issues with this approach.

FYI I know electricians who do it that way.
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  #41  
Old 07-14-2012, 11:59 PM
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Actually, you can get an interlock plate that rivets to the panel, and keeps both breakers from being on at once. Simple and effective.
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  #42  
Old 07-15-2012, 01:14 AM
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Actually, you can get an interlock plate that rivets to the panel, and keeps both breakers from being on at once. Simple and effective.
Now, there is a economical "transfer switch"!!!!!!!!!
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  #43  
Old 07-15-2012, 01:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Hatterasguy View Post
As I said before for you it would be fine, just make sure no one else ever uses it. From a strictly functional perspective their are no issues with this approach.

FYI I know electricians who do it that way.
Can you ask them one specific technical question?

The generator is equipped with one 30A receptacle that takes a four prong twist lock connector.

Clearly, two prongs are for the hot leads and one prong is for the neutral lead.

Is the fourth simply a ground lead?

The dryer doesn't utilize a ground lead..............just the two hots and a neutral.

Is it mandatory to wire the fourth lead back to the ground bus in the panel?
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  #44  
Old 07-15-2012, 10:36 AM
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Brian, when I was installing the old 5k system 12 years ago, I was totally with you on the cost of transfer switches. I had spent a couple years researching ways to get it done without the cost but even going with a DPDT switch from an electrical supply house was expensive.

I ended up building my own switch from components purchased at Home Depot, using a face plate mounted slider, similar to the one pictured in post 41. All together, it was about $75 for the little 4 space box, a 30A breaker and a 100A breaker. In my system, the transfer switch box was ahead of the feed to the main house breaker box.

You could save the extra expense by simply adding the breaker to your existing box and incorporating the slider which I believe is the way you're thinking anyway.

As for your question on the generator leads, it's hot, hot, neutral, ground. Some codes require separate feeds in the breaker box. If they're tied together in your box, you can join them, if not, you have to keep them separate.
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Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

Last edited by KarTek; 07-15-2012 at 11:00 AM.
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  #45  
Old 07-15-2012, 11:15 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KarTek View Post
Brian, when I was installing the old 5k system 12 years ago, I was totally with you on the cost of transfer switches. I had spent a couple years researching ways to get it done without the cost but even going with a DPDT switch from an electrical supply house was expensive.

I ended up building my own switch from components purchased at Home Depot, using a face plate mounted slider, similar to the one pictured in post 41. All together, it was about $75 for the little 4 space box, a 30A breaker and a 100A breaker. In my system, the transfer switch box was ahead of the feed to the main house breaker box.

You could save the extra expense by simply adding the breaker to your existing box and incorporating the slider which I believe is the way you're thinking anyway.

As for your question on the generator leads, it's hot, hot, neutral, ground. Some codes require separate feeds in the breaker box. If they're tied together in your box, you can join them, if not, you have to keep them separate.
Thanks Evan.

I'm going to go the route of the 30A breaker in my existing box since I have that dryer line doing absolutely nothing at the moment (the dryer is gas).

I'm not all that concerned whether the box is modified to accept the slider. I'm quite sure I can switch off the main when I activate the generator without the slider.

The only question that remains is why the dryer line has only three leads? The plug doesn't accept the fourth ground lead.

In my box, the neutrals and the grounds go to the same bus bar.

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