Generator - house Transfer switch

[tukky142]

Hi,

I am trying to track down a transfer switch so I can connect my generator to my house supply. I have been searching on the net but havent found my options. The only one i can find is a briggs and stratton with a 13 pin plug socket on it. Its quite large and I dont really want it to be tht big.
Has anyone else come across these switches and could anyone recommend one?

Thanks in advance

 

[Lectrician]

Manual or auto?

 

[plugwash]

as lectrician says do you want manual or auto. Auto will be much more expensive and really needs to be combined with a generator that can autostart for thier to be any point in it.

Also I would advise against putting the whole house on the changeover switch unless your generator is very large. I would have a second CU with the lights and a few socket outlets on the changeover switch and the rest of the house on mains only.

 

[tukky142]

manual - its only for a back up supply as we do get power cuts from time to time - The generator isnt that big and we woul donyl use it to run ch pump couple of lights etc. What the difference between switching off circuits you dont need through flicking the switch on the consumer and fitting a separate CU?

 

[RF Lighting]

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_In...tchgear_Index/Change_Over_Switches/index.html

 

[plugwash]

fitting a second CU has a few advantages

1: more conviniant/less chance of screwups that will trip out the generator.
2: you don't have to mess with wiring before the CU (you can just feeed the changeover switch from a breaker in the main CU)
3: you can use a lower rated (and thus cheaper) changeover switch.

TLC have some changeover switches at http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_In...tchgear_Index/Change_Over_Switches/index.html , a 32A one and a 63A one, as you can see there is rather a large price difference.

 

[tukky142]

Thanks for the link. - Do you get switches with a power light built in so you can see when the main supply is back on?

 

[tukky142]

Hi,

Can you tell me how to calculate the size of changeover switch for my generator.

The generator outputs max 2.8KVA rated at 2.5KVA - 240 volts.
It says 16 amp output socket

Can you tell me the size of switch I require - I was looking at the TLC changeover switches - I presume 32A one would be good enough.

 

[Spark123]

What is the switch supplying when switched to mains? A full consumer unit?

 

[tukky142]

I did originally plan to supply the current consumer unit - but since reading threads it looks like a better option to insatll another consumer unit and just power this.

 

[Spark123]

The switch size will depend on what sort of current you will need for the consumer unit, if it is only a small one supplied from a 32A MCB then a 32A changeover will do.