On Thu, 08 Jan 2004 00:54:35 GMT, "AL A." wrote:
I bought a transfer panel at a local hardware store. It is the sub panel
type with 2 interlocked 60 amp breakers in it. It was made by
Square D and cost me 70 buck brand new in the box, including the 2 60A
breakers. Will transfer 4 120v circuits (8 if you use the "duplex" type
breakers).

Way cheap insurance and piece of mind.

I use the same box in my house. It is Square D part number
QO4-8M6DS-GP. Home Depot carries it. I have one 30 A
240 volt load breaker for the furnace/air conditioning (takes
up 2 of the available positions), and the other two are duplex
120 volt 15 A breakers feeding four "critical" circuits in the
house.

The interlocked main breakers in the transfer panel eliminate
the possibility of backfeeding the utility or damaging your
generator.

Installing this is simple. Just mount it next to your main
panel, feed its mains side breaker from a 60 amp breaker
in the service panel, feed the generator breaker from the
generator, and move the load wires from their breakers
in the main panel to the new load breakers in the new
panel. It took me less than half an hour to mount and
wire it. It is just like any other simple residential wiring
project. You do not have to pull the meter to install it.

Now there *is* another sort of transfer panel. This type
goes between your utility meter and your service entrance
panel. That one would cost lots more, and you'd have to
pull the meter to install it safely (requiring a permit for a
reconnect in this jurisdiction). That's probably the $1000
solution the electrician was quoting.

But a 7500 watt generator isn't going to be able to carry
a 200 amp service panel anyway, so you don't want that
sort of transfer switch. The little 60 A Square D transfer
panel is perfect for this sort of job.

Gary