Yes but many of these "Kirk key" locks have keys that cannot be
duplicated easily.

"Ignoramus3938" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 08 May 2007 01:00:31 +0100, Mark Rand
wrote:
On Mon, 07 May 2007 18:05:13 -0500, Ignoramus23720
wrote:

I have this generator:

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/onan/Diesel/

I bought these interlocks on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=300106024488

They are actually quite large, the photo does not do them justice.

My plan is to place interlocks so that either the generator's
disconnect is closed, or the main panel breaker is closed, but
never
both.

That's what they were designed for, if it is unclear to anyone, I
can
explain it in more detail, or see:
http://www.kirkkey.com/index.html

I would lock up another key (they are keyed alike) in my safe so
that its use cannot defeat this system.

I believe that this arrangement fully satisfies the rule that a
mechanical interlock device should prevent both sources of power
from
coming in contact.

Any comments?

i


It's a perfectly acceptable solution and I've used it on power
station
transfer boards.

Mark, thanks. To answer other people's concerns, I am not going to
duplicate the keys. I think that to prevent use of the second key, I
may simply put both keys on one steel "connecting link" (a shackle
used to connect chains) and will weld the link shut so that they
cannot be separated. Or else I will bolt it to a wall in some secret
location or save it in the safe.

These interlock keys are indeed used relatively widely in industry
for
all sorts of purposes. See the kirkkey.com website for examples.

i