On 5/24/2014 5:28 PM, Dave C wrote:
I live in an area (New England) where we have had extended AC power
interuptions. I just bought a back up, Generac 6500 watt generator.
Now awaiting the next hurricane, with a bit less trepidation !

I would appreciate any advice on how best to use the generator.
Obviously I could use the 4 generator AC plugs, providing a direct
extension cord feed to my key appliances. (The unit came with a 30
amp/ 4 plug "extension" cord.)

I have no idea how difficult it is to install a transfer switch (or
similar option). There i could energize specific circuits. If that is
the recommended option, any suggestions as to the install process.

I have a similar setup that I installed myself. My only regret is that
I didn't talk to somebody who had one/installed one YEARS ago. I'm a
very handy guy with electrical, home repair, remodeling but I just
figured "it had to be too difficult (especially based upon the location
of my 200amp panel in a finished wall.

Well, I did speak with somebody who installed one and immediately bought
a Pro Tran by Reliance, manual transfer panel.

Piece of cake. The only difficult task I had was running the 10ga
feeder from the external power plug (which connects to the backup
generator in its own enclosure about 20' from the house.

Once you have the generator feed line run to the transfer panel, all you
do is figure out which circuits you want to power when the grid fails you.

Then you 1) remove the hot wire feeding that circuit from your circuit
breaker, connect it with a wire nut to a numbered wire feeding into your
service panel from the transfer switch, 2) connect the matching numbered
wire of that pair to the existing circuit breaker, 3) connect the common
to the common buss. That circuit is done.

My transfer switch has 6 120v breakers and 2 240v breakers.

Repeat as necessary.

When power fails, connect the umbilical cord from the generator to the
plug on the outside of the house, fire up the generator and go inside
and activate the circuits one by one and you're in business until the
power company decides to repair the problem.

The transfer switches are BREAK before MAKE so that you will never be
able to backfeed your generator power back into the grid. We have one
centrally located circuit (for some wall outlets) that are NOT supplied
power through the transfer switch. We leave a light or radio plugged in
and turned on to let us know when the power comes back on and we can
shut down the generator.

Still a bit hesitant after speaking with the guy who convinced me to go
ahead... I shot an email to customer service at Reliance on a Saturday
morning and received a detailed answer to my question that same day.
Great service for a Saturday.

Imagine my shock when a company VP (family owned company in the
Milwaukee area) called me by phone first thing Monday morning to make
sure that my question had been answered and asking if I needed anything
further.

Bottom line: If you can get the standby power feed to the vicinity of
your circuit breaker panel AND are handy enough to swap out a dead
circuit breaker, you can install your own panel.

Check Reliance and some of the others. Pretty sure there are videos
that will walk you through it as well.