Transfer Switch for Generator and Portable Solar Setup? (how much, air conditioning, appliance)

[reubenray]

I am wanting to install a transfer switch that the conduit (wiring) will run from the transfer switch to an outside wall connection. This way I could plug the gas generator into the switch. Can the transfer switch and wiring be use to also connect a portable solar generator to it similar to the link below? My gas generator has a 30amp twist lock connection, which I could get the solar generator to have the same connector.

https://cuttingedgepower.com/products/fortress

[Chas863]

Originally Posted by reubenray

I am wanting to install a transfer switch that the conduit (wiring) will run from the transfer switch to an outside wall connection. This way I could plug the gas generator into the switch. Can the transfer switch and wiring be use to also connect a portable solar generator to it similar to the link below? My gas generator has a 30amp twist lock connection, which I could get the solar generator to have the same connector.

https://cuttingedgepower.com/products/fortress

I had a second home a few years ago that had a generator that was directly wired into the house electrical system through the electric panel. If the electricity went off, all I had to do was go outside and start the gasoline generator and then flip/throw the big lever that transferred the power source from the usual electric line coming into the house to the generator.

Thus, with very minimal effort, I could easily change my power source from the electric company to the generator any time that I wanted. This meant that I could run almost any electrical appliance in the house by means of the generator. I said "almost" because I never tried to run the central air conditioning on the backup generator, but I used all other electrical devices in the house... just not all at the same time.

I can't answer your question about the solar generator. My thinking is that it would complicate things quite a bit but may be doable.

[TamaraSavannah]

Doable? Probably. Ease.....we-ll.......

When this house was built, I asked about an emergency generator after the primary base power wiring had been done.....and caused a panic because that cabling had not been installed for such extra length. What they ended up doing was building an emergency power circuit/fuse box that had an external plug for the portable diesel generator to plug into.

No quick transfer switch for the generator has to be turned on and plugged into the external house plug and the fuse box switched manually to the emergency circuit. Further, the generator is not all weather but rather, needs its own dog house to run in bad weather.....and it certainly can't be run in the garage lest carbon monoxide poisoning.

Solar can be, might be, its own beast. I just had to replace my solar grid well pump after 6ish years. A conventional one, fed off city power, would have cost me $4500 ish but the solar one would have cost me $9000. Cutting to the chase, I could never get in touch with the guy who wired my house to set up city power to the well. So I bit the bullet and went with another solar pump motor.

I dream about having another solar grid to power an emergency bank to keep my freezers on line. Dream but don't know how much it would cost me.

Part of this is what is the solar powering and how does that approach how you do life? Having solar power my well? No problem, an auto system that serves me. Power the bank to keep my freezers on line? Again, not much of a problem, probably just need an indicator to say when it safe to open the lid. Power my modern life as I know it? Now, that could be an issue.

Essentially, IMHO, have whatever you have installed by professionals for electricity in any form is nothing to mess around with, be it human or house.