 macsierra8Baby Newfoundland
Premium Member
join:2003-11-30
Minden, NV |
Generator Disconnect Panel PicturesI'm curious what everyone thinks about this generator disconnect setup.... |
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 John Galt6Forward, March
Premium Member
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp
1 edit |
How about WTF and LOL...??  In all fairness to you, is there any reason that those aren't mounted immediately adjacent to each other? Why did you end up with that configuration? |
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macsierra8Baby Newfoundland
Premium Member
join:2003-11-30
Minden, NV |
said by John Galt6:How about WTF and LOL...??
In all fairness to you, is there any reason that those aren't mounted immediately adjacent to each other? Why did you end up with that configuration?
Ya think? I was afraid you, Nunya, or Whizkid would stumble upon this thread and see these pictures.  I knew I was in for it!! Yeah, this was picts of a project I was sent the other day from a good friend of mine up north. In all fairness, electric is not my friends bag... But he did hire a "licensed" electrician, but no permits are required in his state. An argument for an AHJ.. Yes, definitely. I don't know how to respond... Maybe this... .....................................______ __ ...............................,.-‘”...............``~., ..........................,.-”............................“-., .......................,/.....................................”:, ....................,?................ ...........................\, .................../...................................... .........,} ................./....................................... ....,:`^`..} ................/....................................... .,:”......../ ...............?....__.................. .............:`........../ ............./__.(....“~-,_........................,:`........../ .........../(_....”~,_.....“~,_................,:`..... ..._/ ..........{.._$;_......”=,_.....“-,_.......,.-~-,},.~”;/...} ...........((.....*~_.......”=-._.....“;,,./`..../”........./ ...,,,___.\`~,......“~.,....................`.. }......../ ............(....`=-,,.......`.....................(...;_,,-” ............/.`~,......`-...........................\.../\ .............\`~.*-,................................|,/....\,__ ,,_..........}.>-._\...............................|....... ...`=~-, .....`=~-,_\_......`\,.............................\ ...................`=~-,,.\,..........................\ ................................`:,,.............. ......`\..............__ .....................................`=-,.............,%`>--==`` ........................................_\.... ..._,-%.......`\ ...................................,`.._|_,-&``................`\ __________________ |
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John Galt6Forward, March
Premium Member
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp |
said by macsierra8:But he did hire a "licensed" electrician, but no permits are required in his state. An argument for an AHJ.. Yes, definitely. LOL Well, functionally it might work...but I see that 'woods' are nearby (that SOMEHOW making the entire installation 'OK") and one can only hope that the kids don't try and ride their dirt bikes between the posts. |
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 robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX |
to John Galt6
said by John Galt6:In all fairness to you, is there any reason that those aren't mounted immediately adjacent to each other? Why did you end up with that configuration?
There appears to be a sewer clean out between them. It also appears that this line may go back at a 45 (almost in line with the pic) I wonder if they were worried about being too close to that line. On the other side of the meter is the water line. That is an awful lot of stuff in less than 10 feet! |
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John Galt6Forward, March
Premium Member
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp |
said by robbin:That is an awful lot of stuff in less than 10 feet! Yep... Could have gone back-to-back (the phone stuff is trivial) and saved the cost of the post. |
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 nunyaLXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO |
to macsierra8
FUBAR.
Something I always wondered... When I went to "electrician shcool", one of the rules was you install the conduit THEN pull the wire.
As others have pointed out, I can't help but note that there are a lot of "neater" ways to accomplish this task.
"Generator ready" panels are all the rage now. |
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Zach
Premium Member
join:2006-11-26
Thief River Falls, MN |
to macsierra8
LOL! This comes close to, one of many, DSLR "How not to" episodes. The image is dark but inlet looks like a 14-30R or 14-50R. |
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macsierra8Baby Newfoundland
Premium Member
join:2003-11-30
Minden, NV |
to nunya
said by nunya:FUBAR.
Something I always wondered... When I went to "electrician shcool", one of the rules was you install the conduit THEN pull the wire.
As others have pointed out, I can't help but note that there are a lot of "neater" ways to accomplish this task.
"Generator ready" panels are all the rage now.
I thought maybe he could have mounted the generator feed box so the in use lid wouldn't open until the handle was down (off) on the disconnect box, something like they might do on the Bob Vila show, the "most trusted home improvement show". Oh well.. I was told the POCO rep looked at this and thought it was first class.. I'd hate to see one that wasn't first class in his district... I wonder what the POCO guy that has to climb the pole or work a downed line in the street thinks of that "disconnect".??? |
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| macsierra8 |
to Zach
said by Zach:LOL! This comes close to, one of many, DSLR "How not to" episodes. The image is dark but inlet looks like a 14-30R or 14-50R.
I used Photoshop on it.... Looks like a 50 amp... I know the diesel generator is a IR 12K.. |
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TheMG
Premium Member
join:2007-09-04
Canada |
to macsierra8
What the **** is that ugly contraption?
Wow, just wow. |
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 ToadmanHypnotoad
join:2001-11-28
Mystery |
to nunya
said by nunya:FUBAR.
"Generator ready" panels are all the rage now.
Well that is one large "generator ready panel" I just got done installing one of these - » www.reliancecontrols.com ··· x?30310AA little bit more of what I was thinking with the name of generator ready. |
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macsierra8Baby Newfoundland
Premium Member
join:2003-11-30
Minden, NV |
Or something like this> » www.interlockkit.com/ and just use the original panel and not have to worry about the lineman down the road.. Then leave all that crap and hang a swing for the monkeys.. |
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 sk1939
Premium Member
join:2010-10-23
Frederick, MD |
sk1939
Premium Member
2011-Apr-10 2:04 am
Indeed. Commercial transfer switches, especially automatic ones, tend to cost a pretty penny. |
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John Galt6Forward, March
Premium Member
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp |
to macsierra8
said by macsierra8:I wonder what the POCO guy that has to climb the pole or work a downed line in the street thinks of that "disconnect".??? The equipment is fine...it's just the...ah..."curious" arrangement. Tell your friend that we all LOL'd.  |
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macsierra8Baby Newfoundland
Premium Member
join:2003-11-30
Minden, NV |
said by John Galt6:said by macsierra8:I wonder what the POCO guy that has to climb the pole or work a downed line in the street thinks of that "disconnect".??? The equipment is fine...it's just the...ah..."curious" arrangement. Tell your friend that we all LOL'd. I can't tell him that, he's serious about this setup and allegedly the POCO rep told him and the sparky it all looked good. I don't have the heart... What to do??? Thing I would be concerned about is, I don't see any positive lockout to not have the generator feeding back into the POCO's side of the system when the box handle is up and connected..... |
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robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX |
robbin
Mod
2011-Apr-10 3:02 am
The switch is a double pole, double throw. Up position the power feeds from the meter through the upper conduit, through the switch and back to the breaker panel through the lower conduit. With the switch down the power is fed from the generator through the lower conduit to the breaker panel. The generator is disconnected with the switch in the upper position. |
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macsierra8Baby Newfoundland
Premium Member
join:2003-11-30
Minden, NV |
said by robbin:The switch is a double pole, double throw. Up position the power feeds from the meter through the upper conduit, through the switch and back to the breaker panel through the lower conduit. With the switch down the power is fed from the generator through the lower conduit to the breaker panel. The generator is disconnected with the switch in the upper position.
OK, I see it now, from the picts I just assumed they threw a stock double pole without the double throw... I'm still amazed looking at this deal.. |
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Zach
Premium Member
join:2006-11-26
Thief River Falls, MN |
to macsierra8
Since it appears interconnection cord would require male plugs on both ends, the installer needs to have a look at 406.7 (B) ...."No receptacle shall be installed so as to require the insertion of an energized plug as it's source of supply"
This installation may not put a POCO worker in harm's way but it could sure as hell ruin the day for the person hooking this thing up if he's not being very attentive. |
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 pende_tim
Premium Member
join:2004-01-04
Selbyville, DE |
to macsierra8
Is that 6 or 8 AWG wire in the back?
That may be a 50A inlet on the back of the DPDT switch panel, but the wires leading from it to the bottom of the switch don't look like 50A wire size.
Are the switch terminals and inlet terminals rated 60* or 90* rise?
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 WutanG5
Premium Member
join:2001-12-12
Seaford, DE |
to macsierra8
Oh I get it now, the conduit also acts as a coat rack while working on it or maybe a pull up bar for the kids to play around while the adults scratch their head.
That thing is fugly. With all that work done, it sure makes them look like a joke when they put it together in this fashion.
your friend should know what an ugly cluster f**k you have and not try to pass it off , if he's your friend. |
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 ttiiggy
Premium Member
join:2001-03-27
Bozeman, MT |
to macsierra8
I don't like the after-gadget InterLock Kit. Too easy to have JoeHomeowner pull the panel cover off and there go the safetys. 
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 cdruGo Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN |
to Zach
said by Zach:Since it appears interconnection cord would require male plugs on both ends, the installer needs to have a look at 406.7 (B) ...."No receptacle shall be installed so as to require the insertion of an energized plug as it's source of supply"
This installation may not put a POCO worker in harm's way but it could sure as hell ruin the day for the person hooking this thing up if he's not being very attentive.
I don't think the outlet on the transfer switch is really an outlet. In the photoshopped version, it looks like a inlet to me. The terminals are too visible IMHO for it to be a receptacle. |
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John Galt6Forward, March
Premium Member
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp |
to Zach
said by Zach:Since it appears interconnection cord would require male plugs on both ends, the installer needs to have a look at 406.7 (B) ...."No receptacle shall be installed so as to require the insertion of an energized plug as it's source of supply". Good catch...! When I stop laughing and wiping the tears from my eyes, I see your point. I think part of the problem is that people can't stop looking at the "train wreck" LOL. One of these needs to be installed instead: » www.connecticut-electric ··· 413.aspx |
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to macsierra8
Who would have thought you could make monkey bars out of new electrical equipment... |
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 EGeezer
Premium Member
join:2002-08-04
Midwest |
to macsierra8
Aside from the (shall we delicately say) unusual design, it looks like an open invitation for somebody to play on/with it.
For insurance, liability and security purposes, I'd put a high fence with a locked gate around it to prevent animals, kids or vandals from easily messing with it. |
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macsierra8Baby Newfoundland
Premium Member
join:2003-11-30
Minden, NV |
to John Galt6
said by John Galt6:When I stop laughing and wiping the tears from my eyes, I see your point. I think part of the problem is that people can't stop looking at the "train wreck" LOL.
One of these needs to be installed instead:
»www.connecticut-electric ··· 413.aspx
Thanks for that link John.. I keep a double male 50 amp SO cord here because it's handy to power up remote pumps in an outage. Definitely not NEC tho..  I'd be laughing too if this guy wasn't such a good friend. I missed the double throw box because I didn't give the sparky enough credit for using one and I'm using a split screen with Quickbooks open that I'm getting ready for the accountant next week, I'll be here all weekend.  I cropped the picture with the sparky standing there leaning on the box with a shit eating grin.. |
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4 edits |
to macsierra8
Is that an electrical installation? Or a set of monkey-bars?
That PVC is only going to last so long before some kid hangs on it or smashes it with a baseball bat. The section over to top I would immediately fail on poor workmanship issues; and that its likely longer than three feet without being properly secured & supported (code violation). Its clear that rather than do a clean job by putting hub covers on the top of the box, and punching a set of holes to place a second conduit between the boxes; the electrician took the easy, cheap, lazy & sloppy way out. I would have put two RGS nipples between the two metal boxes.
Also, better check that the generator transfer switch is 'service rated' (for use as a main disconnect & neutral-ground bonding location). |
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macsierra8Baby Newfoundland
Premium Member
join:2003-11-30
Minden, NV |
said by whizkid3:Is that an electrical installation? Or a set of monkey-bars?
Federal Pacific Electric is back with cooling towers for their new panels... |
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 exocet_cmWriting
Premium Member
join:2003-03-23
Brooklyn, NY |
to ttiiggy
said by ttiiggy:I don't like the after-gadget InterLock Kit. Too easy to have JoeHomeowner pull the panel cover off and there go the safetys. [att=1] How hard is it to remember to turn off the main then turn on the generator? |
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I knew I was in for it!!
