Generator Transfer Switch
I got to use my generator transfer switch today for the first time!!
Years ago, I bought a generator transfer switch so I could more safely use my generator in case of a power emergency. The generator transfer switch allows me to switch from line power to generator power with no chance of being connected both at the same time. It also allows me to select several circuits in the house that are priority as I don't have enough generator to power the entire house during an outage.
As I said, I bought the transfer switch years ago, but I only just last summer got around to installing it. And, in general, our power outages are rarely long enough to warrant hooking up the generator. Today was a special case though, as we have eggs hatching in a couple days and we could lose the whole batch if we didn't get power to the incubator pretty quick. I even got to use my inverter to power the incubator while I went out and messed with the generator. And, true to form, not long after I got everything running smoothly on the generator, the power came back on.
It does make me think about the limitations of our backup power. We have just enough generator to power refrigeration and heating. Not enough for a 220 motor or the electric range. We do run a cook stove all winter anyway, so cooking is covered, but we can't run the well pump, so no showers and pretty soon no flush toilets. More importantly, it makes watering the animals more difficult. We also are not set up to power anything on the second floor, niceties like lights or the wireless network.
If I really got desperate, I could power the wireless and our router off the inverter. And we have a number of little LED lanterns. I really like the lanterns, they last forever on rechargeable batteries (about three days continuous use on 4 AAs) and now I have some that are crankable. I have looked around at more capable generators, but the cost to benefit just isn't there for me. I don't think we have been out of power for 24 hours in more than 10 years. And I only have the little generator as a leftover from a past use.
But I am quite sure we could live though an extended power outage in our house without a larger generator. We wouldn't live like we were on grid power. We would elect not to use (heat) areas that were unnecessary. We wouldn't spend much time on the Internet. But neither us or our house would come to harm.
Years ago, I bought a generator transfer switch so I could more safely use my generator in case of a power emergency. The generator transfer switch allows me to switch from line power to generator power with no chance of being connected both at the same time. It also allows me to select several circuits in the house that are priority as I don't have enough generator to power the entire house during an outage.
As I said, I bought the transfer switch years ago, but I only just last summer got around to installing it. And, in general, our power outages are rarely long enough to warrant hooking up the generator. Today was a special case though, as we have eggs hatching in a couple days and we could lose the whole batch if we didn't get power to the incubator pretty quick. I even got to use my inverter to power the incubator while I went out and messed with the generator. And, true to form, not long after I got everything running smoothly on the generator, the power came back on.
It does make me think about the limitations of our backup power. We have just enough generator to power refrigeration and heating. Not enough for a 220 motor or the electric range. We do run a cook stove all winter anyway, so cooking is covered, but we can't run the well pump, so no showers and pretty soon no flush toilets. More importantly, it makes watering the animals more difficult. We also are not set up to power anything on the second floor, niceties like lights or the wireless network.
If I really got desperate, I could power the wireless and our router off the inverter. And we have a number of little LED lanterns. I really like the lanterns, they last forever on rechargeable batteries (about three days continuous use on 4 AAs) and now I have some that are crankable. I have looked around at more capable generators, but the cost to benefit just isn't there for me. I don't think we have been out of power for 24 hours in more than 10 years. And I only have the little generator as a leftover from a past use.
But I am quite sure we could live though an extended power outage in our house without a larger generator. We wouldn't live like we were on grid power. We would elect not to use (heat) areas that were unnecessary. We wouldn't spend much time on the Internet. But neither us or our house would come to harm.
posted by MMP at
12:32 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home