A look inside a generator transfer switch.

My solar panels have micro inverters. They feed the grid. When the grid fails the micro inverter stops feeding the grid. It would be interesting to see you do a teardown and explain how it works.

Rav

Thanks for a great expose of that equipment. I live in Texas and it is common to hear people brag about their simple work around back-feeding into a dryer plug. The stores even sell cables to make it easy to do this stupid thing. It’s illegal and incredibly unwise. If there is a fire or anything you get no insurance compensation. And you know the insurance companies will investigate! And then there are the poor linemen trying to get the power on in a storm! My box was oversubscribed due to steady additions over the years including several 230 volt items like MIG welder, 3 HP table saw, pool pumps etc. the box gets filled in a hurry. I added another sub box which contained a legal UL listed manual transfer switch and put all the 110 volt items that we would like to power after a severe storm etc. The 5kW genset plugs into a proper inlet in the wall outside and the it keeps lights, fans, etc going happily. And it is fueled with natural gas. Our electrical hardware looks so archaic compared to what I see in Europe etc. But it is functional. Sorry for ramble. Great piece this time. Thanks.

I'd love to see inside those amazing indicator lamps.

Brendan Perkins

G'day from Sydney Clive. I just wanted to clarify a couple of points regarding the Fault Current rating on the transparent MCB you showed at the start of the video. It's my understanding that modern electrical installations would place the MCB's, RCBO's and other current-interrupting devices downstream of a main switch/breaker that itself possesses an over-current detect/disconnect function, replacing the old-style "service fuses" that protect the consumer mains. But in older installations the main switch is simply a switch, so the MCB's have to be rated to handle the possible peak fault current until the service fuses blow (which might not happen if they've been replaced with roofing nails, bits of coathanger wire, or whatever). Is my summation basically correct?

Chris Talbot

Hi Clive. Where would you install this? I mean, a special enclosure would be required... Does it come with an enclosure?

If the relay fails the front panel indicator will go out.

Big Clive

With two supplies it's interesting what the right failsafe approach is on relay failure. If they had inverted the behaviour of the relay it would have made it generator priority (which as you mentioned might be preferable) and also put less stress on the relay as it would only be energised when the generator was running. Given the indicators already fitted it's a pity they didn't put a "relay good" indicator on the control box to show the coil was conducting and intact.

Charleso