With winter approaching and assuming Cali will actually get some decent storms this year, I've started looking for a transfer switch for my pump house. It already has its own subpanel in it that runs both lights and the well pump, but I'm most interested in running the well pump.
Not looking to power the entire house at this point (love to do that but its not in the budget). We can live without power for a few days, but living without running water is a real PITA.
The subpanel in the pump house is 20 amp, I was looking at getting this transfer switch:
transfer switch or is there a better one to get for what I need? When the power is out, I'll be running off a portable generator.
I figure I'll run the power from the house into this and then this into the existing subpanel, and also run a line to I can hook up the generator when the power is out.
My FIL ran by the electrical supply house in town and all they had was a $400 one, seemed a bit more than what I'm looking for.
Depending on the panel in your house, you may be able to add a 2-pole breaker plus a mechanical interlock to the main breaker. Your whole house will be live on the generator, so you'd have to shut most breakers off to use the generator and well pump, but a few light bulbs and/or a small TV for information/entertainment won't be much of an additional load, and you'd be ready for a larger generator down the road.
Having grown up on a well, in a very small pocket of houses that didn't have city water, I can relate to how bad it can get with no water for extended periods, like a week (the ice storm started December 16, 1973 in southern CT). Seven kids. No showers. No heat. Melting snow for toilet tank water. House almost catching fire from the hearth getting too hot from green willow and locust coals. NOT fun.
Put the pump on a plug. Unplug from mains and plug into generator when required.
the pump house is about 50' away from the main house. I'd rather run the generator by it than by the house's main panel which is between my two kids bedrooms.
And I want it fairly simple so if my wife is there she doesn't have to worry about what breakers get left on, and which get turned off. Go to the pumphouse flip the switch, start the generator.
I talked to my FIL about that, and he was against that idea, he's been a contractor forever and has lived in a house with a well for the last 25 years and I completely trust his opinion.
besides he now lives with me, in a park trailer and when the water is out its out for him too. So he's got skin in the game on doing this correctly.
Go to pump house, start generator, unplug pump from wall , plug pump into generator. Don't get a whole lot easier.
He told me why it was a bad idea on running the pump through a plug all the time, but I don't remember what it was now.
meackerman said:
He told me why it was a bad idea on running the pump through a plug all the time, but I don't remember what it was now.
that seems kinda odd...
the pump is not running full time ( intermittent service) much like a TS or the toaster and they have outlets
meackerman said:
He told me why it was a bad idea on running the pump through a plug all the time, but I don't remember what it was now.
My dad has a plug wired into the pump (the pump is not plugged into it). the plug is spliced into the pump power at the well house. When he has to, he plugs an extension cord into the generator and the plug on the pump circuit into the extension cord. He throws the breaker at the panel.
maybe it had something to do with 220v vs 110v.
don't remember. but I did ask him about using a plug and he said you could do that, but if it was my house I wouldn't. I'd get a transfer switch.