MEP-803A connecting to my house with an ATS.

[keen]

Howdy,
Your best bet would to use something like a generator break-out box and use a ATS to power just those items. There is no way any inspection, permit, whatever codes, would allow a whole house ATS to a 10kw generator.
You have 200 amp service?

I'm going to get into the details of the national electric code, and how it applies to optional standby generators and automatic transfer switches later.

For now - yes, it's entirely possible. Generators are sized on -load- not service. It requires load calculations (the same ones you use to determine subpanel "main" breaker sizes, for example - which are not the aggregate of the breakers in the box), or load measurement. (peak 15m period for 1 year if available, else record 30 days of 15 minute peaks and use the peak of that, with factor of heat/ac/other high draw items in that measurement period). Then your load shedding requirements are based on those peaks and high draw equipment.

Again - I'm going to save digging into that part for later in the process to avoid burning time on the plentiful misconceptions.

 

[zanther]

Craig and I were attempting to do something similar last year with a DSE 710. I know he got at least the remote start functions working for a 003A. We were attempting to modify his work for use on an 803 but both of our lives took our attention elsewhere. I do think he has a thread on his 003A install.

EDIT: "similar" was steps 2-8 of Keen's process.


- 1 ..The actual power-actuated connect/disconnect of utility power and generator (or other local source power) - required

- 2.Sensing utility power to determine problematic power situations (not use pure outages - low voltage, down phases, out of phase power, freq, etc) - required​

- 3.Triggering of the startup of a generator prior to switchover - required​

- 4.triggering of the disconnect/connect of utility/generator - requiredSORTA, the 710 can send the signal but doesn't have hardware to do the physical act.​

- 5.Sensing generator power to determine acceptable power output (primarily voltage/freq/phase match) - optional​

- 6.Testing and exercising of the generator and possibly load transfer to ensure (or at least increase the probability) that the system works when needed - optional​

- 7.load monitoring to avoid generator overload conditions (this can be via load monitors in the generator, CTs attached to the wiring, or simple voltage/freq monitoring) - optional​

-8 load shedding triggers to disconnect low-priority loads (completely, or when load monitoring requests it)

 

[ddipert]

Thank you for all the suggestions. While an ATS's isn't going to be cheap isn't not going to be all that bad either.
I'll update this thread once I get the install compete with a list of items I use.

 

[jaxbill]

I saw a few comments about the high cost of Load Shedding and the inability to get an ATS setup to pass inspection without it. If $500 works for anyone, PSP products makes a unit that is independent of the transfer switch make/model and any particular generator.

Here are the highlights for the unit I got for $528 shipped:

- UL listed flush mount enclosure. NEMA1.
- Four 100A 2 pole magnetic latching relays
- Support for 2 - 24V HVAC control wires
- This unit takes in control wires from the transfer switch to identify ATS status or could do line voltage sensing with an add-on (I think).
- 2 CTs to monitor the generator load
- LCD programming module so you don't have to use a computer with a serial port for programming.
- You need to supply a 12V power source and they presume you use the generator's battery that already has a trickle charger. I think I will use a transformer with a UPS already in the garage.

The only downside I found so far is that it does not have any interactive menus/displays for real time monitoring but I imagine that would have increased the price. I plan on mounting one of those $50 tiny Rasberry Pi like devices near it and hard wire into the serial port. I assume I can get some stats that way.

Note: If you use the HVAC control wires, the load calculations are combined with the first two relay calculations and share a common fate.

IIRC, you can double up on the relays for single pole circuits with fate sharing.

They do have a DIY configuration option that supports more relays if needed. You can get creative this way but I wanted to keep it simple and have the UL rating with everything already in an enclosure.

I don't have it installed yet and will be sure to post an update when I do. The support so far has been excellent and they are good about communicating via email.

https://pspproducts.wpengine.com/?p=767

 

[liebsce]

This transfer switch http://www.pspproducts.net/Transfer Switch Specs.pdf load shedding https://pspproducts.wpengine.com/?p=767 sounds like what you want.

 

[jaxbill]

This transfer switch http://www.pspproducts.net/Transfer Switch Specs.pdf load shedding https://pspproducts.wpengine.com/?p=767 sounds like what you want.

That transfer switch is kind of interesting. I wonder if my utility would allow an electrician to install the meter base retrofit version. I think I own the box but they own the meter. I don't see this on PSP's new website. I wonder if it's still for sale.

The CX Series load shedding is what I own. I haven't had it installed yet.