Transfer Switch Installation Costs - Your Opinion

[eatont9999]

I'm getting serious about having my 803A wired in before the winter hits. I bought an Eaton Cutter-Hammer 200A automatic transfer switch and about the same time, had an electrician come out to quote me for the install. He wants $2800 to do the job. I'm looking for more quotes but would like to hear some input from people who have already had this done. I attached a drawing of what my system looks like. The blue is what exists now, and the red is what is proposed to change.


Thanks!

 

[Triple Jim]

Just some information... the National Electric Code is easy to get a copy of. The county I live in allows me to do any wiring I like to my own house, as long as I get the appropriate permit, and get an inspection when the work is done. It also allows me to have others who are not licensed electricians do the wiring to my house, as long as I work with them. Of course it varies depending on where you live, and this kind of work isn't for everyone.

 

[Light in the Dark]

I had a 30A Reliance Controls input box hooked up behind my garage, then a trench dug 120' to my house. For this run, plus the wiring on the garage, plus a service upgrade (100a to 200a panel with a manual interlock kit instead of automatic)... it cost me $3600. If I had not gone the run to behind the garage, and mounted right off the house... it would have been $1500 less.

 

[eatont9999]

Just some information... the National Electric Code is easy to get a copy of. The county I live in allows me to do any wiring I like to my own house, as long as I get the appropriate permit, and get an inspection when the work is done. It also allows me to have others who are not licensed electricians do the wiring to my house, as long as I work with them. Of course it varies depending on where you live, and this kind of work isn't for everyone.

There are no laws or permits where I live, in regards to this project. The electrician that came out made that clear. We are out of city/county limits. I could do all of this work myself and no one but the insurance company would ever question it. Sure, I can do some of the work but the pucker factor is over 9000 when it comes to pulling the meter and getting to the meat and potatoes. I'm happy working on electrical circuits if there is a breaker I can shut off but I don't know enough about the meter and service line to work on it safely.

 

[fa35jsf]

Your setup looks almost as complicated as mine is gonna be! Also, think about this, in the age of smart meters, if you pull it off the power company is gonna find out and they may come snooping around to figure out why the meter dropped offline. Just a thought


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[eatont9999]

Your setup looks almost as complicated as mine is gonna be! Also, think about this, in the age of smart meters, if you pull it off the power company is gonna find out and they may come snooping around to figure out why the meter dropped offline. Just a thought


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No doubt. It is a digital meter, so it probably reports back to them. I wonder if they would come out and pull it for me. I would be more comfortable doing the work if I know I won't get zapped.

 

[rhurey]

You could always coordinate with the power company to have them come pull the meter or unhook the splices where they hooked in. It'll cost some money, but...

Just be sure you're clear on what their standard to reconnect is. i.e. you find out that some other part of your system doesn't meet their current standards and they suddenly want that upgraded also.

Also, don't trust the electrician to be right about the permits. Check.

 

[csheath]

I don't think any electric provider allows ANYONE to pull their meters. No matter who does the work permitted or not you should call them to pull the meter, do the work, then have them put the meter back in. I've heard some electric companies will actually do the install.

That's a complicated looking setup. I have some friends that just bought a gas 10,000 peak/ 8,000 watt generator in preparation for our last storm. Their SIL is an electrician and he connected it to the panel at their shed away from the home. It would not run their hot water heater due to the extra length of the run.

Does your well actually run from the panel in the shop or is it connected to the house panel?

I set my 803 right behind the house and connected through a 12' long 6 gauge cable with an 8 gauge ground. It back feeds through a 60 amp breaker in my 200 amp panel with a mechanical interlock on it. Everything i run on it pretty much starts and runs like it would on regular power. I can just barely hear my generator running with nothing on and can't hear it with the TV on.

If you are determined to use long runs you should consider increasing the wire size accordingly. If I were going to run wires over 50 feet I would go up to at least 4 gauge wire.

 

[Triple Jim]

Of course you do all the wiring but don't connect it to the entrance panel. Then you pass inspection, then you coordinate with the power company to connect it.

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
I take it you have a pole with the 1 meter? and it looks like you have aerial feeds to the other locations?

I have what's known as a central farm distribution.

I have a device which I sourced from my local utility. No permit needed since they are the utility. They installed it in about 30 minutes. 4 payments. done.


I too had the problem of looking at transfer switches and stuff. After the meter, and all feeds underground, would make it hard to power it all. It depends on what generator I run because of the time of year and what is needed. If it's 95 and humid, a 30kw generator powers it all. Lots of a\c. Cool out or winter, the MEP-803A does good.

I would talk with your utility if they have something like this, or would approve and install if gotten. The company makes many different sizes.

PSP Products Transconnect

 

[eatont9999]

Daybreak,

I have a very similar electrical distribution as you. The shop and well are buried lines. To the house is aerial. Pretty much all existing lines are going to stay in place and I am going to redirect the meter output to the transfer switch and from there, tie back into the existing system.

The electrician called back. Since I already have the transfer switch, he agreed to help direct me in doing some of the install myself to save money.

 

[Daybreak]

Daybreak,

I have a very similar electrical distribution as you. The shop and well are buried lines. To the house is aerial. Pretty much all existing lines are going to stay in place and I am going to redirect the meter output to the transfer switch and from there, tie back into the existing system.

The electrician called back. Since I already have the transfer switch, he agreed to help direct me in doing some of the install myself to save money.

Howdy,

I do not see how you would do that. The only way would to have the transfer switch on the pole, right at the meter. Well, unless you runs a bunch of extra wire... And the need to put in new buried conduit to run the wire back to the pole. Only so many of certain size fit in a pipe. Utility power and generator power can not be in the same conduit.

Oh, The PSP meter collar thing from my local utility was about $2000 complete.(mine is a little larger..) I know 200amp transfer switches are pricey$$$$$

Local utility is at currently $1,200-loads up to 12.5KW, $1,400-loads up to 25 KW

Like I said, check with your utility. They installed mine in about 30 minutes. Smaller ones are simpler to install.

 

[eatont9999]

Howdy,

I do not see how you would do that. The only way would to have the transfer switch on the pole, right at the meter. Well, unless you runs a bunch of extra wire... And the need to put in new buried conduit to run the wire back to the pole. Only so many of certain size fit in a pipe. Utility power and generator power can not be in the same conduit.

Oh, The PSP meter collar thing from my local utility was about $2000 complete.(mine is a little larger..) I know 200amp transfer switches are pricey$$$$$

Local utility is at currently $1,200-loads up to 12.5KW, $1,400-loads up to 25 KW

Like I said, check with your utility. They installed mine in about 30 minutes. Smaller ones are simpler to install.

Does your meter-mounted transfer switch send a signal to start the generator? Does it function the same as an automatic transfer switch would? If so, that might be worth looking into.

The plan was, to run two 2" conduit pipes to the pole with 4/0 Al service entrance cable in each pipe. The generator is about 15ft away from the pole inside the shop.

P.S. I already have the transfer switch ready to install. I paid $500 for it used.

 

[DieselAddict]

Does your meter-mounted transfer switch send a signal to start the generator? Does it function the same as an automatic transfer switch would? If so, that might be worth looking into.

The plan was, to run two 2" conduit pipes to the pole with 4/0 Al service entrance cable in each pipe. The generator is about 15ft away from the pole inside the shop.

P.S. I already have the transfer switch ready to install. I paid $500 for it used.

One thing to remember is that you can't use an ATS in a application where the connected load is higher than the generators capacity. To be code compliant you will have to have an automatic load shedding system to reduce the connected load to less than what the generator can handle.

To address a question in the OP, I would be very surprised if no permit would be required for such an install. I live in a rural area and permits are most definitely required for electrical work.

Call your electric supplier and ask them to schedule the meter pull. They should be happy to accommodate you. When we did my brothers transfer switch they came out and killed the power in the morning then reconnected it that afternoon. No cost. All they wanted to see is a signed off permit before reconnecting power.

 

[Daybreak]

Does your meter-mounted transfer switch send a signal to start the generator? Does it function the same as an automatic transfer switch would? If so, that might be worth looking into.

The plan was, to run two 2" conduit pipes to the pole with 4/0 Al service entrance cable in each pipe. The generator is about 15ft away from the pole inside the shop.

P.S. I already have the transfer switch ready to install. I paid $500 for it used.

Howdy,

They have lots of stuff.
http://www.pspproducts.net/Transfer Switch Specs.pdf

My style is semi-automatic. The have full auto with the 2 wire start too. You still need to talk to your utility about it and that PSP company about what they offer.

I am very happy with what I have. I would say if your local utility says yes, It would fit the bill very nicely.

Auto start? I guess you are looking at buying that MEP generator auto-start module.

 

[ApolloKnight]

Howdy,
I take it you have a pole with the 1 meter? and it looks like you have aerial feeds to the other locations?

I have what's known as a central farm distribution.
View attachment 701318
I have a device which I sourced from my local utility. No permit needed since they are the utility. They installed it in about 30 minutes. 4 payments. done.
View attachment 701319View attachment 701320View attachment 701323View attachment 701321

I too had the problem of looking at transfer switches and stuff. After the meter, and all feeds underground, would make it hard to power it all. It depends on what generator I run because of the time of year and what is needed. If it's 95 and humid, a 30kw generator powers it all. Lots of a\c. Cool out or winter, the MEP-803A does good.

I would talk with your utility if they have something like this, or would approve and install if gotten. The company makes many different sizes.

PSP Products Transconnect

Man, this would be perfect for what I need. Duke Energy says they don't have anything nor approve anything that goes behind the meter... go figure. I think I need to move about 3 blocks east to get away from Duke.

 

[Daybreak]

Man, this would be perfect for what I need. Duke Energy says they don't have anything nor approve anything that goes behind the meter... go figure. I think I need to move about 3 blocks east to get away from Duke.

Howdy,
I do not know the thinking behind some of the utility companies. In Virginia, I was with Alleghany Power a long time ago, and it got..split, bought out, whatever. It is now Rappahannock Electric Cooperative which is under the umbrella of A Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

They have a electrical services division which installs these.

I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out a way to put in a transfer switch with everything being underground. I spoke to them, but the highest capacity they listed was 25kw. They in turn got in touch with that company. PSP Products. Called me with the slightly higher price for that unit. I said get it, and install it. About 3 weeks later they called the day before and said they would be out. The longest time for the install was me cutting a hole in the panel to put the double Anderson SB350 connectors in. We verified all was working and hots, neutral, and grounds etc.. checked good.

I would talk again with the utility for your area and see what can be done.

That PSP Products company has a bunch of different sized units. I believe the one I got is the largest they offer in a retro-fit installation.

I also have a Milbank Meter load center with there interlock out on a ag well, and have a generator for that also.