Generac 16kW whole house power backup DIY Installation
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- Опубліковано 20 сер 2024
- A homeowner describes the function and installation of a natural-gas powered whole-house Generac power backup system. (NOTE: All wiring shown in this video must be performed by a qualified licensed professional electrician.)
It's defiantly louder than I expected, im thinking of getting a 22kw Generac.
Agree! A real concern. Just think how loud a portable unit would be!
How loud this Generac is my main concern. It needs a more effective muffler.
@@edbouhl3100 Not nearly that loud anymore.
Bill, I appreciate your initiative to put this video together, it's unfortunate that some people feel the need to be "overly" critical. As one DIY homeowner to another, i understand it's my responsibility to confirm your work through additional research. All of us DIY's have benefited from the input of the experts...cheers.... obviously the Pro's found your video to be interesting enough to comment, and i for one have benefited directly. Thanks to you Bill, and those who identified opportunities to improve this install. I'm going to watch a few more times before asking direct questions.
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Yes it was a DIY project. I had the county gas and electrical inspectors sign off on it when I completed it. It took a lot of research on my part, but it was doable.
Thanks you very much to take your time to show me how the change over system work, again thanks, I've always wanted to see how it's been done, God bless you.
Just had 16kw installed....ran twice the first 9 days after install. Very happy.
you're lucky. I haven't had an outage since I installed my unit. (My utility started a massive tree-trimming campaign just after I installed.)
How much was the whole process if you don't mind me asking?
@@slowsti0535 ...$8000 including everything, transfer box too and 10 yr extended warranty.
@@patriot4757 Damn that's not terrible!
@@slowsti0535 ....we have had outage issues the past 8 years....could not take it anymore. So happy we did it. It is run on my natural gas.
I get several comments from electricians saying that I shouldn't be publishing instructional videos like this because I'm not a licensed electrician. To some point I agree that an installation like this can be very dangerous, that's why I comment that the work should be done by a qualified electrician, just like your refrigerator should be fixed by a appliance repair person and your roof shingles should to replaced by a qualified roofer. However, if you're like me, you like to research and perform as many tasks as you can to save money, expand your knowledge and in some cases to a BETTER job than some "qualified" professionals.
However, most negative comments are from practicing electricians who I'm sure mean well.
To address the most common criticism:
1. Yes the SER cable could have been put in conduit, but my local inspector said it wasn't necessary, but if i was to do it again I would use individual conductors in conduit.
2. Yes, removing the meter to change the wiring is dangerous and can be illegal. That's why I contacted and got permission from my utility before AND after i did it.
3. Yes i did follow proper neutral bonding/unbonding code in my panel and sub-panel.
Anyway, I had fun researching and doing the install myself. I felt secure knowing an electrical inspector would give it his blessing and i also had a Generac-qualified technician "commission" the generator before placing in use. I also do the annual maintenance and the unit has been running great for five years now.
They just don’t want to lose business
I'm a degreed and licensed engineer, and have done many home DIY projects, some beyond what most would judge as appropriate for DIY. My degree and experience (oil and gas) doesn't make me any more qualified for home DIY than anyone else. If I don't, or anyone doing work of this nature does not understand the fundamental principles, safety, code/regulations etc., that's when I or anyone should turn to specialists. It does not take an engineer, licensed (insert trade) to do most home projects, including installing stand by generators. Most people who hire out are not like you, they have the money and not the time, or just don't want to put forth the effort to learn the complete requirements for doing the project, etc. I commend you for your clear explanation, as it will help me when I install my stand by, when the day comes. Just to add one thing, please kindly check with the city (or county), get applicable permits (they are generally inexpensive in comparison to other parts of the project), and ultimately get an inspector to sign off on whatever electrical, plumbing, gas, boiler work the DIYer has self-performed. This may be required, and will be useful later should you sell.
@@cattleprods911 Thanks for your comments. And yes, I DID get an electrical inspector sign off on my work. (I have since sold my house too.) It was a fun and educational project. I took me much longer to install than it should have, (mainly cause I researched the hell out of it) but I'm retired and looking for fun projects. (I've recently installed a mini-split in my new barn (very easy project). FYI, unrelated, but I've also created a series of educational videos related to Digital Electronics, microcontrollers and automated control (ua-cam.com/users/billkleitz)
Good for you man! A LOT of research and check with those qualified can be fun and save you money.
Contrary to your critics, my inspector says that SER cable is NOT allowed to be in conduit. Apparently, it has something to do with heat dissipation. I know that your neutral is bonded to ground in your ATS cabinet, but it looks funny "naked".
Thanks for the first half of your vid! It cleared up a lot of my tech questions. I didn't need the install info but the rest was well done!
The transfer back to the utility takes 10-15 seconds once the utility's been restored. The generator shuts down after it cools off, usually in a minute.
Very clean and good work. Information was great. Thank you
I am very excited to up grade to this unit. I am getting it in next few weeks. Thank you for the very well done video.
Thanks for explaining that all ways wondered how that switch worked
Thank you Bill! Nicely done.
Nice job but you should never use as SER cable without a being put inside emt pipefor your feeders
Was gonna say is that painted ser?!? Bad bad idea. Would not pass inspection. Protect that damn wire!
It code..SER..sure more mite be better but big foot mite not go there nd eat at the power cable ...jk
@@mynextketchfrontier6351 SER cable without an insulated neutral conductor and exposed to physical damage is not code... 2 wire cable with stranded ground is for use with 240 volt circuits not 120/240 volt circuits as the bare ground is not intended for use as the neutral conductor.
@@crosswiredelectricalservic996 the none insulated wire you see is the Ground wire.. nuker is insulated..agreed that it should be in some source of wire way...thnx
@@crosswiredelectricalservic996 SEU CABLE SHOWN IS SEC. BEFORE A FUSED DISCONNECT IS FINE. THE SER PAST THE DISCONNECT NOW SERVES THE HOUSE PANEL MAKING IT A SUBPANEL. CHECK THE NEC.
Looks good, but this is an good example of why they should be installed by an licensed Electrician/Genarac dealer. And like some other people have said yes the ser should be sleeved, because there is not overcurrent protection between the meter and the transfer switch. And ser should be protected from physical damage via conduit or in wall. But is up to the ahj.
The county electrical inspector signed off on the work without SER conduit nor overcurrent protection before the transfer switch. {Not to say its not code in other areas.)
Isn’t the breaker in the switch over current protection, similar to the main in a panel?
SER amd SEU are designed to be run through attics etc. Much like a romex. They wont last outside in the weather. If you were to run conduit there would be no need for service cable. Just run individual THHN conductors.
Hi, whoever use portable generators really should ignore this link ua-cam.com/video/bQR0UyLv4_Y/v-deo.html people really needs to see a video on this link about generator safety. A lot of people died from carbon monoxide poisoning ⚠️. This really is something you should never ignore. Do not ignore this please. This also needs to be reported on this news too.
@@clayadams2068 seu on the side of my house from service drop to meter for 25 years still looks good. Oh yes because its rated for outdoor use. Dunb ass
Cool down period after transfer is programmed in the controller for 60 seconds.
Very good video and detailed explanation!!
Thanks, I tried to explain the parts of an installation that was foreign to me until I did a lot of research .Hopefully I saved some people time trying to understand its operation too.
Generac refused to replaced or to provided services on a difected contactor in a Transfer Switch panel I purchased, since the panel arrived with no serial number.
If you shut down the Main Line Circuit Breaker (MLCB) switch inside the generator, put generator in off mode and pull the 7.5 amp controller fuse inside the generator and then lastly shut off the Utility Service Disconnect inside the transfer switch (the generator will not start). Would this be now safer to work on your generator such as replacing generator batter or generator oil change. The Generac owners manual says for working on general maintenance issues on my 24kw generator in step 1. Is to cut power to your utility MLCB. Since my set up is similar to yours where I only have a meter box and a transfer box next to each other (my house was built in 1995 so I don’t have a separate utility disconnect service box). The installed pushed my meter box from its original position to the left on the side of my house and put the transfer switch right over where the meter box was and fed the my breaker panel wiring into the back bottom of the transfer switch. Therefore I can use the transfer “utility service disconnect” switch as my utility MLCB as they mention in the owners manual as long as I switch of the generator’s MLCB first and put the generator in “off” mode. Right. Lastly you mention the service panel should have neutral wiring reconfigured. If my Generac installer didn’t do that should I be concerned about touching the service panel when the generator is under load and supplying power to the house? My knowledge of electricity is limited so that is why I’m asking. Thanks, enjoyed your video my setup makes more sense to me after viewing your video.
I can't wait mines get installed tomorrow can't wait for an outage
this is the same generac generator i have i have. didnt realize how it worked
Can a transfer switch be wired to feed the meter instead? My meter is 120’ from my house with two disconnects (barn/house). I want to put the generator out by the pedestal, transformer and my propane tank.
Figure 3-2. Generator Distance Requirements: No operable windows, doors, vents, window wells, or openings in the wall are permitted near any point of the generator.
See Potential CO Entry Points for more information.
Yes, that's why I placed it 7 feet from my house. (
I have been through Generac School I am a licensed electrician, seen a lot of comments about the loudness of the Guardian Series (air cooled). Yes they are very loud, there is an alterative though. The Liquid Cooled series (QS Series) is a lot quieter!. Pro Tip don't mess with the generac equipment too much for it may void the warranty
Spoken like a true salesman..... dont buy this, but this more expensive one.... dont touch that, it will void the warranty and I’ll have to sell you something else......
@@talonpilot What a stupid and lame comment you’ve made.
What is the sensor wire to fire up the generator ? Cat Cable?
EXCELLENT description video!
Very clear video. Thank you
Question ❓
Although you've got a 16kw generator.
With your transfer switch transferring the full load of the house at one time.
What keeps the generator voltage up within 240 volt range to prevent the generator from shutting down due to low voltage ?
What happens to the transfer switch if it's less than 190 volts at the moment it switched over to generator power?
If I draw more than 16 KW, the breakers on the Generac would trip.
A quick question, I had a Generac 16KW whole house generator from 2008-2015 that broke. What I would like to do is use the Generac transfer switch Attached to my home and still wired up, to supply power from a tri-fuel Firman generator. Will it shut down the grid power still when electricity is off, or will I need to somehow shut down the grid power manually while the generator runs. Thank you for your help.
El error mas grande es unir la tierra con el neutro porque el neutro envía pequeños voltajes y es muy malo para las computadoras
My question is why don't you just install a JB on pre existing pipe service of feeders underground nd come out of your transfer switch..to JB? It would have been simpler that running a SER all the way back to sub panel...unless is back to back...not sure ,don't know..just a thought for my own understanding I ask..
Love the idea and have been looking into this, but wholy crap is it loud.
It is loud, I thought they were quiet from the material I was reading.
For new construction can the transfer switch be installed inside?
Great information
Did you have to get an electrical inspection after you wired up the ATS and before you could put the meter back and turn your house power back on, or did you just have to do one after everything was done with the generator wiring and gas was hooked up etc?
I contacted the electric utility company before I removed the meter, and then after I put the meter back, honestly, they didn't seem to care. When the project was totally done, I had the county electrical inspector come by and sign off on it.
Thank you Bill! Nicely done.
The connector you used on the ATS to exit the 4/0 SER cable to inside of the house, is it a watertight connector or a regular 2” connector. I cannot find any water tight connectors for SER cable.
It’ll looks cleaner if SEU & SER wires are in a conduits and it will protect wires from physical damage .
You're right, I could have used conduit, but SEU and SER passes code in my area. (I also could have run my gas line underground to the Generac flex gas cable.)
I don’t believe you’re supposed to connect the neutral and earth ground together inside the box. Earth ground goes directly to your ground rods. Not the utility neutral.
Did you separate the grounds and neutrals in the house, so they are no longer bonded together? You have the ground and neutral bonded together in the Generac panel, so you have to now separate in the inside panel. First point of disconnect rule not Sharpe shooting just asking
Yes they are separated in the house panel.
Is that a diesel generator?
Hey Bill, Great video, thank you. Question: The gauge wire coming from the the generator is much smaller then the service wire. I know the generator company provides that, it just seams odd to me. Is there a reason why?
I see a 200 amp breaker, so the main service is likely a 200 amp panel. The 16kw generator cannot generate even close to that, less than 60 amps. So.... you can use smaller wire from the generator to the transfer switch than the main house wires.
@@bubbatime Correct!
No it doesn't have to be done by a electricain any home owner can install them.
A homeowner can install but they better know what they're doing. We've made a few calls on homeowner installs to correct a problem.
A homeowner can do his own work, as long it passes inspection!
Just to be clear: you bonded the transfer switch. That’s fine. But, is your panel also bonded? You addressed it in another question but I want to be very clear on this. There should be only one point neutrals & grounds come together. That’s usually the panel. Did you mark your panel “generator in use: system bonded at transfer switch.” It’s not code but a good idea.
That's an excellent point. Yes, I did unbond my main panel and the only bond is in the transfer switch. I like your idea of putting a note inside my panel.
Cool stuff though. I want one too
How do you have SER & SEU cable exposed potential damage that low down outside?
It is code in our area but if I was to do it again I would have used conduit.
@@BillKleitz that's always so interesting how codes vary between State to State
They are outside. Not against the code
In Michigan it is legal to run SE outside without protection
Amazing explanation , Thank you
Thanks, I tried to explain the parts of an installation that was foreign to me until I did a lot of research .Hopefully I saved some people time trying to understand its operation too.
Cool one questio is the generator loud as a mother?
I lose power both switches transfer when utility come back up ,one of my switches don't go back to utility ,what's going on please help
Could be your utility coil, transfer relay, momentary switch on utility coil.
Bill I don't remember if you stated in the video after installing the transfer switch did you treat it as your first point of distribution and your load center ( panel ) in your home as a subpanel?
If you come out of the meter can into the transfer switch, the transfer switch becomes the first point of disconnect. Your fuse panel/breaker box becomes a subpanel, and you MUST separate the neutrals from the ground wires inside the subpanel.
Little loud for my neighborhood. Sometimes I think I'm living in the morgue. Eh, we're being fooled. There's no reason you couldn't have a 1800 RPM for that money. I don't suggest this. He knew what he was doing.
CK Electrical here Are you just tied into the load side lugs on the meter to the sensor switch? that would be your Utility power ?
I guess I'm pretty randomly asking but do anyone know a good website to watch newly released tv shows online?
@Louis Kane I use FlixZone. Just google for it =)
Did you hook up ground wire from generator to transfer switch to top bar?
There is a ground lug on the exterior of the generator that goes to your ground rod. The ground wire from inside the genset to the transfer switch goes to the ground lug inside the transfer switch.
do they make automatic kits like this for standard generators one might already have?
Yes
Does it have to be by The meter
No, it doesn't
These are now selling like HOTCAKES, it takes 6-9 months to get one.
What was the total cost for purchase and installation on this? I understand it varies but im just curious.
$3500 for the 16kW and 3500 for installation but I did it myself with a lot of research and electrical inspector approval.
It is just as loud as a regular generator
What size wire from the generator to the transfer switch? What amperage is that wire rated for? I would have a 90ft run in my situation
Depends on the size of the generator.
@@im2yys4u81 thank you for replying. I figured it out using info online. Used #6 wire for the run
The wires from the genny...8 or 6awg?
#4 copper of it is a 2 Pole 100 amp breaker.
Why are the cables from the generator so much smaller in gauge?
All cable sizes (gauge) are based on the maximum amount of current (amps) they may need to carry.
@@BillKleitz I understand that (GC 20 yrs) but I was surprised to see smaller gauge wiring coming from the generator when it is running the whole house. Like you said it depends on the amount of current so maybe I wasn't paying attention. I was under the impression that the unit was supplying as much amperage as the public feed. Thanks, for the feedback though!
It's been a while, but I think the 16kw generac has a max output current of 65amps, whereas the utility can supply 200amps. That's why the different cable sizes.
It's called "whole house" because it supplies my whole panel but it could never supply the 200 amps that the utility can. I've never drawn more than 50 amps anyway because I have natural gas heat and minimal AC.
@@pcpmgroup9822 16,000 Watts/240 Volts = 66.66 Amps
That's how you get the amps
does the geni power a whole house central a/c system?
as long as its under the generator's KW rating
DIY with permit? Doubt it.
Exposed service entrance cable is not acceptable, PVC or EMT conduit should’ve been used.
Exposed SEC IS allowed code-wise in our area. You're right though, if i had to do again I would use PVC conduit.
It can't be, it's NATIONAL electric code.
The cost of this gotta be crazy generator plus install
$9600 is what mine cost for the 22kW model with install. Price varies depending on how far the unit is from the electric meter and gas meter.
Where is this at? Wiring method could be improved. Bonding between neutral and ground should not be there. Bonding should only happen at service box, any other cabinet should be separate so grounding works properly.
Few tweaks needed, thanks for video.
Mendez I'm hooking up a old 2003 , 20KW , with the 1.5l lig cooled end. Would love a bit of help. you were talking about the green bonding wire, and neutral. I was going to wire my outfit up the same as in this video. for the most part. If pos i would love more info on the bonding matter 812 697 0212
With the switch being between the meter and service box, isn’t separation of neutral and ground required at the switch?
@@robgreene7958 No. The transfer switch is your first means of disconnect. You bond at your first means of disconnect and then send 4 wires to your house panel which is now a subpanel. Your meter base is not a means of disconnect.
Clay - I asked that wrong - I meant need a separate ground and neutral out of the transfer switch. You did answer my question though. Thank you
That thing is loud
Do you have to run SER to the panel if you run #4 solid copper to panel ?
Don't use SER cable like he did that's hack work for lazy electricians. Were not even aloud to use that here.
The codes vary all over the state, he said it was inspected, therefore legal!
Wow! That is really loud. You'd think they'd have some better sound insulation than that. I know it's just a stand by for emergency use only, but that's pretty much unacceptable. They must have upgrades
Maybe the new ones are quieter, not sure. Check their decibel (db) ratings.
Is that legal to just leave those old wires in the meter pan , it does not look professional to me.
It passed inspection by my county electrical inspector. Told me to Red tape the dead wires.
How many hours per year does that Generac come on ? I suppose its invaluable if you get an unfortunate 2-3 day outage but for small outages it seems like a lot of expense. How much did the generator, switching controller and the transfer switch panel run you roughly ?
it runs a 5 min warm up test each week, other than that we haven't lost power since i put it in. before that we were losing power 8~12 hours monthly. Then the utility was bought by another company which performed an extensive tree trimming operation, since then , no outages. it was expensive insurance but when we listed our house for sale, it was a huge selling point.
ua-cam.com/video/bQR0UyLv4_Y/v-deo.html watch this video on the link please. Do not ignore it. Emergency warning ⚠️
Well I lost faith after the giant Romex out doors. I don’t concur. Emt, Lb?
That's SEU and SER-2. (As in Service Entrance) three conductor and four conductor. It's not "Romex" or NM-B wire.
Its not rocket science, I'll take the chance of doing the install myself and saving 5-7k bucks.
I have zero electrical experience. Would you recommend I do this myself to save thousands?
@@chief5981 No
What did this cost to get it installed ?
a professional quote from home depot was $3500.
BillKleitz thanks for the reply.
I paid $8000 for unit and install. 10 year warranty from installer.
You can do it your self
YUKI JINJUJI .....no you can’t.
Why not just make a simple conduit run.. ser AL is junk.. 2/0 CU for that job with 2" conduit and fittings.. c mon man..
It's up to code, you can exceed code on your own dime if you'd like. I know I do! Some people just want to save a buck which is fine too.
Nothing wrong with it when done right.
Make sure you use it for stand by only. If it has to run for a week straight your in trouble.
Not exactly quiet 🤫
Damn, is that generator as loud as it sounds?
yep
@@kleitzw Poor neighbours. People over here would complain with that racket...and rightly so. In outages, I fire up a small inverter generator to run small appliances and charge batteries. Over night, I run a couple of fans and lights off the batteries with an inverter.
johnmcquay82 it has a full on engine in it what do you expect. On my street it’s about 6 of us with these generators and yeah it’s loud for everyone but we got used to it and atleast us 6 have power. My neighbors diesel generator is the loudest on the block
Not that loud. Portable is louder
@@theclueguy3388 There's no reason for them to be that loud anymore. Northern Lights generators are extremely quiet compared to this. Even Cummings Onan is considerably quieter.
How much for the whole thing?
$15k we installed similar unit
Exposed ser/Seu 😱😱
That wouldnt pass inspection pal.
Really? but it DID pass. Why, what are you seeing wrong?
That cable going from the meter to the transfer switch has no drip loop nor is it in conduit. That would never pass here. Water drops will follow the cable down into that fitting on the transfer switch. The knockout on the TS should have lined up with the one on the side of the meter socket and been conduit-ed straight across.
@@RadioRich100 I guess the inspector felt that the two watertight connectors were sufficient.
Over time it will leak and your transfer switch will get water in it.
radiorich are you holding a masters electricians license?
16kw with no load shed? How is this a whole house generator? You can run your central air, fridge, stove, and we'll pump at the same time? I doubt it. Generac calls them whole house generators but they aren't . Please use a load calculator (just Google it) to see what size you need. AND follow national code when you install. 5 FEET from ANY burnable surface and you can't be by operable windows (exhaust gases are deadly)
All you need and get you kw use over time most house never exceed 12 kw. Ran my house on generator for a week after ice storm never went over 10 kw
I went a month during a hurricane with a 2000 watt inverter generator. That's a fridge, freezer, and a window AC unit, plus my TV and internet modem, and a hot plate (with the AC off) to cook some meals and charging my electronic devices. I sipped gas at about 2.5 gallons a day. A huge generator would use $50-$100 worth of gas or propane. I prefer the smaller units.
Terrible wiring setup tho.
Didn’t show a damn thing!