ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Handyman or Home Owner

As a DIY homeowner who takes electical work very seriously, I enjoy reading and learning from this forum. I'm awestruck by the collective knowledge of the members here.

I can certainly understand the apprehension by the pros here of DIY'ers doing their own electrical work. Hopefully you'll find this DIY'ers work at least decent, so I humbly submit my standby generator installation (I can just hear the gasps now) for all to see:

Generator itself:



Note: The LB and galvanized pipe on the left side coming out of the house is the grounding conductor. Our code requires the GEC protected in piping and bonded at both ends. This was the same for the cold water pipe ground inside too! PITA.

Pipe work:



Left to right:

- 1" for current carrying conductors (#6) and ground (#10)
- ½" for control wires (#12)
- ¾" galvanized gas line

Here's the whole setup:



I know, those walls need a fresh coat of paint! The BX is admittedly a little sloppy, since this was a panel changeout - it WILL get cleaned up. In any event, left to right: 200A 40 panel, 200A ATS, 60A disco for genny, 200A main disco, 200A meter pan. Below the main panel is a J-box for the X-10 amplifier, and next to it is a Leviton whole house surge suppressor. (Structured media center is on the other end of the house.)

By the way, that big J-box next to the water meter (circa 1952) that the electric meter is connected to... that feeds <b>four</b> of my neighbors! I get the power first from the street.

Closeup of the ATS guts:



Yeah, I know the red in black phase are reversed (came into the meter pan that way) but does it really make a difference on single phase? That little black box mounted on the inside lower left, that's the trickle charger for the genset starting battery.

Another closeup of the ATS (low voltage side):



Note the neutral is switched -- a "separately derived" system.

Closeup of the 60A disco:



Since this is a separately derived system, notice the neutral bonding is the disco.

... fire away folks!

Joe

[This message has been edited by JJM (edited 11-01-2005).]