How to install Transfer Switch

A transfer switch is a compact breaker box that is installed inside the home, right beside the main electrical panel. The switch is wired into the main panel and connected to the most critical circuits, such as the furnace, water heater, refrigerator, range, well pump, and interior lights.

Some choices for your home could be a 5,000 watt generator that can restore power to six circuits or a 10-circuit switch if you have a larger generator. Also, most transfer switches come prewired with the circuit breakers already selected. If you have a unique installation, you should buy a transfer switch with interchangeable breakers, so you can change it. Most manual transfer switches also include built-in wattage meters, which keep track of what’s being powered. Without them, you can overload the system, damaging your generator and appliances.

Start by cutting the main power supply to the circuit breaker. Take the cover off of the circuit breaker. Remove the cover of the transfer switch. Trim the unit’s insulating tube, which will cover the wires, to a workable length using a utility knife. Attach the connectors to the wires using PVC cement. Use the transfer switch’s wiring harness to connect the unit to the circuit breaker. The wires should be drawn through 1 of 3 knockouts located on the underside of the switch. They should join the circuit breaker through a knockout found at the bottom of the box.

Lift the transfer switch up to the wall where it is to be installed and label the placement of the mounting screws. The transfer switch should be placed roughly 1 1/2 feet away from the midpoint of the main circuit breaker. Attach the transfer switch to the wall, using mounting screws. Pull the bundle of wires through the insulating tube. Trim 5/8 inch from the covering of each individual wire. Join the wires to the transfer switch going from the labels that you made.

Label each wire according to the appliance it supplies. Attach the black wires to the Utility 2-pole breaker in the transfer switch. Join the white wire to the neutral area
located in the middle of the transfer switch. Join the green wire to the grounding bar on the left side of the lower portion of the switch. Put the cover back on the transfer switch.

Confirm that the power supply is cut off at the main load center. Detach the assigned wires for each appliance from the circuit breaker box. Attach to the transfer switch using
wire connectors and again referring to the labels. Join the black wires to the new 2-pole breaker. Detach the 2 individual pole breakers from where each assigned appliance wire was removed.

Attach the white wire to the neutral bar. Join the green wire to the ground bar. If a ground bar is not present, join the green wire to the neutral bar. Put the cover back on the main circuit breaker, and restore the power supply. Convert to generator power and return to utility power according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Now when the electricity goes out, you set up a portable generator outside and plug it into the power inlet box. If the inlet-box cable runs to a junction box with power cord, plug the power cord into the transfer switch. Be sure all the toggle switches on the transfer switch are in the off position. Then go outside and start the generator. Be careful with gas-powered generators exhaust deadly carbon monoxide fumes. Never run a generator indoors, near an open window or door, or in an enclosed area like your garage.

Now that the generator is running, you can pick and choose which appliances and electrical circuits to electrify by simply flipping up the switches on the transfer switch. Also, the transfer switch usually will be connected to more circuits than the generator can handle at once, so be careful not to overload the system.