What is the Purpose of a Transfer Switch? 
Have you recently installed a backup generator for your home or small business? From the gasoline-powered small engines on the portable generators to the natural gas-powered permanent whole house generator solutions that seamless transfer of power from the grid to your generator is made possible by a transfer switch.
Hopefully, by the time you have finished reading this post, you will have a complete understanding of transfer switches as well as their cost. Let’s get started with the anatomy of how a transfer switch operates.
Basic Transfer Switch Operation
The transfer switch of a generator has evolved in recent years. The transfer switches that are installed in manufacturing facilities are now called ‘smart switches’ as a constant flow of data regarding the facility’s power consumption and supply demands are closely monitored for a seamless transfer of power when backup power is needed.
Your home or small business generator will need a transfer switch that isn’t quite that complicated to understand.
Your home or small business has two power sources. The primary power source is the electric utility that sends you that nice bill every month, and the secondary power is the backup generator.
Here is a chain of events that highlights the operation of a transfer switch.
- For whatever reason, the primary source has either failed or is being interrupted.
- When the secondary power source (generator) is up to operating speed and the voltage and frequencies are within the tolerance levels, the transfer switch shuts down the primary as it opens up the secondary power source. This can be automatic or manually operated depending on the specific transfer switch you have installed between the two power sources.
- When the primary source is restored and is back to proper voltages and frequencies, the process is reversed at the transfer switch again either automatically or manually.
Now let’s see if your generator needs a transfer switch.
Do All Generators Need a Transfer Switch?
If your generator is producing 5000 watts or more, you need to have a transfer switch for safety and a simpler transfer of power to your backup generator.
Even if your portable generator was purchased for the sole purpose of providing a backup power source a transfer switch will allow you to go from power source to power source with no amount of downtime!
If you are not sure about the transfer switch requirements for your generator check with the building code enforcement office in your area or your neighborhood association if you belong to one.
Those are two good entities you can trust to lead you in the right direction and also offer you suggestions about the qualified professional electricians in your area that can install the transfer switch for you.
How Much Does it Cost to Have a Transfer Switch Installed by a Qualified Electrician?
There are a few variables that need to be factored into this question;
- The average per hour rate of local electricians in your area
- The type of transfer switch you need to be installed
- The scope of work to be performed (will you be operating your whole house on the generator or just a few vital circuits like your HVAC and refrigerator)
Taking those factors into consideration, you are probably going to pay somewhere between a low of $500 and a high of $1500. Depending on what switch you are having installed, what generator it is installed on, the requirements of your generator to put out wattage wise, and if you go with an automatic or manual transfer switch.
You can also plan for the electrical team to spend a full day at your home installing the transfer switch and making sure its operation is correct.
Can I Put a Transfer Switch on the Whole House?
This question can be answered two ways;
Yes, you can install a transfer switch for the whole house. And, no you should leave the installation of a whole house transfer switch to your local professional electrician.
You may be the king of the weekend DIY crowd that congregates at the local Home Depot every Saturday morning, but in all honesty, a transfer switch needs to be installed by the same people that have installed many of them before this issue came up with yours!
If you have any other questions, please contact AC Electric today!
