Generac 10KW generator and Generac RTS12EZA1 transfer switch.

exhdo1

I have recently purchased a Generac 10KW generator with the RTS12EZA1 transfer switch. My nephew (who is a newly licensed electrician) will be doing all the electrical wiring for the install. This will be his first generator install. My question is the following. While Generac is very clear about some of the wiring instructions in their manuals, they are also unclear about others. In the manual they instruct you to (after the main breaker is off) remove the hot wire from the breaker in the main panel (that you want to move to the transfer switch panel), and wire nut that wire to the corresponding wire that will feed the circuit breaker through the transfer switch panel. What they don't address is what to do with the neutral wire and ground wire from the corresponding circuit in the main panel being moved to the transfer switch panel. He feels that the transfer switch is basically a sub panel and should be wired accordingly (along with the control wires). If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions that would help with the install, that would be great. Thanks for you suggestions.

exhdo1

No thoughts?

AandPDan

I'm not an electrician but frequently assist one.

We've put in a number of transfer switches, but not that exact model. You only run the hots to the main panel, the neutrals and grounds stay the same.

It's not really a sub panel as such. There are no provisions for the neutral or bonding. It is really just a remote switch box.

exhdo1

Like I posted, it is confusing. The transfer switch comes with a hot wire for each breaker being moved as well as a neutral wire for each corresponding hot wire (in the short whip that ties the two panels together). The transfer switch panel also has a neutral bar in it. I want my nephew to get some confidence being a new electrician, but since it's his first generator install, I also want to make sure it's done right. Thanks for the reply.

AandPDan

Found the installation instructions.

That is different than the panels I've seen before. It is a sub panel.

exhdo1

Thanks for your reply. That is what my nephew thinks. Being a newly licensed electrician and trying to get established here in our hometown I know he will be dealing with the local electrical inspector for years to come. I also know that from past dealings that I had with the inspector when we had our pool installed, he is a tough guy to please. I'm not saying that the inspector should overlook anything, but I know when I sat down with the owner of the company that installed the pool and I told him what town I was in, he kind of rolled his eyes and commented on the electrical inspector being tough. The inspector failed me on inspection twice on the pool install. The electrician told me that the inspector was out of line on a couple of issues and said everything was done to code. Evidently an inspector can interpret some of the rules in the national code. The electrician finally did it the way that the inspector wanted and it was passed. The problem is that I have a short temper and got into it with him (I KNOW, MY BAD) when he failed me the second time. I'm sure he will remember this when he comes to do the inspection on the generator install. What I'm hoping for (for my nephews sake) is that the inspector comes for the inspection and approves of my nephews work so that he can get off on a good relationship with him. That is why I asked on this forum for help with how the install should exactly go. I also asked for help on another forum that deals with generator installs only (and relayed the same info that I did here) and could only get replies of "HIRE A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN", when I explain that I have, I couldn't get any more replies.

AandPDan

Your nephew should do fine. Just make sure he follows all the installation directions exactly and keeps everything neat and professional.

Yes, the inspectors can "interpret" the Code. Some are more strict than others. I don't have a problem with that either. Especially on a pool, the Code is very strict.

Good luck with the install!

exhdo1

That was the reason for my initial question. Generac does not tell you what to do with the neutral wires from the main panel. It only shows the hot wires being moved from the main to the transfer panel. I have called generac and they couldn't help. Thanks again.

AandPDan

It does:

The black and white wire from each circuit go to the emergency panel.

12b.

In the main panel, remove the black (hot) wire from the circuit breaker that protects a circuit to be powered in the event of a power failure. Wire nut the black wire to the matching circuit lead wire from the emergency
circuit breaker in the load center in the transfer switch. (All circuit wires are color coded and labeled for easy identification). UL listed wire locknuts are included in installation kit. Trace each black (hot) wire connected and wire nut the white (neutral) wire from the same Romex cable (circuit) to the matching circuit number on the white (neutral) wire from the emergency load center. Repeat for each circuit. Repeat this process with the remaining circuits to be powered by the generator.

NOTE: Both grounded and ungrounded conductors must be moved to the emergency panel and connected to the new wiring from the emergency panel using supplied wire nuts.