Reliance Controls Transfer Switch: Installation and Operating Instruction–Part I

About Generators And Transfer Switches

Generators and transfer switches are dependent on one another as a system to power your home in a power out situation. The Reliance Controls transfer switch system is needed because 1) your portable generator is very powerful and the power it creates must be safely controlled to protect you and your electric utility provider, and 2) even with all of its power, your generator probably cannot power all of the electrical circuits and devices in your home without help from a transfer switch with load management capabilities.

The Reliance Controls transfer switch is designed to let you control and distribute your generator’s power. It correctly distributes the power from your portable generator to your home circuitry through your electrical load center. It also eliminates the need for messy cords running to your electrical appliances through open doors and windows. The Reliance Controls transfer switch working with your generator takes the worry and inconvenience from power outage situations.

The Reliance Controls transfer switch distributes the power from your generator through its toggle switches to the corresponding selected branch circuits that power the major appliances you choose to operate during a power outage (such as your sump pump, refrigerator or furnace). However, because each of these branch circuits may power several other electrical devices other than your major appliances, such as the items plugged into wall sockets and permanently installed lighting, we recommend that you do a little pre-planning by:

1.   Picking the key electrical appliances you want to power in an emergency.

2. Finding the essential circuit breakers that control these devices.

3. Creating a map of all of the other electrical devices plugged into or wired into these circuits.

During a power outage, you can run your generator and transfer switch system in two ways:

1-   You can set up your transfer switch to run all of its circuits at the same time once you flip the toggles to the GEN position.

2-  You can also use the load management function of the Reliance Controls transfer switch that allows you to alternate the devices you choose to run at any given time. If your generator is running at or near its maximum output, selected circuits can be switched off and others can be switched on for brief periods of time. For example, you can run a microwave oven for a brief period from the transfer toggle switch that controls your microwave circuit, if you first turn off the transfer switch toggle switch that controls your furnace—for that same brief period.

Key Components Of The Reliance Controls Transfer Switch And Power Transfer Kit

Your Reliance Controls transfer switch is unique in two ways:

1) It has a patented internal wiring compartment which eliminates the need for the installation of additional junction boxes.

2) It has a removable front panel which allows a power inlet to be easily inserted to allow a power cord to be plugged directly into the transfer switch with a longer power cord. Although this is not the installation addressed by the 3006 HDK Kit, such an installation may be desirable depending on your situation.

Pre-Installation Planning Of The Generator Load

Before you begin installing your Reliance Controls transfer switch system, you need to create a plan for the appliances you choose to run during a power outage. To do this, it’s helpful to first know how your generator produces power. If your generator has four-prong twist-lock 20 or 30 Amp output receptacles, and is set-up for home stand-by operation, it likely will produce 120/240 Volt power, or power similar to your electrical utility. This type of power generation is useful as it: 1) allows common 120 Volt circuits, such as lights or small appliances, to be operated, and 2) allows two 120 Volt circuits to be linked together to operate a 240 Volt device, such as a well pump.

Because of the way in which larger portable generators are designed, they generate power in two equal halves. A generator which has output of 5000 continuous running watts, for example, generates power from two 2500 watt “sides”. In setting up a transfer switch to get the most power from your generator, it is desirable to “balance the load” between the two halves of your transfer switch, or the left side and the right side. Devices which will consume the most of the generator’s wattage should be divided between the two sides. Load balancing is shown in the following figure. For example, on the 6-circuit transfer switch shown in the figure, consider wiring the breaker controlling the refrigerator to toggle switch A, the furnace breaker to toggle switch B, the sump pump breaker to switch E and the breaker controlling your TV and VCR to toggle switch F. You may want to reserve switches C and D to be linked with a handle tie and wired to a double pole breaker controlling, for example, a 240 Volt well pump.

The Residential Wattage Requirements Table below shows sample wattages used by typical household appliances and can help you plan the setup of your transfer switch. Use the running watts of your appliances rather than starting watts when dividing them between the two halves of the transfer switch. Check your appliances for actual wattage requirements if possible.

Your Reliance Controls transfer switch also allows you to manage the load on your generator manually by switching appliances on and off as you need them, so the capacity of either half of your generator is not exceeded. However, if you prefer not to manage your transfer switch loads manually, leave a buffer equal to the largest start-up wattage requirement of all of the appliances you are going to run continually when doing your calculation. This buffer, along with the peak wattage of your generator, will allow for the periodic motor start-up of any one large appliance, such as your refrigerator. If your transfer switch is equipped with watt meters, you can visually monitor the amount of wattage being used by the appliances your generator is powering at any time.

Examples of load balancing calculations are shown on the following figures. Use these to create your own plan.

This is the end of Part I of this important issue, in the next part (Part II), we will discuss in details the installation and operating instructions of Reliance Controls Transfer Kit Model 3006 HDK. This discussion will be illustrated with detailed figures and videos. Till we meet again!