Disconnecting Generac Generator

[John F. F.]

Hi All,
We are disconnecting and removing a 10kw generator. There is an automatic
transfer connected to the main panel isnide the house. Is there anything
that must be done after disconnecting the outside cable and low voltage
connector that are in the disconnect box mounted on the outside of the house
except locking it. Thank you.

[tra...@optonline.net]

No, assuming it's disconnected by removing wires from
the terminals of the disconnect. On the other hand, if
it were disconnected from some arrangement where there
are bare wire ends of what were current carrying conductors left
in the box, then I would put wire nuts over them.

One thing is a bit troubling though. You say there is a low
voltage cable in the disconnect box? If that is true, it must
be in a seperate section of the box, seperated by a divider
from the line voltage part.

[John F. F.]

wrote in message
news:59cbd07a-b8d2-400c...@y12g2000yqg.googlegroups.com...

Thanks for input. I'm assuming the small gauge wires with snap-type
connectors are low voltage or signal wires of some type. They was a brief
reference in the manual. I don't see any way to isolate them from the
terminal block that's in the box except to tape up what will be the
remaining end of the plastic connector.

[John Grabowski]

>> We are disconnecting and removing a 10kw generator. There is an automatic
>> transfer connected to the main panel isnide the house. Is there anything
>> that must be done after disconnecting the outside cable and low voltage
>> connector that are in the disconnect box mounted on the outside of the
>> house
>> except locking it. Thank you.
>
> No, assuming it's disconnected by removing wires from
> the terminals of the disconnect. On the other hand, if
> it were disconnected from some arrangement where there
> are bare wire ends of what were current carrying conductors left
> in the box, then I would put wire nuts over them.
>
> One thing is a bit troubling though. You say there is a low
> voltage cable in the disconnect box? If that is true, it must
> be in a seperate section of the box, seperated by a divider
> from the line voltage part.
>
> Thanks for input. I'm assuming the small gauge wires with snap-type
> connectors are low voltage or signal wires of some type. They was a brief
> reference in the manual. I don't see any way to isolate them from the
> terminal block that's in the box except to tape up what will be the
> remaining end of the plastic connector.

*Those wires are not low voltage. They sense when power is lost at the main
circuit breaker panel. There should be a two pole 15 or 20 amp circuit
breaker in the main panel that they are connected to. Disconnect them from
that circuit breaker and tape the ends. That may affect the transfer switch
operation and put it into emergency power mode. You could label the wires
for future knowledge.

[tra...@optonline.net]

On Sep 20, 3:06 pm, "John F. F." <joh...@charter.net> wrote:
> wrote in messagenews:59cbd07a-b8d2-400c...@y12g2000yqg.googlegroups.com...

I don't know who did the install, but it's a code violation
to have low voltage control wires in the same box as
line voltage conductors. The exception is if there is a
permanent divider that seperates the two, which is
done in some equipment.

[The Daring Dufas]

I installed quite a few some years ago and the control electronics are
inside the generator housing. In the transfer switch there are a number
of small cartridge fuses and you should remove those on the control
wires going to the generator. There should be a diagram on the inside
cover of the transfer switch showing all the connections. I'm assuming
it is one of the older liquid cooled 4cyl Turkish Fiat engines Generac
was using about 10 years ago. If it is that model, I have a manual and
could dig it out of my service van and give specific information but if
you can read the diagram on the inside of the transfer switch cover, it
should be a simple job. I'm wondering why you're removing it, is it
broken? O_o

TDD

[John F. F.]

"John Grabowski" wrote in message news:505b75d7$0$9837$607e...@cv.net...

You are correct. The 4 small gauge wires go from the exterior into the
transfer switch and connect to a block. Two of them up to 2 cartridge fuses
and the other two go to the solenoids. The only breakers involved in the
main house panel is the 70A feed to the auto transfer switch plus of course
the breakers for the circuits in both panels. There is also a double pole
breaker on the control panel of the generator itself along with a separate
15 amp fuse that protects the DC control circuit. Thanks.

[John F. F.]

"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message news:k3ftfr$tnr$1...@dont-email.me...

This is only 5 years old and is air cooled. I appreciate your offer to
round up a diagram but I located the manual. Thanks.

[bob haller]

WHY IS THE GENERATOR BEING REMOVED?

[The Daring Dufas]

It must be the big honkin air cooled V twin that Generac builds for
itself now. That's a heck of a motor and what was in the last one I
installed. 5 years is a young age for one of those gensets, did it
break or is it being removed for other reasons? I was just wondering. If
it's being moved to another location, it's not too difficult to
remove and reuse the transfer switch. O_o

TDD

[George]

What is the reasoning for leaving the transfer switch in place?

[tra...@optonline.net]

Probably because it's a lot more work to take it out and by
leaving it there another generator could be installed
someday if one chooses. I wouldn't take it out either.

[John F. F.]

wrote in message
news:aea24912-b9db-4c1e...@u15g2000yql.googlegroups.com...

Correct.

[bob haller]

> > What is the reasoning for leaving the transfer switch in place?
>
> Probably because it's a lot more work to take it out and by
> leaving it there another generator could be installed
> someday if one chooses.  I wouldn't take it out either.
>
> Correct.

why is the generator being removed?

[George]

That was my question too. Interesting how definitive statements are made
when only minimal details are presented.

[Stormin Mormon]

People should absoloutely not make definitive
statements when they are unsure the relevant
details.

I don't remember reading the reason for the
removal. We still don't know.

That transfer switch needs to go!!!!!
(ha, ha)

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"George" <geo...@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:k3keje$bda$1...@dont-email.me...

[tra...@optonline.net]

Actually your question was:

"What is the reasoning for leaving the transfer switch in place? "

And the OP affirmed it was because it's more work to
take it out and leaving it in allows a generator to be
installed in the future. And it's probably a LOT of work
to take it out, if the transfer panel has the circuits to be
supported by the generator wired to it. You'd have to
move all those back to the main panel. I'd ask you what
is a compelling reason to take the transfer switch out?
I can't think of one.

Leaving it in, if you wanted to, you could add a standby generator
at any time. It could very likely be used with a portable
generator as well. If you go to sell the house, I'd even
put that in the listing as a selling point.

[bob haller]

On Sep 22, 10:26 am, "trad...@optonline.net" <trad...@optonline.net>
wrote:

I still ask:( WHY IS THE GeNeRaToR being removed........

I dont care about the transfer switch!!!

it just seems strange to remove such a signifcant asset from a
building.....

[The Daring Dufas]

I'm demoing the first floor of my house, what's the best way to knock
out the support beams? I believe someone would ask why are you doing
that? Why are you leaving the second floor intact? ^_^

TDD

[tra...@optonline.net]

> building.....- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

IDK, but my first guess would be that it's kaput and they don't use
it enough to justify the replacement cost.

[bob haller]

On Sep 23, 10:47 am, "trad...@optonline.net" <trad...@optonline.net>

generac parts are way overpriced and not well designed. i have one
here i picked up cheap it has a small plastic control box..... priced
over a 100 bucks many years ago..... when the 3rd one failed

i finally did a work around........

start generator let it run a minute, then push a 200 amp momentary
contact switch just long enough till it begins generating.....

[tra...@optonline.net]

> contact switch just long enough till it begins generating.....- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

I'm going to get a chance to see if I can fix one. A
neighbor had a 12KW Generac that was about 5 years old.
It died during the hurricane last year. The main symptom
was that it would start, run for about 30 secs, then shut
off. The company that installed it told him the generator itself
was shot and it was not worth fixing. He bought a new one.

It made it's way to another neighbor who is a friend of his
and also a friend of mine.
Believing the company diagnosis, that neighbor took it apart
and seperated the generator from the motor. That's as far
as he got and now he's going to give it to me because he
decided he doesn't want to screw around with it anymore.

I looked at the inside of the generator and it looks brand new.
No evidence of burning, no smell, etc. There is a smell
however coming from the control area with the electronics.
And reading the service manual, the way it works it starts
up and uses battery for ignition for the first 30 secs or so.
Then it switches over to using a generator winding that is
there for that purpose. I'm betting that it's the electronics
that does the switch-over or the rectifier, etc that is bad,
not the generator itself. When I get my hands on it, we'll
see. If so, I may have found a real treasure :)

[Stormin Mormon]

I got a 5,000 watt Coleman that way, one time. Same symptoms. Starts up,
then shuts down. Problem: Low oil.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

<tra...@optonline.net> wrote in message
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