Generac Generators/Transfer swich and MSW inverters

Why make it complicated? Simply bypass the transfer switch. ‘Fooling’ the transfer switch is going to get complicated because the transfer logic often looks for power quality so you cannot use a cheap MSW inverter. It has to be a pure sinewave inverter. And to what end? You say the generator is running your house now.

Reading between the lines, it sounds like you anticipate using some kind of -grid-tie solar system ‘kit’ which is connected as AC power source which is selected by your transfer switch, when the sun is shining. I have been doing off-grid power system designs ever since I stopped working for Xantrex (statpower) some 10 years ago.

Your approach sounds overly complicated which means overly expensive not to mention complicated and more prone to problems requiring time consuming trouble shooting. I could probably help you but this forum text window is too constraining with its tiny text size. I word with CAD converted to PDF drawings and WORD documents. About half of my customers require 230V 50 Hz systems. A recent system design built in Turkey had to be examined and approved by Lloyds of London insurance before construction began

Musselbeach? Would that by chance be the one near Uklulet ?

I’m thinking it would be convenient to use the genset as the ‘grid’ power inlet. When this shuts off, the transfer switch toggles over to solar, which would connect to genset input. When solar develops sufficient power a simple relay could signal the transfer switch to toggle back to disconnect the genset. Another relay could signal genset stop as needed.

Generally these automated transfer switches are set up to start genset when grid power fails. However you do not have utility grid connection.

You could also provide control circuit board power from your battery pacck so it retains power at all times.

Now I understand your comment about a transformer however it is not to provide good grounding but to deliver 120V for utility 120V. I do exactly the same on my boat systems destined for american owners who insist on using american appliances while overseas.

It also comes in handy off-grid where the deep submerged pump needs 230v to start. The uncle has such a system on his 350 foot deep well on the homestead. Everything else except the dryer and jacuzzi is 120V.

Yes we camped there. In fact we still get a chuckle out of remembering. After we got the camp set up and dinner cooking on the BBQ my daughter freaks out

Daddy Daddy ther’s a bear! Well gee! its a small black bear probably just a yearling and its 1000 feet away upwind. The bear is slowly ambling along the shore flipping rocks looking for dinner. If it keeps following the shore it isn’t likely to get closer than 100 yards and still upwind. But my daughter (raised in town) is still freaking out. Sure enough the bear didn’t seem to notice us and eventually we had our hamburgers in peace.

I have had bears leave muddy paw prints on my RV door so this wasn’t even a close encounter for me. My daughter who grew up in Toronto is more of a suburbanite. I now live in Hazelton east of Prince Rupet. Spent five years in lower mainland while working for Xantrex.

Ron I emailed you at the business address on website. Send me a number at which I can phone you. or can you retrieve emails sent to business website.

Ron’s situation is by no means unique so I am posting some comments for the use of others. The first question can you use an MSW inverter to fool the transfer switch. That depends on the intelligence of the logic. Power line quality assessment is coming down in price to the extent it is cheap to include in the design. the reason being you do not want the transfer switch to toggle on poor quality power such as may exist during power system switching and fault clearing. Inverters that include integral transfer switches usually do not initiate a transfer untill 8-10 seconds after clean power has been restored.

Much depends on the style of transfer. If it is seamless transfer phase matching has to occur first.

I have seen first hand what happens when out of phase cross connections happen. The IGBT vaporize then explode spraying molten metal in all directions.

Second thought. If the other alternative is OFF-GRID such as wind or solar there is no need to feed their output through the transfer switch if their output can be fed directly to the battery. Buying solar panels or 220V wind turbine such as grid tie uses is needlessly expensive.

More details of the generac itself is neeeded.

Wow! I love that TSW3224! I have had twin com linked DR2424s for 14 years, with 115VAC charging from a Generac 4000XL (done manually). The DR2424s also have built in transfer switches.

The thing I like about the TSW3224 is that it would replace both DR2424s with the 240VAC 180* out of phase I need for my well pump. It would take up half the space.

I tried using the generac’s 230VAC output for charging, but it is a three wire system which was incompatible to the 240VAC 4 wire system. So when I am charging the batteries with the generac, I use the 115VAC instead and the pump won’t work unless I shut off the switch from the generac or just unplug the 12′ special cord.

Originally a comparable SW4000 was more money ($23-2500) and required a step up transformer ($700) and a lot more room.

With the TSW3224, it looks like the time to change is now!!!

Oh, I had kind of bad memories of Uklelet in 1993. Advertized catch your limit of salmon and halibut. Stayed in an old freighter. Caught a total of 15 lbs of fish for a total cost of $750! Skunked out of salmon and halibut in that over-fished area.