Customer Reviews for Generac 50 Amp Generator Transfer Switch Kit for 12-16 Circuits for Indoor Applications

You will first need to decide which circuits you are going to use on your transfer switch. I opted to remove the supplied 50amp breaker and provided my own tandem breakers in its place. I lost one 50 amp 240v circuit, but gained four 20amp 120v circuits. Living in the country, we are all electric, so I had to choose carefully. The panel itself will support up to 100Amps from the existing load center (50 amps from the generator). With this in mind, I calculated each load, and then moved 12 circuits to the new panel. I did not move my central air/heat, nor the electric range, nor some other non essential circuits. I previously purchased a portable AC unit and a 1,500W wall heater, allowing me to heat/cool areas of our home without needing 125 amps for the central air . All 12 circuits, if used simultaneously, at full load, would exceed the 50Amp my generator is able to provide. But by adding them to this panel, it gives me the flexibility to bring online other circuits whilst turning others off. For example, I might want to heat the water tank, and to do this I'll refrain from using the microwave or other power hungry circuit at the same time. The watt meters on the panel are perfect for measuring load, and super easy for helping you make decisions on which circuits to use. Installation was straightforward. Whilst it can be surface mounted, the transfer panel will fit inside standard 16" centered studs. I chose to flush mount mine, which increased the amount of work somewhat. Moving circuits could not have been easier. Remove a circuit from its old breaker, add the provided jumper wire and route it to the new breaker on the new panel. All the wires are numbered with the circuit, not a sticker on the wire, but actually printed continuously along the length of the wire. One thing you need to supply is a 100amp breaker for your existing panel. I had a rather old existing breaker panel, and had to special order the breaker, so plan ahead. You'll need to provide 6/3 (+ground) wire that runs from the panel to the provided generator inlet, and any conduit to ensure your installation meets code. The inlet box is for exterior use. Carefully plan where you want this to be. Ideally, you don't want it to be in an area were the generator fumes could enter the house (dryer ducts, eve vents, etc). You want it to be easily accessible, so you can get the generator to the inlet in any kind of weather. The only downside I found was the supplied transfer breaker panel does not have a door, so the breakers are visible at all times. This is somewhat of an industrial look that may not be appropriate depending on where you want to locate the panel. The panel labels are also a little 'homemade looking', as though someone ran a basic template through a regular home printer. Color coded inputs on the inlet, numbered jumper wires, and a concise yet helpful manual made installation as simple as one could hope for. Having a backup power source is empowering. No more will I worry if the power goes out during a storm, never knowing if my freezer contents are going to spoil. I know that after the next outage, when my neighbors see I'm the only property for miles with lights on, they will be asking me to help them install their own.

Everything needed to complete the project was in the box ready for installation by the electrician. All parts were high quality and I'm ready to covert power in the event of an outage.

It may be legal to put that many wires through a 3/4 inch flex, but it is far from practical. I fiddled around with this far too long trying to get it to fit.

The kit is well packaged and well made. I found the instructions to be thorough yet not excessively or sparingly detailed. General note: Know your limits in electrical wiring! Though the kit is fairly concise, don’t attempt to work outside of your skill level. Check with your local permit office prior to installation as this may require a permit. I highly recommend that you download, print & thoroughly read the Generac Installation and Operating Instructions prior to purchase. These instructions are available as a free PDF download. Additional materials & tools are needed to complete the installation process. With proper preparation, the installation can be completed in 1 day. Kit can be installed flush or surface mount and accepts a wide variety of popular breaker types allowing for a number of circuit configurations. I find the dual wattmeters to be helpful in controlling your loads, prolonging generator life.