Wiring Transfer Switch to Generator Inlet Box

Ok, so this is why I'm asking this question. I've never touched a live hot 120v wire. I work in electrical boxes all the time. No real training though other than what I've learned from talking to people. I've been trying to figure out how to get my wood stove's blower to turn on when the fire is going good and to turn back off when it goes out. My first attempt at it, I bought this sensor off ebay... [url=http://www.ebay.com/itm/190638618838?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649]wood stove fan/blower thermostat 130F | eBay[/url] The way it works is I need to put the hot 120 volt between the wall outlet to the blower, I need to insert this sensor and attach it to my stove. I got really nervous about doing this. It didn't seem like a smart idea to have a hot 120 volt drapped over a red hot wood stove. All that would need to happen is have the wire's protective sleve melt off and then ground out to the stove and then me touch the stove to open it and get electrocuted... It does say it works AC and DC. But opening up the blower, there's no DC converter. The straight AC wire goes into the box and directly to the motor. I first was switching it in the blower. Then I got to thinking, why don't I make a switched outlet. I wired one of those up. It worked. I plugged the blower into the outlet I had the switch on it. If I heated up the sensor with a lighter, the outlet turned on and then I put an ice pack on it and the outlet lost power. I was still very nervous of draping a cord over the stove though. The way I built that one is I used a heavy duty electrical extension cord and I cut it. I used the white wire to go from the incoming AC to the sensor, then the black wire to go back from the sensor to the outlet box to the hot side of the outlet. I put the white from the outlet on the wall to the "extension outlet" and same with ground. Only switched wire was the hot black wire. (BTW, I didn't switch the outlet in the wall. I put an external switch that was hard wired in an external box that the otherside had a male plug that just plugged into the outlet in the wall.) The way the sensor was I had to have the hot wire exposed where it connected to the sensor and I couldn't find a way to protect it from being touched with anything that would protect it but not melt when it's connected to a 600+ degree wood stove. So, to be on the safe side, I bought this gadget... [url=http://www.northlineexpress.com/ss-1-stovestat-9600.html?gclid=CKqjpuSJ7rMCFYQ7MgodSlsA6Q]SS-1 Stovestat | Northline Express[/url] I figured it's factory made. It has to be safe. At least safer than I know how to make as an amature. It looks safe in the picture until you see the other side of the bracket... I'm attaching a picture I took...[ATTACH]6036[/ATTACH] You can see in that picture out of the black box where it connects to the silver bracket, there's a head of a screw. I assumed that had to be a hot 120 v wire seeing I already bought the sensor without the professional setup. So, I took my DMM and then first checked voltage on the outlet. I stuck the red in what I assumed was hot and black in what I assumed neutral was. I got a +120v which told me I had my polarity right. I then left the black in that outlet (while this gizmo was still plugged into another outet right above the outlet I'm using as a ground), then stuck the red lead on the screw that's visible on the top and I got a +120v. I have little kids. Last thing I need them to do is walk over to my wood stove and touch this little box and get electrocuted. But what would happen if someone touched it? It's a +120v but the person isn't grounded, are they? They're standing on a brick or wood floor in that spot. I guess if they're touching the wood stove's surface, it's cast iron, but it has a blower on the back that's connected to the whole body and the blower is plugged in and grounded... So, I don't know.

I have a wooden staircase to the attic that raises and lowers from the ceiling. There are two cables at the bottom of the stairs and they wind and unwind by way of a winch. The system is controlled by an electrical panel with about 5 relays and lots of wires. The end of the staircase makes contact with a switch on the floor when it is lowered completely (open). There are two switches on the side of the opening that the staircase contacts when its in the uppermost position (closed) The house is 20 yrs. old and I'm guessing that it was installed at the time it was built. I can posts pictures if it will help. Does anyone have any advice to help me get it working again?