Help with Main Breaker Interlock


  #1  
Old 10-20-21, 02:05 PM
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Help with Main Breaker Interlock

Hi All! I've recently moved to Montana. With the snow up here, we have intermittent power outages throughout the winter. We had a 13 hour one 2 weeks after moving and had no power or water. My wife loved it ;-p! As a result, I intend to purchase a high quality Honda Generator with fuel injection. I have an old carburetor ATV, and I don't want to deal with the ethanol hassle and draining a generator with a carb.

I also want to install a Main Breaker interlock as outlined in this thread. This gives me the full flexibility to enable or disable any circuit already wired in my house. This allows me to the fridge, freezer, HVAC, and some lights. However, my main breaker is located outside and has limited inputs, see the picture below.


Main breaker

As you can see, when my external garage was built, they replaced the 2 pole 20 amp with a triplex 20 amp single pole on the exterior and a 50 amp double pole interior. I'm thinking I'd need to do the following.

1) Move the existing breaker down 1 slot, and wire the garage into it
2) Install another 20 external 50 internal breaker in the top slot
3) Wire the input from the Generator plug into the 2 50 amp poles installed in step 2
4) Install a Main breaker interlock that will allow the 20 amp top switch to be moved, while blocking the 2 50 amp center beakers.
5) Label everything because what's in the box is not particularly clear.

Step 4 is where I'm really struggling, I can't find anything online that will do what I need. I live outside of city limits, but I'd prefer to build/install something that would be up to code and pass inspection, more for safety than anything else. Any suggestions on where I can find something to accomplish step 4?

Thanks in advance!
Todd
 

Last edited by Todd Nine; 10-20-21 at 02:38 PM.
  #2  
Old 10-20-21, 05:00 PM
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Welcome to the forums.

Yes... I know that generator. It's a good choice
It doesn't have a carb but it does have injectors that can foul with old gas.

If you want care free..... look into a portable that can run on propane.
You could add propane to that Honda for around $450.

We can see the panel in the picture. There is no place there for a generator transfer.
The generator transfer would be on the panel inside the house.
 
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Old 10-20-21, 06:53 PM
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Unless your inside panel also has a main disconnect, which it must not since you would have indicated so, I believe you are out of luck. I'm not aware of an interlock kit make for your outside meter combo panel.
Can you add a back fed main in the inside panel?
But even then you may not find an interlock that fits.
 
 

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