Q&A for How to Install a Transfer Switch

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Question

There are two black wires on some of the breakers, so how do I find out which is the positive and which is the negative? My transfer switch kit has red and black wires.

Nschmal

Community Answer

If this is a standard circuit breaker, there is no possibility of it having more than one wire of different definitions (any wire directly attached to a circuit breaker terminal is considered "hot"). A single-pole breaker will have one wire, a double-pole breaker is actually two breakers ganged together and will have two wires (one on each terminal). It's possible a double-pole breaker could have two wires of different colors, but they are still "hot" wires at 120 volts each. It's also possible that a single-pole breaker will have two wires in its one terminal - which means someone wired two different circuits to the same breaker.

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Question

Can I wire from an outlet directly to a circuit on the transfer switch? This is a hunting cabin and there is no fuse box currently.

Community Answer

I don't know where you are, but in Ontario, Canada, not having a fuse panel or circuit breaker panel wouldn't be allowed. So here, an outlet cannot be attached to a transfer switch.

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Question

Could I hook up more than one wire on a transfer switch pole breaker?

Community Answer

I live in Ontario, Canada. Here, you are only allowed one hot wire attached to the screw on a circuit breaker. You can run that one hot wire to a utility box and then make a connection that goes in two directions.

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Question

Will a 15 amp breaker on the transfer switch feed a 20 amp circuit?

Community Answer

It will for a little while, but is not recommended. If the demand is greater than 15 amps, it will trip the breaker.

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Question

How far from the transfer switch does the generator have to be?

Community Answer

How far do you want it to be? I would suggest that the generator be about 20 feet from the house so that it is far enough away that carbon monoxide from the generator doesn't find its way back into the house and possibly kill your family.

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