Morning all,
Before I start I don't need all the "you're supposed to be a qualified electrician, you need to go back to college' brigade to jump in as I am asking for advice! I am fully qualified however I haven't done much with generators since my training.
I have had a potential client ask me about installation of a generator to power the house in an emergency when the mains suffers a power cut. Living out in the sticks this can happen 2-3 times a year for them.
They are wanting to install a 6KVA 5.2kw generator which is mainly there for lights and some power to keep them tied over until mains is restored. This one is what they're looking at: Generator
So the way I am looking at approaching this is as follows.
1. Install a generator changeover switch in a separate enclosure next to the consumer unit. Something like this: Changeover switch
2. I will then feed the supply from the mains and generator into this and then run a set of 25mm tails into the existing board
3. I will also install something like this of the correct amperage to protect the generator cable: Double pole MCB
4. So the generator cable will go from a female commando socket on the external wall, to the double pole MCB which will be in an enclosure. From the double pole MCB I will then run the feed to the changeover switch.
5. Double earth rod for generator to get the reading below 200ohms. Experience of installing rods around this way usually means sticking in 2 x coupled 1.2m 16mm earth rods to get the desired reading. This usually gives somewhere around the 50-70ohm reading. There is an earthing terminal on the generator so I intend to connect this to a earth bar, along with the cable from the rods and then run a 16mm cable to the MET inside the CU. This should then ensure the operation of the existing RCDs or have I got that wrong? Earth terminal can be seen here.
They don't want a big bulky box outside the house hence looking at this all being internally mounted apart from the female commando end.
Is there anything I am missing? Happy for any advice/better ideas.
Thanks in advance.
Carl.
Before I start I don't need all the "you're supposed to be a qualified electrician, you need to go back to college' brigade to jump in as I am asking for advice! I am fully qualified however I haven't done much with generators since my training.
I have had a potential client ask me about installation of a generator to power the house in an emergency when the mains suffers a power cut. Living out in the sticks this can happen 2-3 times a year for them.
They are wanting to install a 6KVA 5.2kw generator which is mainly there for lights and some power to keep them tied over until mains is restored. This one is what they're looking at: Generator
So the way I am looking at approaching this is as follows.
1. Install a generator changeover switch in a separate enclosure next to the consumer unit. Something like this: Changeover switch
2. I will then feed the supply from the mains and generator into this and then run a set of 25mm tails into the existing board
3. I will also install something like this of the correct amperage to protect the generator cable: Double pole MCB
4. So the generator cable will go from a female commando socket on the external wall, to the double pole MCB which will be in an enclosure. From the double pole MCB I will then run the feed to the changeover switch.
5. Double earth rod for generator to get the reading below 200ohms. Experience of installing rods around this way usually means sticking in 2 x coupled 1.2m 16mm earth rods to get the desired reading. This usually gives somewhere around the 50-70ohm reading. There is an earthing terminal on the generator so I intend to connect this to a earth bar, along with the cable from the rods and then run a 16mm cable to the MET inside the CU. This should then ensure the operation of the existing RCDs or have I got that wrong? Earth terminal can be seen here.
They don't want a big bulky box outside the house hence looking at this all being internally mounted apart from the female commando end.
Is there anything I am missing? Happy for any advice/better ideas.
Thanks in advance.
Carl.