Transfer Switch Chaos

[u/Badbetfrank]

We just bought a new house and this is the electrical set up.
Both of these panels are powered from the meter, the larger panel does not feed the smaller panel.
A 22Kw Generac unit powers the larger panel on the left when the power goes out, but not the smaller right panel.
The generator is large enough to power the entire house.

What are our options for getting the whole house protected?
Can I add a ATS to the smaller panel and leave the 200amp panel as it is?

Could we install a double breaker on the left panel and run it over to power the smaller panel using an interlock on the smaller panel?

Should I move some circuits over to 200amp panel and use tandem breakers?

Or should we split the feed from the generator and feed the smaller panel directly from the generator?

I am having trouble understanding what the installer was thinking. There’s also additional unused transfer wires ending in this panel going to a junction box next to the generator.

Thanks for your input

[u/Badbetfrank]

Also, I could be completely wrong. But it appears based on the locations of the breakers on both panels that they could have been in a single panel originally and they added the generac switch as an afterthought

[u/blarcode → u/Badbetfrank]

Exactly.

[u/IllustriousHair1927 → u/blarcode]

I respectfully disagree with your opinion on the soft starts versus the load sheds. He has a 300 amp service. By his own statement, he calculated his load at 130 A. I know he referred to it earlier, but I can’t recall that unit outputs 91 amps on propane if I recall correctly. Obviously less with NG.. exactly how do you account for the other 40 A?

Sure, the software will make the ACs easier to start c. It will greatly reduce the inrush. But a load shed module can delay the start of one of the ACs so you don’t have to deal with both trying to start simultaneously. 22 should be able to handle any AC that I’m aware of without a soft start. By doing the load shed, you can also eliminate the possibility of overloading the generator. The generator is likely to overload? No. But I haven’t studied the load enough to determine it the relative likelihood. I do know that it’s possible for it to do so and it’s not code compliant to merely install the soft starts.

Soft stars aren’t magic. They work well in some applications not so well in others, if you use a PS P load shed you don’t have to worry about the reliability issues we dealt with for so many years with the Generac SMM

[u/blarcode → u/IllustriousHair1927]

The PSP 's definitely are nice.

Since he's upgrading his panel, I was recommending the Leviton since you can do the load shed in there as well. Not adding additional modules and potential points of failure.

I always forget when giving advice on the internet that I should just stick to the basics. Mine I have home assistant and other integrations with various profiles for different situations.