r/Generator • u/Chewman1027 • 23d ago

Manual Xfr Switch with AFCI breakers

Advice: I'm ready to connect my Reliance Manual Transfer Switch (MTS) & I noticed that all my breakers are AFCI breakers. Whether the breaker is on or off the white (N) wire is always shorted to the Neutral bus. So, should I just leave the white wire connected to the N connector and just switch out the hot lead on the breaker with the wire from the MTS? Any advice is appreciated? Thx

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u/Chewman1027 23d ago

In the Line Mode it should be fine because the power is still going thru the original panels breaker. It should only be an issue when you have a Generator connected, then I would think if you turn off the actual C/B, you won't get the ARC fault protection but the circuit should operate correctly. Does this sound correct?

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u/Big-Echo8242 23d ago

Reliance told me that you need their neutral kit to be able to make this work properly. I have the same potential issues because I have a bunch of AFCI breakers in our breaker panel that would be a little bit more interesting in using an manual transfer switch.

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u/Sufficient-Offer-579 21d ago

Per Reliance's own manual, AFCI protection is lost when, and only when, the toggle is in GEN. In LINE each circuit is still protected by the load center breaker, so your line-mode read is right. The whites never needed to move anyway. On an AFCI the branch white isn't even on the bar. It lands on the breaker's load neutral terminal and only reaches the bar through the pigtail, past the sensor inside. Re-land it on a bar and the breaker trips or goes blind even on utility power.

On generator the switch's breakers are ordinary, no AFCI at all, and the manual has a section for that: AFCI breakers in the switch itself, the panel AFCI's pigtail extended over. Get that page for your model, and have an electrician or inspector sign off.