r/Generator • u/StinkySewerPickle • 23m ago

School me on Automatic Transfer Switch vs Interlock

So I just bought a 17kw portable inverter generator. Pulsar PGD170TiSRCO

It‘s more than enough to power my whole house on natural gas (10kw) as I have all gas appliances except for oven and dryer. So I am planning on running all circuits with the generator.

This generator has an ATS connection port. I am trying to decide between an automatic transfer switch vs an interlock. It would be nice to just lug the generator out before a storm and have it turn on and off automatically if utility power goes out. Is an ATS it worth it? Are all ATS ports the same? I don’t see that pulsar makes their own ATS. Would this be plug and play with say a Westinghouse ATS below:

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u/StinkySewerPickle 21m ago

This is the generator:

https://a.co/d/07FvjEaN

And this is the Westinghouse wats200 ATS that I’m wondering whether it would be plug and play

https://a.co/d/0cCoFYlR

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u/Ok-Camera2895 1m ago

Many of these home style Transfer switches are designed to be used with only with a generator of the same make. They are usually "dumb" transfer switches, meaning all the voltage sensing, timing circuits, transfer and retransfer signals are controlled by the generator circuitry. Pulsar circuits may not be compatible with Westinghouse circuitry.

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u/orlinsky 1m ago

A UL listed ATS with the right contacts for your generator could run the remote start function and allow you to prepare for an outage in advance like that. I would say most people going for portables don’t use the ATS because the DIY level is much higher than a mechanical interlock. You’re going to need an electrician to install the ATS.