DIY Generator Enclosure?

lakee911

lakee911

New member
I have a small portable 4000W Generator w/ electric start. Anyone have any plans or pictures of a simple enclosure ("dog shed") that I could build to keep it out of the weather?

Was thinking I could build a small transfer switch w/ auto start using some relays and timing relays, but I've not designed it yet. Anyone done that?

Thx
Jason
 
Here's a link to a "Shelter Kit" that you can purchase. It should give you some ideas for the enclosure. I would think the main objective to the enclosure would be proper ventilation and clearance.

I don't know about a DIY auto transfer switch. I'd be interested if someone has a schematic.

hth
 
With some thought you could build a transfer swith using relays. I built a remote car starter using a dozen Bosch auto relays (just to prove to a kid in the shop that it could be done).

The problem becomes one of reliability and safety. If you mess up, bad bad things can happen to your, your house, or the lineman that is trying to repair the service during the outage. They put people in jail for stuff like that :)

The shelter kit looks pretty good as well... otherwise just build a basic dog house and ensure get ventillation.

Bean
 
Last edited:
I was thinking the same thing, Bean. Problem w/ Electricity is it always works. If you mess up ...

Maybe buy a transfer switch and build/buy enclosure.

Thx
 
Bean, a car would be easier. I think it would be harder to remote-start a small carbureted gasoline engine with manual choke, etc. Bah, I think it'd be easier/safer to buy a real genset. :)
 
Ohh I agree 100%... It is not something that I would want to take the risk of messing up.... The car starter had "some" failsafes... but was by no means something you would actually put on your car. It was just to demonstrate how much can be done with a simple relay.... and is a kinda long story. The condensed version is that some "smart" people said it could not be done. They did not understand that until recently elevators used racks of dozens of relays to create the logic that moved them from floor to floor.... I simply demonstated what the believed to be impossible.

Bean
 
Yes, tigger. Old Industrial, and some new ones too, use banks of relays to provide the logic. PLC would be used these days.

For 30 amps a contactor would probably be needed and that's half the price of a manual transfer switch. Automatic transfer switches cost a few bucks unfortunately.

Few simple relays can start the generator though, but it does have a manual choke :(
 
I'm thinking of using this product. http://www.iotaengineering.com/pplib/50rman.pdf I need to invetigate it a little furthur thugh. Perhaps I can add a small circuit to start my generator when the power goes out. I've not read the manual in detail to find out how it would work when power is restored. Maybe just cut the generator when power returns? Dunno, will investigate.
 
Something that you are forgetting though is the end-run function of the transfer switch...yes, it starts your generator and/or switches to it as the power source during a power outage...

The other function of a transfer switch is to switch the power source back to the incoming line when the power comes back on...see, the problem with not having a transfer switch in place is that when the power kicks back on you WILL feed power back in to the system...if you are lucky, a simple pole-mounted transformer will blow and the power company will say it was just because of the load put on it by everybody's houses restarting...on the other hand, worse things could happen like you pushing too much power in to your neighbors house and burning their house down...I tell ya what, I'd much rather be in jail at that point because instead of jail your neighbor will simply own you when they get done in court!! :eek1:

Simple solution...DIY enclosure w/ plenty of ventilation and clearance and buy a transfer switch from an electrician and have him install it...he carries more liability insurance than you do I'm sure!! :p
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8690928#post8690928 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lakee911
That shelter kit has been discontinued :(
Click to expand...
I think it had ventilation issues, they replaced it with a similar one but with forced fan ventilation, browse the site.
 
I'll see if I can get some pics of mine if I can get home before dark one night. Its pretty neat if you like toys.
Its a 6500 and sits on a little slab on the side of my house. I built a little house fully inuslated to match my house. Its manual start so thats sort of a drag. I added a 12v deep cycle battery and a charger maintainer. When the power goes out the linear actuator raises the roof 12" and turns on a relay that powers 6 110v fans.
The battery then powers 6 superbright 12v led lights around the house and one lighting the transfer switch. The dialer rings my cell phone. I just pull the cord and flip the switches manually after its going the leds turn off.
Once the power is restored for 45 minutes. The generator is Killed. A 1" actuator and bar, pushes off all the transfer switches. 3 hours later the roof lowers. There is a float switch in the gas tank connected to a buzzer in the house so if the tank get below 25% the buzzer goes off. I put a quick connect fitting on the gas tank so it can be refilled externally via a hose. I run the hose to my truck that has a matching fitting and a manual fuel pump switch. This gives me 70 gallons of fuel 35 per tank.
I'm sure I havent thought of everything but so far it pretty neat.

Don
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8693301#post8693301 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BeanAnimal
Don... your a nerd, it becomes more evident with each passing automation post :D
Click to expand...

Ya Ya Ya. We all know someone will use at least one part of my crazy *** setup. Even if its proping the roof up with a stick. Maybe some tidbit will help someone or at least give them a idea or two.:)

Don
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8690957#post8690957 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hopeful Reefer
Something that you are forgetting though is the end-run function of the transfer switch...yes, it starts your generator and/or switches to it as the power source during a power outage...

The other function of a transfer switch is to switch the power source back to the incoming line when the power comes back on...see, the problem with not having a transfer switch in place is that when the power kicks back on you WILL feed power back in to the system...if you are lucky, a simple pole-mounted transformer will blow and the power company will say it was just because of the load put on it by everybody's houses restarting...on the other hand, worse things could happen like you pushing too much power in to your neighbors house and burning their house down...I tell ya what, I'd much rather be in jail at that point because instead of jail your neighbor will simply own you when they get done in court!! :eek1:

Simple solution...DIY enclosure w/ plenty of ventilation and clearance and buy a transfer switch from an electrician and have him install it...he carries more liability insurance than you do I'm sure!! :p
Click to expand...


I never had any intention of back feeding the power grid. Chances are the generator would catch fire before it blew out a transformer.

Jason
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8691996#post8691996 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Donw
I'll see if I can get some pics of mine if I can get home before dark one night. Its pretty neat if you like toys.
Its a 6500 and sits on a little slab on the side of my house. I built a little house fully inuslated to match my house. Its manual start so thats sort of a drag. I added a 12v deep cycle battery and a charger maintainer. When the power goes out the linear actuator raises the roof 12" and turns on a relay that powers 6 110v fans.
The battery then powers 6 superbright 12v led lights around the house and one lighting the transfer switch. The dialer rings my cell phone. I just pull the cord and flip the switches manually after its going the leds turn off.
Once the power is restored for 45 minutes. The generator is Killed. A 1" actuator and bar, pushes off all the transfer switches. 3 hours later the roof lowers. There is a float switch in the gas tank connected to a buzzer in the house so if the tank get below 25% the buzzer goes off. I put a quick connect fitting on the gas tank so it can be refilled externally via a hose. I run the hose to my truck that has a matching fitting and a manual fuel pump switch. This gives me 70 gallons of fuel 35 per tank.
I'm sure I havent thought of everything but so far it pretty neat.

Don
Click to expand...


That's pretty sweet. Let's see the pics!

Thx,
Jason
 
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