OT:Generator And Transfer Switch Questions

[autoworker]

I'm looking at purchasing a PTO Driven Generator as a backup (12,000 watts/15,000 watts surge) for the home.I found a transfer switch that I believe may suit my needs.I will hire someone to do the electrical work.I'm just seeking some preliminary information.

I have 200 amp service at the house and off of that panel a 100 amp breaker installed supplying a pole barn.There is a seperate panel in the barn .Also there is an outlet in the barn for stick welder.Everything is currently up to code and has been inspected.

My questions are.....Should the transfer switch be installed near the main panel at the house?
Will I physically and or legally be able to power everything through the welder outlet?
Without looking I believe the welder outlet  is 50 amps @ 240 volts.

Here's a pic. of the switch.

Thanks

[Glenn W]

Ampacity of the wires you'll be using is the first concern. The generator puts out over 100 amps so if you connected it to the welder outlet it better be rated for 100 watts and have wire running to it that could handle 100+amps. Short & sweet, the Backup unit should be connected ahead of the main 200 breaker so that everything feeds the way it is now, just coming from the BU instead of the pole. If the 100 amp service in the pole barn is fed by cables truly rated for 100amp service at the length of the run, then you could cheat and hook in on the line side of the 100 amp breaker, but you still need to turn the incoming off from the pole with an automatic Xfer or turn it off manually prior to starting the BU. Legalities? The NFPA/NEC book is virtually impossible to read and local codes are usually goobly gook anyway so I'd find a local guy you can trust and get him over for an estimate look-see. Find someone who needs/wants your business and the estimate should be free.

[autoworker]

Fwiw,here's the generator and specs.

[skeets]

The transfer switch will go between your service and your load,, ie between the meter and your fuse/breaker box,,, The reason you want to disconnect the service is so your not back feeding in the utility power grid, doing so will not only over load your genset but perhaps kill some one working on the high line, it has happend before. I don't know where you are but a 12KW unit should handle most everything you need in the event of power failure,, Your not going to run your whole house AC and Micro wave and all your other stuff,, But for some lights and a furnace even an electric one though it will really load your GenSet down. Fluorescent lighting is hard on the Gen Sets because they use a ton of power to start, but almost nothing to run after that. A hair dryer is about 1500 watts a coffee pot 1200,, and so on. You will not be limited to candles and the coffee pot. a 12 KW will be just about the min for a whole electric house unless you are careful what you keep turned on.. I have been using these things for about 2 or so years, ya made a good chioce.