I purchased all the goodies to make up my retrofit kits on Saturday and started assembling the lighting kits.
I also purchased a pile of generator changeover stuff, so that I can supply a kit for generators. It will consist of:
1/ An IP 65 DB
2/ A 63 amp manual changeover switch. (for 60 amp single phase supplies)
3/ An indicator light to indicate the generator is running.
4/ A 32 amp double pole geyser combo type circuit breaker. ( for generators up to 8 kva)
5/ A 4 mm wire connected to the combo breaker.
6/ A 32 amp blue weather proof IP rated male coupler.
7/ 3 m of 10 mm earth wire.
8/ An earth spike.
These power challenges teach you to become efficient very quickly.
The DB can be mounted directly below the meter box. You switch off the breaker feeding the meter, (notify the council metering department so that they can reseal the meter) break the seal on the meter,
remove the wiring feeding the main DB, fit a new wire from the meter terminal down to the 63 amp changeover switch mounted in the DB next to the meter box. Ferule the cable feeding the now Sub DB in the house with a piece of 16 mm wire,
connect it to the output of the changeover over switch.
Connect the 10 mm earth wire directly to the earth stub in the meter box and run it down to the earth spike in the ground.
Fit a suitable gland to the changeover DB, install a cable from the generator input of the changeover switch out to a "male" connector (pair the cable and connector to the generator, I just fit a 32 amp with a 4 mm wire covers anything from a small unit up to an 8 kva , you can use a16 amp if you fit a 16 amp breaker combo) on a double insulated type flexible cable (I used an orange trailing cable)
Bond the neutral and earth at the generator input inside the changeover DB and not at the generator, fit the correct labels on the changeover DB. It is no advisable to bond the neutral and earth at the generator, just in case the generator is used as a free standing unit for camping or site work or any other application were you will just plug the appliance directly into the generator.
Dont forget the label " not for use with a V-O-V type generators and take a pic to make sure you CYA.
Thank goodness SANS approval no longer applies to products sold in SA. I managed to find a "IEC approved" 63 double pole changeover switch for R230.00. Just a note the China mall is not always the cheapest place to buy stuff, you can find cheap junk with IEC approval at large wholesalers.
*I will you the best of luck trying to get a 16 mm wire into the change over switch. *
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