Electricians and WInston goes Nuts..... Again!

Up early, a little before 7:00 AM.  I really would like to sleep in more, but my body seems to decide when it has had enough sleep and I am awake.  I find I am sleeping about 6+ hours each night.  Some nights more, but I also find I catch a good nap in the recliner from time to time, so total sleep during a 24 hour period is probably more like 7+.  But I am finding that Winston is not the one getting up first, I am waking and then he gets up....

Today was final visits from local electricians to give me estimates on their ideas of how to properly hook up my generator.  The first gentleman wants to put in a 3 pole manual transfer switch for $1250.00.  This morning I met Tom from Mr. Electric.  He suggested a Breaker Interlock Switch in the breaker Panel that I already have.  he would be moving the top two breakers to the bottom empty spaces and install a double breaker in the top of the panel that would become a generator input to the panel.  The there would be a sliding plate that would not allow the generator input from becoming active until the total house power breaker is thrown.  Doing it this way would allow the generator to power all of the circuits in the house.  I would NOT be able to use my dryer.  I would NOT be able to use my central air.  I would NOT be able to use the Hot Water Heater all of the major items were off.  But I could power the well pump, I could use my stove (propane), I would have fridge and freezer running, I would have internet, phone and TV.  I would also have the ability to open the garage door, turn on the security system, have any light I needed, run my oil furnace and my internal security cameras.  He can get me all set up for $725.00 and can get me on his schedule for next week.  What I like about this system is that there is no way for me to accidentally cause any kind of back feed by having PECO power and generator power working through the panel at the same time.

Later in the day I had John from Caruke Electric come to the house.  His solution is to install the normal 6, 8 or 10 circuit transfer switch.  This would be a separate panel installed after main panel.  The line from the generator would go into the new panel and would then tie into the main panel circuit by circuit, based on my best guess as to what I might need.  The well would take up 2 circuits, and that would leave just a few to be chosen for generator power.  But there is no safety mechanism, other than knowing what you are doing, to prevent back feed when regular power is restored.  John had given me an initial estimate on the phone of $1200.00, top end.  After seeing what he would be working with, that was reduced to $1050.00 for the job.  I asked him why he was not recommending an Interlock switch and he started explaining why it was iffy..... but the setup he was telling me about was the three pole manual transfer switch.  He made a good point about that setup as the three pole panel is actually installed BEFORE the current main panel, making the main panel actually a sub-panel.  And then you run into issues with ground wires becoming a floating ground and perhaps causing problems.

So, I have contacted Tom, from Mr. Electric, to schedule an install of the Interlock Switch that will give me the ability to run as much of the house as the generator will allow and the safety of not being able to have the main PECO power running the panel at the same time as the generator feed.  I will notify the others of my decision once I have my time scheduled with the other.

It has been interesting to meet the three men.  I only knew of one way to do a transfer switch for a generator.  I was glad that each one had their own, preferred method to accomplish the same thing.  I am more knowledgeable because of it and feel I will have a much more flexible system as I can  turn off systems/circuits that cause too much drain on the generator while having such things as running water to flush toilets whenever I need it.

Now..... Winston!  He went around the bend again today.  He started off by throwing up his breakfast on the rug in the kitchen as I was doing dishes.  After the first gentleman left, Winston's ears became flattened to his head like he was once again hearing a loud noise.  He paced and could not sit still.  At one point he jumped up in my lap when I still had my feel on the ground.  I started petting him and he started climbing up to stand on my shoulder and looking out the side window.  (Molly used to do this from time to time and I thought it was just a Molly thing).  The higher he climbed, the more the recliner started to tip in the direction of the window.  The more it tipped, the more animated Winston became.  I was trying to get hold of my 18 pound puppy and he was just trying to climb higher.  He got so excited or scared that he started puffing little turdlets out of his rear end, down my shoulder and into my lap.... not many but one was more than enough.  So I wrestled him back down to the ground and whisked him outside.  He did not finish the job, so it must have been just an involuntary response.

So, after coming back in, he continued to pace.  I had the bedroom door open and, for a while, the bathroom door.  He would disappear under the bed and then appear again.  At one point I heard him scratching on something, so I went to see what he was doing.  I went into the bedroom but could not find him.  He was not in the kitchen, but I could hear the scratching.  I finally turned the bathroom light on and there he was IN THE TUB.  He had managed to get over the edge from the outside but could not get enough traction to get back out.  I got him out and within about 10 minutes, he was back in the tub.  So I closed that door and he has remained under the bed when he was not out in the living room with me.

Tomorrow I will be gone most of the day, so he will be penned up in the crate.  It will be interesting to see what Sunday brings!!!  I just wish I knew what was happening so I could make it stop.  Might need another trip to the vet!