Customer Reviews

Reliance Controls TF151W Easy/Tran Single-Circuit 15 Amp Furnace Generator Transfer Switch For Up To 1875 Watt Generators

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the simplest and cheapest device to easily enable connection of a generator to your house (short of just disconnecting the wires and attaching them directly to your generator--not really recommended in the panic of the moment in a power outage). It is used on one circuit only--a 15 amp one. The obvious circuit to use it on is for your furnace (forced air or, like me, hot-water radiators). If you have a long power outage in the winter, you can run your furnace from time to time to prevent the house from freezing.
I plan to use as a "generator" a 12 volt power inverter. This generates 120 volts from my car battery. If you get a big enough one (maybe 300 or 1000 watts max) it will sustain the brief initial "transient" surge of power needed to get an electric motor going. The actual power needed after than initial surge is pretty low. It is probably best to run the car's engine while doing this, at least for that initial transient, so as to be sure to have full power. This method worked on my old furnace and I expect it to work on my new one.
With a power inverter one can avoid the hassle, expense, smell, gasoline-storage hazard, and pollution of a gasoline generator that one almost never needs to use.
The instructions assume you will be connecting this switch to your main fuse box. But I found that it's more convenient to connect it on the line leading to your furnace--a method shown in illustration on the box but not detailed in the instructions. Use great care to be sure to wire it up correctly.

I was looking for an easy way to power up my furnace during many winter outages. I bought this unit to do the job. Its made of heavy gauge metal with a heavy gauge conduit connector coming out of the bottom. Installation was pretty straight forward. You first need to find the circuit connecting your furnace to your main home circuit box. Mark it and remove the cover to the box. (Its recommended that you shut off the main to your house -single large breaker usually at the top of the box marked main.) You may have to open your Reliance and install the plug shown on the front picture. This is done by removing the 3 screws in the cover plate. Install the plug with three wires inside. Pull the wires from the conduit into the main box. Disconnect the wire leading into your furnace circuit breaker and connect to the marked wire from the Reliance with a wire connector. Connect the other wire from the Reliance to the wire that was originally in the house circuit breaker with a wire connector. Pull the white to the house ground and connect to the grounding bar. Close up the box. Your done.

To use this connector you use a heavy gauge orange extension cord. Plug it into your generator. Plug the other female end on to the reverse plug on the Reliance. By moving the switch from line to generator you change the electrical input to your furnace. The switch simply bypasses the circuit from the house. There is a no power position as well.A red light showing generator power input. And a 15amp built in circuit breaker.

I have added a more robust transfer switch over the years which covers 8 of my circuits (see other review). I moved this unit to my swimming pool for those times when summer storms knock us off line. Also, you can place this unit directly on your furnace at the junction box coming in --takes a little more thinking--or as my neighbour did-- moved it to his garage and ran wiring out to it.. again these installs require bit more electrical knowledge.

We have lost power for more than a day in the past and I learned that being without heat quickly becomes the first priority to fix in the winter. My furnace runs on propane, heating water that runs through radiators. An electrician tested it and we found that it draws a maximum of three amps, so this single circuit 15 amp switch is the perfect answer. The electrician installed it in about half an hour to my old electrical (screw in fuses) panel. I immediately tried running my furnace with a deep cycle battery - that I recharge with a few solar panels - through an inverter, and it worked great. I tested it with my 2300 watt generator and it ran perfectly. The generator hardly notices the load and since the furnace goes on and off to maintain the heat, it is even less of a strain and the generator runs longer. With no power and this small 110v generator, I don't have any water pump (220V) so I don't know how long this would work without a water supply for the furnace but I'm looking into that soon. I have a shallow well and might be able to run a little sump pump to the furnace if we lost power for a long time.

This single circuit transfer switch is a good idea with people with limited access to their electrical systems. I am using it for a circuit other than the furnace and it worked great. VERY easy to install, plenty of pig tail on the wiring. And well made.

I bought this for the exact stated purpose of the product. IT was easy to install. The company website even has videos to watch. Living in Minnesota in the winter with no power for the furnace would mean a big hotel bill.

My only wish is they included as good instructions for installing it on the furnace. When installed near the main breaker box the directions are perfect. Even someone with little electrical experience can install this.

I have only used this product in a 20 minutes test situation and hopefully never use it again.

This unit works well as a single-circuit transfer switch. The only drawback is that it's a little big (make sure it will fit where you want to put it), but otherwise it's great. You can mount it as instructed within 18" from the panel, or else you could mount it in a more convenient location (near a junction box). It's easy to install and the price is right. The thing to make sure of is that your small generator has separated ground and return lines or else you can set up a ground loop (test it with a multimeter at the generator outlet with the generator off). Some smaller generators have the ground and return shorted at the generator. This would not be the appropriate switch in that case, because only the hot wire is switched (you might be able to fix your generator though). When in doubt, contact a licensed electrician for help.

getting ready to go hiking yesterday, 5 degrees out, and I'm thinking how much I like having a new generator (Hyundai) and a new furnace (Weil Mclain.) Then it dawned on me I got this switch a few days ago, and it's bright and sunny, and I may as well install the thing. Well, it was around an hour. I tried running the furnace off my inverter/deep cycle/solar panel set up, and it worked.Note...do make sure you have your main power switch OFF before installing this. I only needed it off for 10 minutes or less, assembly of the plug took maybe 30. Pricing has been strange. $70-$100-$70-$100 since I saw this. Try to get it at the $70 level.

This is a quality built switch that is a great piece of equipment to have with your generator. It was easy to istall and does evrything as advertised. A must have.

If you dont use a generator that often, and use cords for most of the connections, the only item that you cant easily cord is a furnace. This lets you accomplish that without spending the $200-300 for a full transfer swith. Nicely made, simple to install if you have decent electric skills.

I bought two of these to wire into my electric panel for emergency power backup. With these simple, well-made manual switches, I can provide power to my refridgerator circuit and power our family (ie: Flop-out) room. Now, I won't have to run extension cords around the house!

The instructions are well written and can be used by a semi-handy (and careful) homeowner. It took me about 90 minutes to mount, wire and test both units.