I currently have a AC/DC changeover switch installed, one of those 3 position centre off ones. I do not like it much and purchased a similar Hager one which I've not installed as yet. I am away from home most of the time and my wife has a really tough time throwing the AC/DC switch, it requires a fair bit of effort. I was wondering if the rotary style switches would be easier to operate. Any recommendations on a rotary type switch would be appreciated as well.

Just also check that the rotary switch fits. They are sometimes a bit deeper than the blade-type with the knob sticking out so you might not be able to close the door.

5 hours ago, VisN said:

I am away from home most of the time and my wife has a really tough time throwing the AC/DC switch, it requires a fair bit of effort.

Hmm...

how about to consider an automatic transfer switch?
Once the preferred source goes offline, it will automatically switch to the backup source. Of course, the inverter can be the primary, while "backup" will be the grid. Better ones even have a built in network analyzer, so the ATS can be programmed to switch based on under-voltage, frequency etc.

For a shame, the proper ATS from Hager or ABB costs a fortune:

But there's also a number of much simpler ATS options available on the Aliexpress. The only question is, whether these 50USD doohickeys have at least one official certification or not. Practically, they work for a lot of my friends, so I started to test one of these too, couple of weeks ago:

 

 

 

 

6 hours ago, Youda said:

For a shame, the proper ATS from Hager or ABB costs a fortune:

At that price it would be cheaper for me to fly up to Johannesburg, throw the switch and fly back.

6 hours ago, Youda said:

But there's also a number of much simpler ATS options available on the Aliexpress. The only question is, whether these 50USD doohickeys have at least one official certification or not. Practically, they work for a lot of my friends, so I started to test one of these too, couple of weeks ago:

Which one of these would I need? I'm guessing the 2 pole version.

13 hours ago, VisN said:

my wife has a really tough time throwing the AC/DC switch, it requires a fair bit of effort.

I had the same problem with my solar installation at first and it was a real mission to get my family to switch it when i’m not at home, they would forget and phone me when things went dark. The doohickeys as Youda recommended looks like a good option. I’m sure you could wire this unit to a sonoff switch and than do the switching on your phone. I done similar but use change over contactors, I have set timers on my phone, for incase I forget to switch it over on my phone.

It also allows me to maximize the solar benefit, I recently was away for 4weeks in December and my change over switch was set to switch to solar at 8h00 in mornings and back to grid at 18h00 in evenings. I have prepaid power at home and I had great savings of units during that 4weeks as I was off grid during the day time, with batteries ready and charged for night load-shedding.🙂

9 hours ago, Youda said:

But there's also a number of much simpler ATS options available on the Aliexpress. The only question is, whether these 50USD doohickeys have at least one official certification or not. Practically, they work for a lot of my friends, so I started to test one of these too, couple of weeks ago:

 

 

 

 

DIY Tech & Repairs positive YouTube review and tear-down of this particular ATS can be found here

Edited January 18, 20206 yr by Kilowatt Power

Old post, but I have one of these (not installed yet):

https://www.securityandmore.co.za/products/dual-power-automatic-transfer-switch-ats?_pos=1&_sid=b1ba23e73&_ss=r

It is just a motor driven mechanical gate with two standard DIN isolators.  I had to replace the isolators with local ones though for CoC purposes.

9 hours ago, JustinSchoeman said:

Old post, but I have one of these (not installed yet):

https://www.securityandmore.co.za/products/dual-power-automatic-transfer-switch-ats?_pos=1&_sid=b1ba23e73&_ss=r

It is just a motor driven mechanical gate with two standard DIN isolators.  I had to replace the isolators with local ones though for CoC purposes.

This ATS is priced very good, I tried to see the switch over time but could not find it, do you perhaps know how fast it switches over?

It is motorised, so quite slow. Probably at least 1 second, maybe 2.

Switch is still half naked (still busy swapping switches) but this is what operation speed is:

EDIT: video not showing in my brower... not sure what compatible formats are... But you can still hear the switch and operation (switched on-off-on) so 2 switch operations.

Edited August 16, 20205 yr by JustinSchoeman