What the heck is the purpose of the AC /Generator switch on an E panel?

[Bonanza Bucko]

I have an MNE250STM.  On the left side at the top and next to the double Invert/bypass switch is another switch labeled "AC INPUT/GENERATOR.  What is the purpose of the switch and what happens when either side is selected?  I must use a generator now and then and I'd love to know what that switch is for.

Also if you found the answer to that anywhere in the E-Panel instructions please tell me----I find those instructions to be very incomplete.
Thanks.
Bonanza Bucko  in Baja California on a beach:-)

[Halfcrazy]

The Black Slider will byspass the inverter and run the input straight through to the output, So basically it disconnects the AC out on the inverter and then hooks the AC in to the AC out in the E-Panel

The separate breaker marked AC in is for the charger in the inverter it hooks the AC in bus bars in the E-Panel to the AC input of the inverter.

Ryan

[Bonanza Bucko]

Halfcrazy:
Thanks a bunch....but one more question:  I now understand what the AC IN means but what does the "GENERATOR" position of that switch do?
Bonanza Bucko

[Halfcrazy]

You mean the single breaker not in the black slider?

[Bonanza Bucko]

Halfcrazy:

Yes...the single one marked "AC In/Generator.  It sits to the left of the black slider,
Thanks.
BB

[Halfcrazy]

It is the input breaker for the inverter. It goes between the Input bus bar in the E-Panel and the Inverters Inout terminals. So it is there to stop the inverter from charging.

[Bonanza Bucko]

Halfcrazy:

OK I think I get it: (I am not schooled in electrical design)  If that breaker is up an on AC IN position the charger in the inverter/charger will use the AC coming into the E panel to charge the batteries.  But if that breaker is in the GENERATOR position the AC from the generator will go straight through to the loads. 

Is that correct or do you mean that putting that switch in the GENERATOR position will stop the inverter/charger from charging in all circumstances....such as when there is no generator connected to the E panel?

[Bonanza Bucko]

Halfcrazy:
Let me say that all again because I may have not communicated well enough:

Why would I put that breaker in the "AC IN" position and why would I put it in the "GENERATOR" position?   Or, what is the purpose of putting in either of those positions?

Thanks,
BB

[Halfcrazy]

I think there may be some confusion here.

Single breaker not in the black slide: up is on down is off, it connects the AC in of the E-Panel to the input of the inverter when on

Black slider. Up is normal down is bypass, This when Up connects the inverter to the AC OUT bus bars. When down it disconnects the AC Out and then connects the AC in to the AC out to bypass the inverter.

[Bonanza Bucko]

Halfcrazy:
Boy you can say that again!  Confusion reigns.  I have been talking with Tom Carpenter and I think I have discovered that the switch on my E panel to the left of the black slider is mislabeled.  It is shown in your new E panel manual as AC INPUT DISCONNECT.   On my E panel there is a label that says down is GENERATOR and UP is AC INPUT.  The whole purpose of my questions today has been to discover what happens when that switch is DOWN.

So please respond and tell me what you think.

Thanks,

BB

[Halfcrazy]

It is a switch so when it is down it is OFF. So to recap what I said above when it is "Down" it is OFF so nothing happens. When it is UP it is ON so the AC source be it generator or grid is then passed to the INPUT of the Magnum to charge batteries.

Ryan

[Bonanza Bucko]

Ryan:
Thanks.  That is all I ever wanted to know.  Also the switch is mislabeled and I will fix that.
Thanks a bunch.  Sorry to be so persistent.

Bruce AKA Bonanza Bucko.

[tcva357]

I am a little confused my self so what your saying is the ac hot in lead comes from inverter and the ac hot lead out lead goes to to an alternate source AC say generator or grid.So if I choose not to use this is it best to unhook this wire on bus?

Thanks'
Tim

[vtmaps]

I am a little confused my self so what your saying is the ac hot in lead comes from inverter and the ac hot lead out lead goes to to an alternate source AC say generator or grid.So if I choose not to use this is it best to unhook this wire on bus?

No!  When you have an AC source such as a generator, the output of the generator has to go to the AC input of the inverter/charger.   The reason for this is because the the inverter/charger needs AC power if it is going to be a charger.  When the inverter/charger is being a charger, it cannot be an inverter.  In order to have AC in your house (while charging) the inverter/charger has a transfer switch that passes the generator AC to the house.

Your inverter/charger also has an AC output.  The AC at the inverter output is either the AC that the inverter makes when it is inverting, or it is the AC from the generator.  It depends on the position of the automatic internal transfer switch, and that depends on whether the generator is on or off.

does this answer your question?

--vtMaps

[Bonanza Bucko]

vtmaps comment below is the most lucid one we have had here and it is finally getting to the bottom of the confusion so many have about those two switches on the upper left side of the Epanel....at least my 250 jobbie.

I think part of the problem is that, despite the clarity of vtmaps', comments there still is potential confusion that comes from this:

1.)The automatic internal transfer switch closes when the generator is connected and running (or power from the grid...or any AC input) thus sending the AC power from outside the inverter/charger to the load....house.  That is what Vtmaps has written.

2.)Then as Halfcrazy says, "Black slider. Up is normal down is bypass, This when Up connects the inverter to the AC OUT bus bars. When down it disconnects the AC Out and then connects the AC in to the AC out to bypass the inverter." So then why is that black slider needed since the inverter/charger has the automatic internal switch as in 1. above?  Or put another way....why would one want to bypass the inverter if there is no external AC power available?

Some of us are electrical engineers who assume other people will intuitively see what is happening and they, thus, fail to explain completely what they mean.....we are boneheaded electrical engineers.  But others of us make a living by communicating completely and we, thus, find it hard to see that some EE types are boneheads about the English language.  Our EE means "English Engineer" and not Electrical Engineer :-)