BLACK FRIDAY 12-12-2025
How do I connect a generator to my house electrical panel?
Installing an ATS control panel is the safest way to connect a generator or a portable power station to your house, avoiding backfeeding. The ATS control panel acronym stands for Automatic Transfer Switch. Firstly, the ATS control panel features a rich set of adjustable parameters for total protection of the generator and appliances. A professional licensed electrician must install the ATS panel in your home and connect the main breaker box. This ensures safety because your system remains up to code. Most importantly, this will avoid accidentally electrocuting someone else or even
Can you plug a generator directly into your house?
This is not possible. It is not legal and dangerous. An exception is when your house is isolated from the mains (or the utility power). If your home is not in contact with the Mains, there is no risk of transferring current to the grid. In other words, you connect a single load to your generator. You, for example, connect a drilling machine. When you power the house, pay attention to the generator's rating. Another important issue is that only a few generators are designed for continuous service. If this is the case, choose other options with an inverter and storage batteries.
Why is the ATS control panel the best choice for your house?
Especially when you rent a generator for the duration of the power outage, you will be sure to return the generator in perfect condition. To be sure that your family stays safe and, in any situation, your insurance company cannot dispute your claim because of “faulty wiring”, we recommend that you get your system thoroughly inspected. Even though the Generator Auto Transfer Switch panel can automatically start & stop a standby generator, you can use a portable generator. You must start and stop the generator by following the instructions on the Generator Auto Transfer Switch panel. When the Generator Auto Transfer Switch panel detects the presence of electric power coming from your portable generator, it will connect your house. The converse also applies when the utility power returns within its limits: the Generator Auto Transfer Switch panel will ask you to stop the engine.
How does the ATS control panel work?
In Figure [A], your house is connected to utility power via the main circuit breaker [1]. In Figure [B] the Generator Auto Transfer Switch panel is between the main circuit breaker[1] and the generator [4]. Install portable or stationary generators up to 6kVA. By using a stationary generator, you can benefit from automatic start and stop. When using a portable generator, the Generator Auto Transfer Switch panel will automatically switch the power, but you have to start and stop the generator manually
The main benefits of installing the simplest ATS panel for a generator
The internal electronic battery charger is overload protected, and all electronic circuits are unaffected by over-voltages. Secondly, the ATS panel features a 3-way manual changeover that selects between BYPASS, OFF, and ATS modes of operation.
The BYPASS mode completely overrides all electronic circuits and directly connects your house to utility power. An ATS like the Bernini Design CONECT ATS panel is user-friendly and designed to operate reliably for decades, day and night. Nonetheless, mention the internal devices that protect your appliances from all kinds of electrical issues, including overvoltage coming from the utility power. The design of this product is focused on connection simplicity. We always recommend that you commit the installation to a qualified electrician. We support you in obtaining exceptional results.
32A-230V suitable for portable or stationary generators
ATS CONECT PANEL INSTALLATION MANUAL
349€
10-YEAR WARRANTY
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Delivery time is 10 days after purchase confirmation.
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ATS PANEL FOR POWER STATION
BLACK FRIDAY 12-12-205 OFFER 449€
369€
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An ATS control panel suitable for a power station, features an internal Lithium battery. This feature allows you maintain the panel LED indicators active when there is no mains and your power station is off-line. The portable power station is a sort of generator. The energy reserve cannot be compared with that of a standard engine-driven generator, but it can be extremely useful if you limit the number of appliances during a power outage.
Delivery time is 10 days after purchase confirmation.
PORTABLE POWER STATION AUTOMATIC TRANSFER SWITCH
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The CONECT ATS PANEL is the best choice when it comes to a stationary generator
The universal 3-relay configuration allows you to connect any kind of engine.
BY CONNECTING THESE RELAYS, YOU MAY CONNECT ANY TYPE OF POWER GENERATOR UP TO 6KVA.
The mandatory connections are the fuel and start solenoids. If your generator features a typical 3-pole or 5-pole ATS connector, we can supply a suitable cable for you.
THE ATS PANEL INTERFACES WITH DIGITAL INPUTS
NEED MORE POWER? WE OFFER ALL SOLUTIONS
If you need more power, consider the BE242-10KVA/single phase or BE242-15KVA/3-Phase ATS panels
Both versions are enclosed in a 50x40x21cm steel box suitable for wall-mount. At the bottom of the panel, there is a removable metal plate. You can drill round holes suitable for your conduits. The installation of the panel must be carried out by a certified electrician.
SINGLE-PHASE 10KVA
BLACK FRIDAY 12-12-205 OFFER 699€ INSTEAD OF 899€
699€
10-YEAR WARRANTY
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DELIVERY TIME 15 DAYS AFTER PAYMENT CONFIRMATION
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Follow this short video. You will immediately understand how the ATS panel works, in automatic mode, with a diesel generator. You can also use the manual commands. The Be242 controller offers full flexibility of use. At the same time, it protects your LOAD and GENERATOR.
ATS PANEL MANUAL MODE OF OPERATION
ATS PANEL AUTO MODE OF OPERATION
The ATS controller is supplied with all the adjustable parameters matching general-purpose applications. By programming particular settings, you may adapt your standby generator to your needs.
SINGLE-PHASE WIRING DIAGRAM
In this diagram, you observe a contactor-based changeover solution. This is the simplest and effective way to transfer a single-phase load from utility power to a generator. Each pole of the contactor is rated at 40 amps (AC1).
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Being connected in parallel, we guarantee a 63-amp changeover rating (14kVA). You can read more about the Be242 engine interface board on this web page
THE UNIVERSAL BE242 ATS CONTROLLER
15KVA 3-PHASE
792€
10-YEAR WARRANTY
[wpecpp name="BE242-15KVA" price="792" align="center"]
DELIVERY TIME 15 DAYS AFTER PAYMENT CONFIRMATION
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3-PHASE WIRING DIAGRAM
In this diagram, you observe a contactor-based changeover solution. This is the simplest and effective way to transfer a 3-phase load from utility power and a generator.
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ATS PANEL SUPPORT DESK
Our ATS panels are supplied with the Be242 ATS controller default settings. This means that you do not need to make special programming. The panels offer a wide range of adjustable settings. We can support you in suggesting the correct setup of the controller. This could happen if you connect a special kind of engine, or you need to activate special functions for remote control and monitoring. Our support desk is always available at 0040 721 241361
HOW TO CONNECT A GENERATOR TUTORIAL
Bernini Design has been an ATS panel manufacturer since 1984. For over 40 years, we have dealt with the design of panels and controllers. Over 800.000 control boards are running day and night. We still manufacture or supply compatible parts of the original manufactured in the 80s. Home generator panel remains our main business. This page presents the key points for installing an ATS panel in your house.
What is the correct way to connect a generator to a house?
The most common method involves connecting the generator via a suitable electric panel. In other words, you must install an Automatic Transfer Switch panel or an Automatic Mains Failure Panel.
What is BACKFEEDING?
The generator will never be connected to the grid in the standby application. You cannot legally bring an AC generator onto the grid unless some technical and legal conditions are met.
A backup generator is a small, sometimes gasoline-powered portable generator that you put in position outside the house, for example, and then plug into the control panel. It can also be connected to electrical loads via heavy-duty extension cords. Back-feeding is a dangerous situation in which electricity from your generator flows back through your electrical panel into the utility company's electrical system. Back-feeding can occur when a generator is connected to your home wiring system without disconnecting from the utility power.
This happens if you directly connect a generator to a circuit in your home. Feeding energy back into the utility system during an outage will energise the transformer serving your house. In other words, you create favourable conditions for an electrocution hazard. Even worse, back-feed could electrocute any technicians who are working on the lines, causing injury or even death. Finally, when the utility company's power is restored, your generator may be severely damaged or cause an electrical fire in your home. To connect a generator to your electrical distribution panel, we recommend that you use the Generator Auto Transfer Switch; there is no way to make a connection from a grid to a generator.
The contactors inside the panel feature a mechanical and electrical interlock. The internal circuit breakers will never close simultaneously. The Generator Auto Transfer Switch fully automatically manages the connection assignment of the LOAD to UTILITY POWER or GENERATOR.
ONE STANDBY GENERATOR FOR TWO SEPARATE LOAD CENTERS TUTORIAL
Did you know that you and your neighbour can split the cost of a standby generator? The generator will only start when a power outage occurs. Or perhaps you wish to install a single power generator in each of your two homes, each with its own meter.
The Be242 universal ATS controller automatically manages the load assignment, providing at the same time, full standby generator control and monitoring. You need two separate ATS panels. The ATS controllers communicate with each other via two wires. A simplified, and most recommended version, defines ATS 1 as a "MASTER ATS PANEL" and ATS2 as a "SECONDARY ATS PANEL" (or vice-versa as indicated in the following wiring diagram).
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This configuration lets ATS1 control and monitor the standby generator. It will perform all tasks even if the power outage did not affect "HOUSE 1". In other words, ATS1 is aware of the power outage in "HOUSE 2". It will not transfer the load if "HOUSE 1" is normally supplied with regular utility power. If the generator features its AUTO START module, there is no particular need to define a "MASTER ATS PANEL" or "SECONDARY ATS PANEL". Each panel sends, in a "WIRED-OR" fashion, a start request to the standby generator. The AUTO START module will take care to start and stop the standby generator.
1 generator to power 2 houses wiring diagram
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The standby generator is controlled by the ATS panel number two in this wiring diagram. When a power outage strikes at house nr.1, the controller sends digital information to ATS number 2. The controllers are normally placed in AUTO mode. You can manually start the generator at any time. You must first place a controller in manual mode. It is crystal clear that the generator will not start if you set the ATS2 to OFF mode.
If your generator features an AUTO START module, you must wire only terminal #2. This is the FUEL solenoid output committed to remotely start the generator. You can wire terminals #15 and #16; you will immediately detect a starting failure alarm. You can set OVERLOAD warning and shutdown alarms. You must install and connect CURRENT TRANSFORMERS of a suitable size (see CT1-2-3 inputs in the schematic). The drawing indicates a 3-phase system. You can set up the ATS controller to SINGLE-PHASE.
BERNINI DESIGN SRL
Zona Industriale,
46035 Ostiglia, Italy
bernini@bernini-design.com
+39 335 70 77 148