Many federal, state, and municipal facilities need access to backup power at a reasonable cost. Access to emergency power can avoid operational interruptions and enhance disaster recovery. Facilities with mission-critical loads need a supplemental generator when they take their sole permanent generator offline for service. Some facilities need to supplement load for period backup power systems testing. This brief explains how Quick Connect Panels can help meet these needs.

For some small and midsize government facilities, a permanent generator for backup power may be too costly to install and maintain. However, these facilities can access backup power at lower capital cost by using a temporary generator that is brough to a site when needed. This becomes possible by installing a Manual Transfer Switch (MTS) and a Quick-Connect Panel (QCP) at the site. Figure 1 shows such an arrangement.

Quick Connect Panels use Cam Lock connectors, shown in Figure 2, to simplify equipment connection. For single-phase power, there are two phase wires, plus neutral, and ground conductors. For three-phase applications, connections include one for each phase wire, plus one neutral and one ground.

Article 700.3(F) of the National Electrical Code^® requires regulated facilities to make backup power available when their permanent backup power equipment is taken offline for service or repair. Quick Connect Products provide this capability. Find out more about the code requirement in the ASCO Technical Brief entitled NEC Requirement for Permanent Manual Switching Means.

In addition to connecting supplemental power, Quick Connect Panels can assist in complying with backup system testing requirements. NFPA 110 – Standard for Emergency and Standby Power requires periodic testing of backup power systems at load levels that meet or exceed minimum values specified in the standard. Like generator applications, installing a Quick Connect Panel enables the use of rental load banks, avoiding the capital cost of installing a permanent unit. Dual-purpose models can connect both a load bank and a genset to a facility’s power distribution system. To learn more about the value of adequate testing programs, read the ASCO Power Technical Brief entitled Is Your Backup Power System Ready? Prove It.

Integrating a quick connect panel into a transfer switch can offer additional benefits. First, it can require less space than two separate devices. Second, using an integrated unit streamlines both procurement and installation, speeding deployment. These also can be obtained with integrated service entrance equipment, further increasing the value of the solution. An example of an MTS with an Integrated QCP is shown in Figure 3.

Article 700.3(F) of the 2020 National Electrical Code^® (NEC^®) applies to regulated facilities with a single generator. It states:

700.3(F) Temporary Source of Power for Maintenance or Repair of the Alternate Source of Power.
If the emergency system relies on a single alternate source of power, which will be disabled for maintenance or repair, the emergency system shall include permanent switching means to connect a portable or temporary alternate source of power, which shall be available for the duration of the maintenance or repair.

The Article goes on to allow for the use of an MTS for this purpose. This type of arrangement is shown in Figure 4.

Arrangements like the one in Figure 4 enable full compliance with the NEC requirement using a temporary generator, such as a truck-mounted or trailer-mounted unit. This arrangement can benefit organizations with multiple facilities, such as a government agency with multiple sites across a metropolitan area. Using a single trailer-mounted generator, scheduled service can be performed sequentially at different facilities. Where site layout requires location flexibility, separate transfer switch and connection panel devices can be used. The ASCO video entitled ASCO SERIES 300 Manual Transfer Switch Solutions^® reviews the applications and benefits of these arrangements.

In addition to temporary power, a facility may need to connect supplemental temporary load. The most common reason is to ensure that periodic testing of any backup power system is completed using load levels that meet or exceed requirements set forth by industry codes. For example, NFPA 110 - Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems requires that monthly tests be completed at loads of 30 percent or more of a genset’s nameplate rating. Temporarily connecting a load bank can supplement the load to ensure compliant test results. A load test solution with an integrated transfer switch is shown in Figure 5. For more information on using load banks for compliant backup power testing, review Avtron Power Solution’s Manage Load to Avoid Diesel Wet Stacking.

For load bank applications, quick connections generally include four connectors - one connector for each phase plus one for ground. Commonly, load banks are delta-wired, so there is no neutral. If the load bank is wired in a wye configuration, the neutral is left floating.

For load bank applications, quick connections generally include four connectors - one connector for each phase plus one for ground. Commonly, load banks are delta-wired, so there is no neutral. If the load bank is wired in a wye configuration, the neutral is left floating.

Improve Resilience – Facilities with a permanent generator can access backup power by connecting a temporary or portable generator when needed.

Streamline Compliance – Quick Connect Panels enable facilities to (1) quickly add a temporary power source to comply with backup power testing requirements such as NFPA 700.3(F), and (2) add temporary load banks to ensure adequate load in accordance with NFPA 110 requirements.

Do More with Less – Facilities can (1) Obtain the benefits of a temporary power source or load bank without the capital and operating costs of permanent equipment, and (2) integrate a manual transfer switch and service entrance equipment to streamline procurement and installation and save space.