POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES A GENERATOR CONTROLLER WHICH SELECTIVELY ACTIVATES A TRANSFER SWITCH

• US 20130154370A1
• Filed: 01/09/2013
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler Company
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Albsmeier, Eric D., Dorn, Douglas W., Gross, William Herman, Hackbarth, Anthony J., Sember, Andrew John
• Granted Patent: US 9,281,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/08 requiring starting of a prime-mover

Abstract

A power management system may include a generator controller. The generator controller may (i) operate the generator; and (ii) prohibit a transfer switch from supplying first or second power to an output of the transfer switch. In some systems, the first power may be primary power (e.g., from a primary power source such as a utility) while the second power is secondary power (e.g., from a secondary power source such as a generator). In other systems, the second power may be primary power while the first power is secondary power, or both the first and second power may be secondary power.

Claims

1. A power management system comprising:

a generator that provides first power or second power; and

a generator controller that operates the generator, the generator controller configured to prohibit a transfer switch from supplying the first power when the second power is unavailable.

2. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the first power is primary power;

and

wherein the generator provides the second power.

3. The power management system of claim 2, wherein the primary power is provided by a utility.

4. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the generator provides the first power;

and

wherein the second power is primary power.

5. The power management system of claim 4, wherein the primary power is provided by a utility.

6. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the generator controller prohibits the transfer switch from supplying the first power when the second power is unavailable by controlling a position of a switching mechanism of the transfer switch.

7. The power management system of claim 6, wherein the generator controller controls the position of the switching mechanism by controlling power to a transfer coil of the switching mechanism.

8. The power management system of claim 6, wherein the generator controller controls the position of the switching mechanism by providing a signal to a transfer switch controller that controls the transfer switch.

9. The power management system of claim 6, wherein the generator controller prohibits the transfer switch from supplying the first power when the second power is unavailable by controlling the position of the switching mechanism to correspond to a position where the second power is connected with the output.

10. The power management system of claim 6, wherein the generator controller prohibits the transfer switch from supplying the first power when the second power is unavailable by controlling the position of the switching mechanism to correspond to an off position where neither the first power nor the second power is connected to the output.

11. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the generator controller is configured to prohibit at least some of a plurality of transfer switches from supplying the first power or the second power to outputs of the respective transfer switches.

12. The power management system of claim 11, wherein each of the respective outputs on the transfer switches provides power to a load, wherein each load is located in a different location, wherein each of the locations corresponds to a different residence in a dwelling or residential community.

13. The power management system of claim 11, wherein the generator controller is configured to receive a user input prohibiting selected transfer switches from supplying first or second power to the respective outputs of the selected transfer switches.

14. The power management system of claim 11, wherein the generator controller is configured to monitor a parameter, and prohibit at least some of the plurality of transfer switches from supplying the first power or the second power to outputs of the respective transfer switches based on the parameter.

15. A method comprising:

determining whether primary power, secondary power, or no power should be applied to a load, wherein the load is connected to a transfer switch, the transfer switch connected with a primary power source providing the primary power and a secondary power source providing the secondary power; and

prohibiting, with a generator controller, the transfer switch from providing the primary power or the secondary power to the load based on the determination.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether the primary power, the secondary power, or no power should be applied to the load includes determining whether a user of the load has paid a fee to receive the primary power or the secondary power.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the prohibiting includes instructing, with the generator controller, a switching mechanism within the transfer switch to an off position to prevent providing primary power and secondary power to the load.

18. A method comprising:

detecting an interruption in primary power from a primary power source;

gathering parameter information about a load, the load connected with the primary power source and a generator;

determining whether the load can receive generator power from the generator based on the parameter information; and

prohibiting, with a generator controller, the load from receiving the generator power when the interruption is detected and the determination indicates that the load cannot receive the generator power.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein prohibiting the load from receiving the generator power includes ignoring signals from a transfer switch that indicates when primary power has been interrupted where the transfer switch is connected to the load.

20. The method of claim 18, where the parameter information comprises information about whether the load was eligible to receive the primary power immediately prior to the interruption;

and

where the load cannot receive generator power from the generator when the parameter information indicates that the load was not eligible to receive the primary power immediately prior to the interruption.