Generator Use - What's a Transfer Switch?

So… how many of you have lived through an Arkansas ice storm?  I bet plenty of you have. So the next question is; how many of you enjoyed being out of power (or having very limited power) for several days at a time?  Well, we certainly didn’t.  This is maybe one of those greatest times when you are thankful for having a generator.  Have we mentioned how great Honda generators are?  Well, outside of the recreational and work applications, there lies a very important use for a generator: home power.  You can even go farther than simply owning a generator for home backup power; you can hook a generator up to your home’s main power circuits with a supply transfer switch.  This gives you the ability to switch between traditional electric power and generator power in the case of emergency, power outages, or nasty winter weather. 

When considering the purchase of a generator for home back up use, you should think about installing a transfer switch device. A professionally installed transfer switch makes using your generator easy and safe. A transfer switch is an electrical device that is installed next to your electrical panel in your home. It connects to the circuits in your electrical panel that you wish to power during an electrical outage.   This allows you to power these circuits by connecting the generator to the transfer switch, instead of having to run extension cords to various items.

The main breaker in the transfer switch switches the power source from utility to generator. The house cannot be connected to both the generator and utility power at the same time - the main breaker transfers power from one source to the other.   This prevents the generator power from back-feeding through the utility lines, as well as preventing utility power from back-feeding into the generator.

The transfer switch also contains a number of circuits. You can instruct an electrician to assign each circuit to a different load. For example, you might want to power the furnace, well pump, refrigerator, and some lights. You can assign different circuits to power each appliance or room.

You may have more items on different circuits than the generator is capable of powering at the same time. However, using a transfer switch will make it easy to switch between different loads. Just turn one circuit off, and the other on. Our Universal Transfer Switch will even do this for you. A transfer switch makes it easy to manage your power usage and maximize your generator's effectiveness.

Supercross season!!

Ahem (cough, cough), the official definition:  Supercross is a motorcycle racing sport involving off-road motorcycles on artificially-made dirt tracks consisting of steep jumps and obstacles. Professional supercross contest races are held almost exclusively within professional baseball and football stadiums.

YAY for Supercross!! So… what does this season look like??

•January 8 - Angel Stadium - Anaheim, CA

•January 15 - Chase Field - Phoenix, AZ

•January 22 - Dodger Stadium - Los Angeles, CA

•January 29 - Oak-Alameda City Stadium - Oakland, CA

•February 5 - Angel Stadium - Anaheim, CA

•February 12 - Reliant Stadium - Houston, TX

•February 19 - Qualcomm Stadium - San Diego, CA

•February 26 - Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA

•March 5 - Daytona Int'l Speedway - Daytona, FL*

•March 12 - Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN

•March 19 - Jacksonville Municipal Stadium - Jacksonville, FL

•March 26 - Rogers Centre - Toronto, ON, Canada

•April 2 - Cowboys Stadium - Arlington/Dallas, TX

•April 9 - Edward Jones Dome - St. Louis, MO

•April 16 - Qwest Field - Seattle, WA

•April 30 - Rice-Eccles Stadium - Salt Lake City, UT

•May 7 - Sam Boyd Stadium - Las Vegas, NV

So… who’s going to win this season? Both Bubba and Villopoto are back… threats?

What’s all this about Big Red?

Maybe you’ve heard of it. Surely you’ve seen it. It’s Honda’s ultimate workhorse:  Big Red.  So what’s all the fuss about? Big Red is a multi-utility vehicle towing/hauling/dumping 4x4 machine.  It can handle all of your off-road utility needs, with front and rear independent double-wishbone suspension, three selectable drive modes, plus a tough dump bed and a receiver style hitch for all the chores or work you can imagine. 

New and improved for 2011 is a heavier cargo bed carrying capacity (1,000lbs) and an increased towing capacity (1,500lbs).  It also boasts a more contoured bench seat and new Maxxis Big Horn tires featuring a stronger sidewall and more aggressive tread pattern for increased traction. Not to mention, Big Red’s transmission isn’t just another automatic—Big Red features the Honda automatic, the industry’s only true automotive-style automatic with a heavy-duty torque converter.  Honda’s Big Red is able to call itself the leader of the pack thanks to these and many more innovations in the MUV market. 

Honda’s legendary fit and finish, innovations developed by the same company that invented the ATV, and technologies that blend Honda’s vast automobile expertise with new ideas designed to revolutionize the Side-by-Side category, all come together to reveal the only utility (and did we mention fun?) MUV: Big Red. So go out and have some fun!

Wait… Have we even mentioned accessories?



The Ultimate ATV – The All-Terrain Hunter!

Now boys, don’t get too excited… We aren’t here to tell you how to kill more (or bigger) deer (or duck, or moose, or whatever the choice game is).  We’re here to make your hunting experience as fun and easy-going as possible.  The right ATV, with the right accessories, can help take a lot of the heavy lifting and transporting work off your shoulders and onto four wheels. Of course, we can also make getting through the woods (swamp, pasture) a whole lot more fun than wandering around in your waders! Here’s a short list of some of the accessories and tools available for your Honda ATV to create the ULTIMATE hunting experience!

Racks, anyone? No, not the ones on top of the deer.  But how about a few add-ons to your ATV to ease the load?  There are so many options; you simply have to find the one that suits your hunting style. An ATV Totem can make light work of transporting gun and bow cases, tree stands, ladders, and other equipment. 

Hitch rides and collapsible rear drop racks help transport other gear, and even game!  Don’t forget luggage bags, rhino grips for armory, and maybe even a rack cooler bag (you know, for your lunch and bottled water).

The right accessories on your ATV can make your hunting season a whole lot more fun and convenient.  Whatever your sport of choice, always stay safe!

The Ultimate ATV – The All-Terrain Farmer

Whether a diehard farmer, with acres of crop and pastures of livestock to take care of—or a hobby farmer with a small plot and lots of fun things to tend to—there’s an ATV out there to make your job easier.  Not only is there an ATV, but there are LOTS of tools and accessories you can put on that ATV to make light work of many farming tasks.  Be it traversing fields to check on herd and crop, or plowing that crop and moving all the trees to make the pasture, the right Honda ATV can get the job done for you—time, after time, after time, after time… well, you get the idea.

So, what are all those tools and accessories we’re talking about? Well, here’s a little peak.  Remember, opportunities are endless; if there’s something you’ve thought of, I bet someone else has too.  Don’t hesitate to ask any of our Parts & Accessories associates what kind of options you have to make your tough job easier (and more fun, too!).

Swisher makes a great line of farming and lawn/garden attachments for ATVs and MUVs.  One of the most popular is the QuickSwitch System, which allows you to use a variety of front and rear attachments, including a dump bucket, plow blade, fork lift, box scraper, disc harrow or grader blade.  They also make tillers, mowing attachments, spreaders/sprayers, and dump trailers.

Don’t forget storage! Stay prepared for anything with front and rear luggage bags.  Ogio is a great brand; they feature internal multiple compartment storage design, dual wet/dry compartments, removable padded back rest or seat, and tool gutter easy access tool storage compartments. 

Conclusion: don’t underestimate the power of a utility ATV! Honda makes their ATVs to be just what any hard worker (or player, for that matter…) needs to keep the job as easy (and fun!) as possible.