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"Smart" Transfer Switch - Do You Actually Need One?

The Solar Lab

272,464 views

🛒 Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus ➡ https://bit.ly/4eC7Tsq
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🛒 Jackery Smart Transfer Switch ➡ https://bit.ly/42rs6dc
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⚡ Read Our Full Written Jackery Reviews: https://www.thesolarlab.com/reviews?b...

🔌 Access In-Depth Reviews, Guides & More: https://www.thesolarlab.com/

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0:00 - Intro
2:44 - What is a Smart Transfer Switch?
3:10 - Why Smart Transfer Switch
7:31 - Jackery Smart Transfer Switch
6:31 - What We Don't Like
9:41 - Should You Buy It?

If you’re looking for a seamless way to add whole-home backup power with a portable power station, this video breaks down everything you need to know about the Jackery Smart Transfer Switch and how it pairs with the Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus. We explain how smart transfer switches work, the difference between manual and automatic backup power systems, and why features like seamless 20ms switchover, peak shaving, app controls, and integrated sub-panels can make a huge difference during a power outage. We also share our real-world testing experience with the Jackery setup, including what we liked, what we didn’t, and whether this smart home backup system is actually worth the money for homeowners looking for reliable emergency power and energy savings.

We maintain an affiliate relationship with some of the products reviewed, which means we get a small percentage of a sale if you click our links, at no cost to our viewers.

20 Comments

@TheSolarLab Creator 4 months ago (edited) Pinned

🛒 Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus ➡ https://bit.ly/4eC7Tsq
🛒 Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus w STS ➡ https://bit.ly/4tqBAQX
🛒 Jackery Smart Transfer Switch ➡ https://bit.ly/42rs6dc
➡ Use Code JASOLARLAB for 5% Off

🛒 Jackery on Amazon ➡ https://amzn.to/4wAkuCG

⚡ Find Your Perfect Power Station: https://www.thesolarlab.com/ps-quiz

🛒 Shop Our Favorite Products on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/tsl047

🔔 Subscribe to our YouTube Channels
➡ https://www.youtube.com/@TheSolarLab
➡ https://www.youtube.com/@TheSolarLabPlus

Shop Our Favorite Brands & Discount Codes ↓↓↓

🛒 Signature Solar: https://signaturesolar.com/?ref=thesolarlab
➡ $50 Off With Code THESOLARLAB50

🛒 Pecron: https://www.pecron.com/#ref=229
➡ 5% Off with Code THESOLARLAB5

🛒 EcoFlow: https://us.ecoflow.com/?aff=925
➡ 5% Off with Code EF26TSL5

🛒 BLUETTI: https://www.bluettipower.com?aff=22
➡ 5% Off with Code THESOLARLAB5

🛒 ANKER SOLIX: https://ankerfast.club/anker.solix_tsl
➡ 5% Off with Code THESOLARLAB5

🛒 Jackery: https://www.jackery.com/?utm_source=affiliatly&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=affiliatelyus&aff=2419
➡ 5% Off with Code JASOLARLAB

🛒 ShopSolar: https://shopsolarkits.com/collections/promotions?ref=TheSolarLab
➡ 4% Off with Code THELAB

🛒 WattCycle Batteries: https://www.wattcycle.com/pages/lithium-pps-batteries-deals?ref=glyrdtvp
➡ 6% Off with Code THESOLARLAB

🛒 OUPES: https://tidd.ly/3KFFyo4
➡5% Off with Code THESOLARLAB

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

⚡ Read Our Full Written Jackery Reviews: https://www.thesolarlab.com/reviews?brand=Jackery

🔌 Access In-Depth Reviews, Guides & More: https://www.thesolarlab.com/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

0:00 - Intro
2:44 - What is a Smart Transfer Switch?
3:10 - Why Smart Transfer Switch
7:31 - Jackery Smart Transfer Switch
6:31 - What We Don't Like
9:41 - Should You Buy It?

If you’re looking for a seamless way to add whole-home backup power with a portable power station, this video breaks down everything you need to know about the Jackery Smart Transfer Switch and how it pairs with the Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus. We explain how smart transfer switches work, the difference between manual and automatic backup power systems, and why features like seamless 20ms switchover, peak shaving, app controls, and integrated sub-panels can make a huge difference during a power outage. We also share our real-world testing experience with the Jackery setup, including what we liked, what we didn’t, and whether this smart home backup system is actually worth the money for homeowners looking for reliable emergency power and energy savings.

We maintain an affiliate relationship with some of the products reviewed, which means we get a small percentage of a sale if you click our links, at no cost to our viewers.

@MichaelHackett 4 months ago

It'd be really nice to see this video with "Smart" Transfer Switches for each of the major brands that offer them.

@peTeMelster 4 months ago

The small one is not a manual transfer switch. It's a generator inlet.

@libertarian1637 4 months ago

Electrician here; a transfer switch transfers sources between the same load. This typically is between mains power and a generator feed. This can be gone manually or automatically. The inlet plug allows a generator to be tied into a panel but needs an interconnect, that is a device to restrict source power, such that the generator cannot feed into the mains power source.

@SeattleWolfPack 4 months ago

I bought this set from Costco which comes with the STS, a Explorer 5000 Plus, a Explorer add on, and two solar panels. I then added another Explorer 5000 Plus and its now able power up pretty much my entire house for days. What is great about the STS is that here in Seattle we may lose power for 5 minutes then comes back, then goes out again, I don't even noticed the power is out if you set the STS in UPS mode (20 milliseconds auto switch), vs standard 5 seconds. Its basically plug and forget.

@drillsergeant623 1 month ago

Nobody has ever referred to it as a transfer switch.

@kenjohnson3412 4 months ago

Another very helpfgul video. Too much music.

@dx9s 4 months ago

APC has/had MANY MANY moons (like 2008) the UTS series (a Smart Universal Transfer Switch: UTS-10, UTS-10BI, UTS-6, UTS-6BI and UTS-6H). The 6H is only model that supports 120V input only and 6 120V branches, 10BI and 6BI supports one 240V branch (takes over last two circuits, i.e. 9/10 for 10BI, 5/6 for 6BI). I am not sure if they still make them but still see a few new stock in places for sale. Think mine (6H) was $400 at the time and is a take over transfer switch with THREE inputs, Grid, UPS and "Generator" (which can be a big battery inverter which is what I did, w/ 30kWh @ 5kW max). Will automatically switch from/to Grid<->UPS<->Generator and "shed" power if the programmed load is greater than the limits of the UPS or Inverter. UPS is intended for one or two branches to light the way into the garage and pull out the generator and plug in. It "Sheds" power by saying "I can drop the fridge for 5 minutes to allow the microwave to run". It was a REALLY cool product, but nobody has stepped in to continue a product offering the UTS's feature set. REALLY wish people knew about these because they are really amazing.

@donaldhoudek2889 4 months ago

I use the EG4 6000XP. Wired all my non 240VAC loads (critical loads) into it. If I want any 240 VAC items (AC, Water Heater, Kitchen Range...) I just plug in the 12kW Generator at the service panel. 5kW of Solar cares for all the critical loads. Good video

@shelley131 4 months ago

I like this type of videos, that are not just only reviews, which I enjoy a lot, but I never guessed that once you hook up a smart transfer box you don't do anything else because your critical are connected and will continue to run. Thanks!

@dallas4616 4 months ago

What's Brad and Emerson and Chris up to these days? We miss you in the car side of Youtube Robbie!

@MaxymVlasov 4 months ago

Okay, just use pass-through functionality of any power station and $15 smart socket which will go on and off during night. Also some models can be linked to power station automation apps.
Manually switch what you want to always recieve for power station, and what only from grid.

Hello, from Ukraine, btw. American prepers are cute in their ignorance of simple solutions :)

@gaugeprower 4 months ago (edited)

So I'm going to assume that if we had another power station or solar-generator setup which has a NEMA 14-50 out, it could still be used with the Jackery transfer switch, but just without access to some of the smart features like peak-shaving? Or is it really locked down to the point that it wont function with any other power input?

EDIT, after a 2nd review of your footage at around 2:08, I can see that the input is actually proprietary, and not a 14-50, so this answers my question.

@JohnT-o6h 4 months ago

we set up a smart home panel for my mom who is in her nineties. the ecoflow setup keeps three sumps, a fridge, boiler for heat, microwave, internet, and TV powered up during outages. i remotely monitor it through the app. the maintenance so far has been updating firmware and cycling the delta pros down to zero and back to 100% every since months or so.

@rabbit12821 4 months ago

a smart transfer switch with an inlet box is best. you can hook up your generator to the inlet box and let it charge the battery and run everything with the generator.

@brucearkwrightjr.9246 4 months ago

My stepfather was smart when he built his house instead of a main panel, he has two transfer switch boxes powering the house, of course he has a generator...
This should be an option when buying a new house...

@simon359 4 months ago

I don’t like proprietary in anything, as it excludes you from using other products that might be better in the future!

@BertBJ 2 months ago

My concern about “smart panels” is that if it dies, even if I can reconnect to the grid, the circuits I’d want won’t be accessible. They’ll be connected to the broken smart panel. Am I missing something? Thanx. Love the channel.

@denlog1177 4 months ago

Peak shaving also needs to account for the 90% or so inverter efficiency and the power lost charging the batteries. In SWFL there is only a penny difference in price from peak. The only thing I care about is my refrigerator. I have a UPS for my PC that runs the wifi, battery powered cameras, etc. I am going cheap with the breaker and lockout. I just bought a Anker C2000 which I can leave inside connected to my refig until needed for the whole house and a Champion 3k duel fuel generator for $600 to charge it when needed.

@davidgwak6463 1 month ago

My only gripe is all manual or smart transfer switch is limited to 10-12 or so breakers, where if i have interlock and inlet, i can choose to power on. For example, i can turn water heater or furnace or dryer when i need to use it but with STS or Manual, i am limited to ones i deemed essential