Electrical docking station
Systems and apparatuses for access-controlled electrical docking stations that automatically switch power to an electrical system between generator power and utility power are disclosed herein. An illustrative electrical docking station can include a cabinet that houses a circuit breaker, a generator interface to connect generators to the electrical docking station, an Automatic Transfer Switch, and a power supply. The power supply can supply converted DC power and protection to different accessories for the electrical docking station including an alarm, a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism can be configured to lock a door to the generator connectors in a closed position when the ATS is energized by a generator and to not lock the door when the door is in an open position. In some such circumstances, the alarm can shine green or provide an audible alarm and shine red respectively.
1. An electrical docking station, comprising:
(a) a cabinet that includes a generator connection compartment and a utility connection compartment, the generator connection compartment including a door movable between an open position and a closed position, the utility connection compartment being configured to house utility wires;
(b) a generator interface housed in the generator connection compartment and configured to be electrically connected to a generator and to a transfer switch, the transfer switch being electrically connected to the utility wires and to a building electrical system, the transfer switch being configured to switch between electrically connecting the building electrical system to the generator interface and electrically connecting the building electrical system to the utility wires; and
(c) an alarm connected to the cabinet and configured to provide an alert if the building electrical system and the generator interface are electrically connected through the transfer switch and the door to the generator connection compartment is in the open position.
2. The electrical docking station of claim 1 , wherein the generator connection compartment and the utility connection compartment are positioned side by side in the cabinet.
3. The electrical docking station of claim 1 , wherein the transfer switch is housed in the cabinet.
4. The electrical docking station of claim 3 , wherein the cabinet includes a main section and a lower section, the main section housing the transfer switch, and the generator connection compartment and the utility connection compartment being in the lower section.
5. The electrical docking station of claim 1 , wherein:
the generator interface includes one or more connection receptacles, each connection receptacle being configured to receive a connector and cable from the generator,
the generator connection compartment includes a bottom surface with one or more cable slots, each cable slot having a width that allows the cable to pass through the cable slot but prevents the connector from passing through the cable slot, and
the generator interface is positioned at an angle that is non-perpendicular with a back side of the cabinet.
6. The electrical docking station of claim 1 , further comprising:
(d) an electro-mechanical locking mechanism configured to lock the door if the building electrical system and the generator interface are electrically connected through the transfer switch and the door is in the closed position.
7. The electrical docking station of claim 6 , further comprising:
(e) a power supply electrically connected between the generator interface and the electro-mechanical locking mechanism, the power supply being configured to convert high-voltage AC input power from the generator interface to DC output power and to send converted generator power to the electro-mechanical locking mechanism.
8. The electrical docking station of claim 1 , wherein the alert comprises an audible signal.
9. The electrical docking station of claim 1 , wherein the alert comprises a visual signal.
10. The electrical docking station of claim 1 , wherein the alert comprises an audible signal and a visual signal.
11. An electrical docking station, comprising:
(a) a cabinet that includes a generator connection compartment and a utility connection compartment, the generator connection compartment including a door movable between an open position and a closed position, the utility connection compartment being configured to house utility wires;
(b) a generator interface housed in the generator connection compartment and configured to be electrically connected to a generator and to a transfer switch, the transfer switch being electrically connected to the utility wires and to a building electrical system, the transfer switch being configured to switch between electrically connecting the building electrical system to the generator interface and electrically connecting the building electrical system to the utility wires; and
(c) an electro-mechanical locking mechanism electrically connected to the generator interface and configured to lock the door to the generator connection compartment if the building electrical system and the generator interface are electrically connected through the transfer switch and the door is in the closed position.
12. The electrical docking station of claim 11 , wherein the generator connection compartment and the utility connection compartment are positioned side by side in the cabinet.
13. The electrical docking station of claim 11 , wherein the cabinet includes a main section and a lower section, the generator connection compartment and the utility connection compartment being in the lower section.
14. The electrical docking station of claim 11 , wherein:
the generator interface includes one or more connection receptacles, each connection receptacle being configured to receive a connector and cable from the generator,
the generator connection compartment includes a bottom surface with one or more cable slots, each cable slot having a width that allows the cable to pass through the cable slot but prevents the connector from passing through the cable slot, and
the generator interface is positioned at an angle that is non-perpendicular with a back side of the cabinet.
15. The electrical docking station of claim 11 , further comprising:
(d) a power supply electrically connected between the generator interface and the electro-mechanical locking mechanism, the power supply being configured to convert high-voltage AC input power from the generator interface to DC output power and to send converted generator power to the electro-mechanical locking mechanism.
16. The electrical docking station of claim 11 , further comprising:
(d) an alarm connected to the cabinet and configured to provide an alert if the building electrical system and the generator interface are electrically connected through the transfer switch and the door to the generator connection compartment is in the open position.
17. The electrical docking station of claim 16 , wherein the alert comprises an audible signal, a visual signal, or both.
18. A method, comprising:
(a) providing an electrical docking station that comprises:
(i) a cabinet that includes a generator connection compartment and a utility connection compartment, the generator connection compartment including a door movable between an open position and a closed position, the utility connection compartment housing utility wires,
(ii) a generator interface housed in the generator connection compartment and electrically connected to a generator and to a transfer switch, the transfer switch being electrically connected to the utility wires and to a building electrical system, and
(iii) an electro-mechanical locking mechanism electrically connected to the generator interface;
(b) switching, with the transfer switch, (i) from electrically connecting the building electrical system to the utility wires (ii) to electrically connecting the building electrical system to the generator interface; and
(c) locking, with the electro-mechanical locking mechanism, the door to the generator connection compartment when the building electrical system and the generator interface are electrically connected through the transfer switch and the door is in the closed position.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
(d) switching, with the transfer switch, (i) from electrically connecting the building electrical system to the generator interface (ii) to electrically connecting the building electrical system to the utility wires; and
(e) unlocking, with the electro-mechanical locking mechanism, the door to the generator connection compartment when the building electrical system and the utility wires are electrically connected through the transfer switch.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein step (b) comprises automatically switching upon detection that no power is coming from the utility wires.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
(d) automatically switching, with the transfer switch, upon detection that power is coming from the utility wires, (i) from electrically connecting the building electrical system to the generator interface (ii) to electrically connecting the building electrical system to the utility wires.
22. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
(d) connecting a load bank to the generator interface; and
(e) applying an ancillary load with the load bank.
23. The method of claim 18 , wherein the electrical docking station further comprises:
(v) a power supply electrically connected between the generator interface and the electro-mechanical locking mechanism, the power supply converting high-voltage AC input power from the generator interface to DC output power and sending converted generator power to the electro-mechanical locking mechanism.
24. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
(d) providing an alert if the building electrical system and the generator interface are electrically connected through the transfer switch and the door to the generator connection compartment is in the open position.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the alert comprises an audible signal, a visual signal, or both.