Does anyone know if ASCO rebrands or re-relabels their 300 and 7000 series transfer switches for someone else to the point where they are pretty much exactly the same switch with a different label on them?

Thanks.

Yes, ASCO was purchased by Emmerson back in the 90's and ASCO was and may still be making ATS for Kohler, Square D and maybe other companies.

The 300 series ATS body is probably the same as the old 940 series, but as you probably know, ASCO likes to come up with different ways to name their product line so watch very carefully if you order any replacement pieces. The difference is with the 3 cycle withstand rating. Identical bodies, but one is rated for 3 cycle withstand, the other is not.

ASCO has proven to be a pretty reliable ATS- provided the end user exercises the switch on a regular basis and not just when there is a power outage. We found that most of the issues with control panel damage was caused because the end user never exercised the generator with the load connected. If you do allow the switch to transfer with load, the ATS gets exercised as well. I recommend allowing a transfer at least once a month.

Regarding maintenance: Unfortunately, most companies let their generator vendor perform ATS maintenance. Don't get me wrong, generator companies do a good job on the generator and engine, but the maintenance on ATS is usually minimal or non existent. You may want to contact one of ASCOs service centers, but they are pricey. If you are looking for a company to perform an annual PM on your transfer switches I'd suggest asking the prospective vendor for specifics on what they do and how they do it? For example: do they disassemble the ATS body and clean and lubricate the moving parts? How they determine the contacts are in good condition? Do they perform a DLRO of the contacts? May be they do they do a voltage drop test across the contacts? If they don't have satisfactory answers, find someone else.

One more thing to remember, an emergency transfer switch can not have control fuses in the circuit. This only becomes a problem f there is a problem with the switch mechanically hanging up. That's what usually causes control panels to burn up. I've seen a lot of that over the years.

It pays to have a qualified company do a good annual PM and it's good practice to let your ATS operate more than when the power fails.

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, we have about 60 gensets on the campus where I work. Mostly diesels but we do have a few natural gas and a couple LP units. Way over 100 ATS's. I don't have a count but off hand but I know it's way over 100. Most of them are ASCO's from at least the early 70's to present. One Russelectric I can think of at the moment and a few Kohlers and Onans. You are right about the older Kohlers being ASCO 940's. We have Kohler, Cummins and CAT generators for the most part but there are a couple of oddballs too. One Spectrum Detroit Diesel I can think of that is pretty much a Kohler unit from the late 90's.

I asked the Square D rep with their purchase of ASCO last year if their ATS's were going to be ASCO's, he said no. Eaton, no. No answer from our Kohler rep yet. I don't know if the present day Kohler's are ASCO 300's or not.

We've pretty much sole spec'd around ASCO for years because our guys know how to operate, program and maintain them. They don't want to have to be reading user manuals on something they are not familiar with at 2 am when the power is out to a residence hall and the transfer switch didn't transfer. I'm getting some pressure to open the spec up a bit out of fear we could be getting gouged on pricing when we lock in ASCO as part of a new construction project that has a generator It's a legit concern as I've seen it happen many times before on other equipment.

I was hoping to spec some other switches that have ASCO contactor's and controllers so the operation etc. is the same as we already know but are not supplied through the local ASCO rep so their is some competition there.

Schneider Electric bought ASCO in 2018. At the time of acquisition Schneider allowed ASCO to operate as an independent company but Schneider may pull them in under the Schneider umbrella in the near future - as they do with most of their acquisitions.