Can someone identify this?

This seemed to be connected to the main lighting circuit breaker, any ideas on what it is?

Yes

http://www.gen-tran.com/eshop/10Browse.asp?Category=VPTS

Looks like some sort of portable generator connection (transfer switch)to the house.

Ah, so basically it’s how one would attach a generator at this house.
Thanks!

The main “violation” that you’ll see with those is that if any of those circuits are required to be AFCI protected, the AFCI protection will not exist when running on portable generator power. It will be flatly illegal to use those Gentran panels for circuits required to be AFCI protected.

Marc that is a legacy unit that was around before AFCIs.

Not a doubt in my mind, but my comment was more generalized in nature. I haven’t heard any comment on this board yet about AFCI protection related to generator panels, so I wanted to start that dialogue.