You'll need a circuit breaker that's compatible with your service panel brand and the amperage of your generator. Because backfeeding power through a home service panel out to utility lines would pose a serious electrocution threat to technicians who may be working on them, a backfeed breaker should be installed along with an interlock switch guard, which makes it impossible for the service panel main switch and the generator breaker to be in the on-position at the same time.īackfeed breaker on the Main Electric PanelĪs you can see in the image above, the interlock kit is a physical barrier that prevents the main circuit breaker and the backfeed breaker from being set in the on position at the same time, making it impossible for generator power to be fed out to the grid, which would endanger technicians working on your electric lines.įor the backfeed breaker solution to be feasible, there need to be at least two unused breaker slots in your panel. In a backfeed breaker setup, an additional circuit breaker is installed in the main service panel and wired to accept power from the generator feed and distribute it to branch circuits connected to the panel. It is not a transfer switch, but rather a simpler, less expensive alternative. One approach to connecting house wiring to a backup power source is to install a backfeed breaker in the main service panel. Option 1: Backfeed Breaker with Interlock Switch That would be dangerous and possibly illegal. But unless you're a licensed electrician, don't take the cover off of your main service panel or make any wiring connections yourself. If you really want to get involved, you can save some money by buying the necessary kits and/or components yourself and doing some of the non-electrical grunt work involved, like mounting panels and receptacles where they're needed. Handy folks with a basic understanding of home electrical systems, load calculation and safe practices will want to consider the switch panel options carefully and decide, in consultation with a pro, which will work best with the electrical system already in place for their emergency power needs. Wiring a transfer switch panel is not a job for non-licensed electricians. Please note: Transfer Switch Wiring is NOT for Unlicensed Electricians!! There are at least three good options:ġ) Install a backfeed breaker with a generator interlock switch in your home's main service panel.Ģ) Install simple interlock panel with two double-pole breakers near your home's main service panel.ģ) Install a transfer switch panel to control the critical circuits you need when the utility service feed is down. The answer is to connect the generator to your home's main load center with a manual transfer switch. Who wants to keep a window or door open even a crack when the weather is bad to route-in extension cords running from the generator to the fridge or a few lamps during a blackout? How would you even use a portable generator to power a furnace or boiler, central air conditioning, a sump or well pump, an electric range or any other appliances that are usually wired directly to dedicated circuits? Enter the transfer switch. Portable generators with gasoline engines need to be outdoors and away from open windows and doors when operating. You'd need a more expensive 15,000-watt generator to also power an electric range or central air conditioner.īut by itself, a portable generator is inconvenient to use as an emergency power source. A 7,500-watt portable generator can deliver about 60 amps at 120 volts or 30 amps at 240 volts-enough power to keep a few lights and critical appliances like a refrigerator, well or sump pump working when utility power fails. The most affordable option is to make do with portable generator. One of the first steps in planning your emergency power strategy is to decide what you need to run during an outage and how much power that will take so you can be sure your generator has ample output capacity. Value Report" suggests why: The average residential emergency backup power system costs about $15,000 to retrofit, and owners can expect to recover less than half that cost on the resale of their homes. While some newer, pricier homes have such backup power systems, few others are so equipped. It would be nice if every home were equipped with a built-in backup generator that had the capacity to power an entire household during a utility blackout and was fitted with an automatic transfer switch to start the flow of electricity from the generator the second after the utility power fails. As power outages triggered by extreme weather events become increasingly prevalent around the U.S., more and more homeowners are exploring options for backup power.
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