Generator Transfer Switch and Inlet Installation in Broken Arrow

Generator transfer switch and inlet installation in Broken Arrow

When an ice storm or a summer thunderstorm knocks the power out, a portable generator can keep the refrigerator, furnace fan, well pump and a few lights running. The question is how to connect it safely. Hot Shot Electric Service Co. installs generator transfer switches, panel interlocks and generator inlets for homes in Broken Arrow, Tulsa and the surrounding towns, so your portable generator can power the circuits you choose without ever sending power back onto PSO's lines.

Why not just plug it into the dryer outlet?

A cord with a plug on both ends, sometimes called a suicide cord, back-feeds the house through an outlet. It is dangerous in three ways. The exposed prongs on the plug are live. If the main breaker is not off, the generator feeds power back through your meter onto the utility lines, where it can be stepped up by the transformer and kill a lineman working to restore power. And when utility power comes back while the generator is still connected, the generator and your wiring can be damaged or start a fire. A transfer switch or interlock makes all of that impossible.

Transfer switch or interlock

Manual transfer switch

A small panel mounted beside your main panel, with switches for the specific circuits you want on the generator. You flip each circuit from utility to generator. It is simple and keeps you from overloading the generator.

Panel interlock kit

A mechanical plate on your main panel that physically prevents the main breaker and the generator breaker from being on at the same time. You can run any circuits in the panel, choosing which ones by turning breakers on and off. It costs less than a transfer switch on many panels and gives more flexibility.

Customers have had us install a generator plug and interlock at their house, and a 30 amp generator outlet with a breaker switch at another home. Both are typical of the work.

The generator inlet

An inlet is a weatherproof, recessed connector on the outside wall, rated for your generator's output, usually 30 or 50 amps. You set the generator up outside, away from windows and doors, plug the cord into the inlet, and never run an extension cord through the house. We locate the inlet where the cord run is short and the generator can sit safely away from the house.

Sizing what you want to run

A portable generator can only carry so much. We help you choose which circuits matter: refrigerator and freezer, furnace fan, well pump, a few lights and outlets, maybe a window unit. Then we size the inlet and transfer equipment to your generator's output. If you have not bought a generator yet, we will tell you what output covers the circuits you want.

How the installation works

1. Tell us your generator's model and output, or that you are still shopping.
2. We look at your panel and agree which circuits need backup.
3. You get the price before work starts, and we pull the permit where required.
4. We install the inlet, the cord run to the panel, and the transfer switch or interlock.
5. We walk you through the switchover so you know what to do when the power goes out.

Running the generator safely

A portable generator belongs outdoors, well away from windows, doors and vents, because its exhaust contains carbon monoxide. It should never run in a garage, even with the door open. We place the inlet so the cord reaches a safe spot for the generator, and we recommend battery-backed carbon monoxide alarms inside the house for anyone running a generator during an outage.

When the power comes back

With a transfer switch or interlock, switching back is simple: shut down the generator's load, return the circuits or the main breaker to utility power, then turn off the generator. The equipment makes it impossible to have both connected at once. We leave you a short written sequence next to the panel so anyone in the house can do it in the dark.

Older panels and interlocks

Interlock kits are made for specific panel brands and models. Some older panels have no listed kit, and in those cases a manual transfer switch is the way to go. If your panel is also due for replacement, putting the interlock on a new panel at the same time is often the cleanest answer; see electrical panel upgrade.

Choosing circuits for backup

Most homeowners put the refrigerator, freezer, furnace blower, a few lights, the garage door and a couple of outlets for phones and a TV on backup. Homes on a well add the well pump. Central air conditioning usually needs more than a portable generator can deliver, though a window unit may fit. We help you add up what you want to run so the generator is not overloaded.

Storm season readiness

The best time to install a generator connection is before you need it. Pair it with whole-house surge protection, since surges are common when power is restored after an outage. If storm damage has already pulled your service loose, see urgent electrical repair.

A generator connection is planned once and used for years. We label the inlet, the transfer switch or interlock and the circuits on backup, so whoever is home during an outage can get the generator running safely without guessing. If you add circuits later, the transfer switch can often be expanded.

Call (918) 261-8024 with your generator model, and we will tell you what the connection will take.