How to Connect a Generator to a House
Do you have a medical device that depends on electricity? Is the weather in your location extremely cold or hot? Do your kitchen appliances only work on electricity?
Keyrenter Property Management in Sandy advises that one important aspect of your responsibilities as a landlord is ensuring your tenants always have the power they need. Power outage is a terrible experience when you depend on it for vital purposes.
It can be inconvenient and dangerous. Keeping the power on ensures added convenience, satisfaction, productivity, and safety for your tenants and the general public.
However, there is a solution to this problem. It involves having a generator installed on your property and connecting it to your home.
How to connect the generator to your home
You can power your property with a generator in two ways.
● Connecting your appliances to the generator
This process entails using extension cords to connect your gadgets directly to your generator outside the house. Here, only the devices that you plug in will receive power.
The lights on your property will be off. So, if the power outage lasts longer, you may need lamps or flashlights to navigate your property at night.
● Connect the generator to the electrical grid of your house
The best option is to connect the generator to your home’s grid. That is because all the lights, appliances, and outlets will have power.
It is more beneficial since you will enjoy all your gadgets and light even when the power outage lasts longer.
Connecting the generator to the home’s electrical grid does not involve plugging it into the wall socket. Most people make that dangerous mistake. Doing so is called back feeding, and it is very unsafe.
Back feeding can damage your electrical cables and cause fire outbreaks. If you have electricians working on the property, they can get electrocuted. For these reasons, back feeding is dangerous and illegal.
There is a better way to connect your generator to the home’s electrical grid. It involves installing a transfer switch so that you can safely use a generator on your property.
How to connect a generator to your home with a transfer switch
A transfer switch is a device that allows you to switch from the electrical utility to your generator.
You can use it to allow power to the necessary rooms, appliances, or outlets. In short, a transfer switch will help you to manage the power in your home. You can assign the outlet to the sub-breakers during the installation.
It helps control the watts that the house gets from your generator by switching some breakers on or off.
As a result, the entire property can have power, but you decide where and when to use it depending on your need. The advantage is that you can use a portable generator even when your property is massive.
Types of transfer switches
There are two different types of transfer switches: the manual transfer switch and the universal transfer switch.
1. The manual transfer switch
This switch requires you to flip the appropriate breaker when you want to power on or off a set of appliances. It works like a traditional breaker box.
2. Universal transfer switch
The universal transfer switch is automatic and delivers several functions. If you have a power outage on your property, the universal switch will detect it and automatically switch on the generator.
The benefit here is that gadgets that require steady power can get supply even when you are sleeping or not at home. It also detects when your home is back on the electric utility and switches off the generator.
Some universal transfer switches have a built-in battery that powers your appliances until you can put on the generator.
During the universal transfer switch installation, you can prioritize appliances and outlets. When you do this, the transfer switch will automatically switch on or off the breakers to avoid overloading the generator.
How to install a transfer switch
The best place to install a transfer switch is next to your home’s circuit. Since the installation is technical, it requires the services of an experienced electrician. That is because you will be working on the cables in the circuit breaker board.
Some homeowners who have experience with transfer switches and electrical wiring may want to try it.
The primary thing that it requires is identifying and transferring the necessary circuits from the board to the transfer switch.
That will depend on the appliances, outlets, or rooms you prioritize during power failure and the size of your generator. For universal transfer switches, you will need to program the priority levels.
The bottom line
Connecting a generator to your home is a backup plan in case of a power outage. It may even increase the property value.
However, it is better to hire a licensed electrician for the job. They will inspect and assess the power needs of your home. It will help them decide how best to install your transfer switch.
