Bob Pierce answers questions about energy efficiency, consumer products, and cooperative governance. He is Clearwater Power’s Chief Operating Officer and welcomes your questions on our Ask Bob page.
Can a generator be connected directly to my house wiring?
Yes. A licensed electrician can hardwire a generator to your house wiring and install a required transfer switch that prevents backfeed onto the power line.
Transfer switches allow you to select between grid power or generator power sources without the 2 ever being connected at the same time. They come in manual or automatic models. Many people choose the automatic type. Automatic models sense a power outage, automatically start the generator and switch power sources. When grid power comes back on, it simply works in reverse, returning back to the grid power and shutting down the generator. These will work even when you are away from your home.
If your budget doesn’t allow for a transfer switch, a more frugal option is to buy heavy-duty extension cords and plug devices directly into a portable generator. If you use this option, you’ll need to make sure your generator is outside in a safe location with plenty of airflow and follow all other manufacturer safety precautions. You’ll also need to ensure you don’t overload the cords or the total capacity of the generator itself.
Depending on the size of your generator, you may need to take turns powering different devices, such as running the fridge until it cools down and then disconnecting the fridge and plugging in the freezer. With this option, you won’t be able to power hardwired appliances, such as water heaters or well pumps.
Again, avoid connecting a generator to the house wiring unless you have a professionally installed transfer switch to isolate it. Failing to do this can cause the 240-volt output of your generator to flow backward through your transformer and be stepped up to 14,400 volts on the power line, which can injure or kill a lineworker making repairs to restore power.
Clearwater Power sells heavy-duty extension cords and Kohler brand generators with transfer switches. Visit our website or call (208) 743-1501 for more information.