Backup generator

[Rotney]

How do you hook up a backup/standby generator if all is available is electricity to the house? Can it be done?

1500sqft home, want to keep everything up and running should an emergency arises.

Thanks for your input.

[howabouttheiris]

Generator transfer switch at the main input panel is what I used.

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[Edward F]

Don’t know the correct answer but I am having an electrician come out and rig everything out to support a 50amp generator.

[MadHatter]

How do you hook up a backup/standby generator if all is available is electricity to the house? Can it be done?

1500sqft home, want to keep everything up and running should an emergency arises.

Thanks for your input.

Several different ways, but a transfer switch is probably your best option.

[HogHunter34]

Yes
You can do a whole home with automatic transfer switch or a portable unit with a manual switch box for select circuits
I’ve got a manual switch box wired for 9 circuits. Eight are 120v while the one is 240v with 40 amp fusing. The 120v circuits are 15 & 20 amp fusing
I figured my total load on all my circuits to determine total running watts needed on a portable unit

[MadHatter]

Don’t know the correct answer but I am having an electrician come out and rig everything out to support a 50amp generator.

What's that running someone these days?
$1500?

[Edward F]

What's that running someone these days?
$1500?

I’m in $300 for supplies, it’s a friend so hopefully labor isn’t too expensive. 🤣

[hopedale]

You put in a transfer switch in the main panel, so you can turn off city power. And you connect a box that feeds the power from your generator to your main panel.

The transfer switch turns off the city power, and enables the panel to take the home generator power.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gorjxkgInng&t=436s"]Home Generator Interlock Kit Installation - EASY! - YouTube[/ame]

[Edward F]

I will have to pick and choose what I’ll be able to power, obviously if it’s another winter storm, furnace, fridge, deep freeze and a few selected outlets. Hopefully I don’t have to worry, I am on a good electrical grid and only lost power for 8 hours SNOVID week.

[Backwoods101]

What's that running someone these days?
$1500?

I was told to budget @$1,200


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[Rotney]

But how does the generator run if there is no electricity with a transfer switch.

Sorry, but I’m completely clueless on this.

Everything says you have to have natural gas or propane to run it.

[ctom87]

Generator just got here today. 9500 running for 1400 sq ft home. A buddy of my dad is doing the install...he sent me a list of material I needed for the project. He is providing pipe and wire. With everything on in the house I was pulling about 9000 watts. But that included a lot of power tools also, lathe, bandsaw, dust collector. Don't plan on woodworking during the apocalypse though.

Obviously though your list may be different.

Here's a list
1-2pole GE 50 amp breaker
1- 2 pole GE 60 amp breaker
1- inlet rated 50 amps
1- inlet cord 25' or more
1- interlock kit
1- 9500 running watt generator.
1- GE 125 sub panel

[ctom87]

But how does the generator run if there is no electricity with a transfer switch.

Sorry, but I’m completely clueless on this.

Everything says you have to have natural gas or propane to run it.

I don't understand the question, but I have never used a generator, either. You would use propane, gas or natural gas to run the generator. I believe in the case of a transfer switch, you flip the switch so your house is running on power from generator and your home's main breaker is off. Or thats the point of the transfer switch. You do NOT want to run electricity and generator at the same time. That was stressed to me.

[MadHatter]

But how does the generator run if there is no electricity with a transfer switch.

Sorry, but I’m completely clueless on this.

Everything says you have to have natural gas or propane to run it.

Come again .
Yes, bury a 2k gallon lp tank and pipe it to the genny, when the the power goes out, flip the transfer switch & fire up the generator.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need electricity to run a generator when the grid goes down

[Rotney]

Come again .
Yes, bury a 2k gallon lp tank and pipe it to the genny, when the the power goes out, flip the transfer switch & fire up the generator.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need electricity to run a generator when the grid goes down

That’s what I thought. Gotta have fuel for the generator. Understand the transfer switch now with the TBH knowledge.

Thanks for the input.