When you purchase a new portable generator, there is always a question of how you are going to connect your generator to the electrical panel. In today’s post, we are going to answer all of your queries, so stay tuned.
We are going to take some scenarios, and the connection of your generator depends on it.
Portable generator and transfer switches
Please note that the whole-house generator comes with a dedicated built-in transfer switch, so you don’t need to purchase it separately. But in the case of a portable generator, you need to purchase it separately.
I have written a dedicated guide on transfer switches, so make sure to check it out. The transfer switch is a necessary device when you want to use the generator in your house as it will provide extra safety to your appliances, and it is required by the National Electric Code too.
In the event of a blackout, a transfer switch cuts the power from the grid and connects the generator’s power in your house. It has many advantages; it prevents the clash between utility power and the generator’s power when the grid’s power comes back.
Moreover, it also prevents the generator’s power from flowing to the grid, which is known as back-feeding. Back-feed can result in fire and short circuits. And sometimes it can electrocute (sometimes it can result in death too) the technician working on a nearby electric line.
A transfer switch is a must-have device, especially when you want to run appliances like a furnace, well pump, and AC, which cannot be connected to the generator because they are hard-wired.
Furthermore, you can choose which room you want to power through your portable generator which is a huge advantage; thus you can effectively manage power distribution across your house. And also, the efficiency of your portable generator also increases.
Portable generator and extension cords
If you experience an occasional power outage and during blackouts, if you intend to use minimal appliances that can be run using the extension cord, then there is no need for you to install the transfer switch.
Also, if you are using the generator for your RV, then with the help of RV ready port and suitable extension cord, you can successfully run on-board electronic devices in your RV and that too without any transfer switches.
When choosing an extension cord, you need to consider the wattage of your generator and how much power it is going to transmit. Also, the extension cord is rated in ampere, and as the current increases, the size of the extension cable also increases.
If you were to choose a low ampere cable and use it to transmit high power (more than it is rated for), then the extension cord will fail, and it will start burning. So this is something you should keep in mind when selecting the extension cord for your generator.
Moreover, long extension cords are responsible for excess voltage drop during power transmission, which in turn results in power loss. So it is not advisable to use longer extension cords when you are using the generator.
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Using the main circuit breaker with transfer switch
It is always better to use the transfer switch in your house even if you only want to charge a laptop and smartphones. Because there is no telling when you need to use the other appliances in your home except for small once and laying the extension cord every time during a blackout is not a viable option.
For example, suppose you are using a dual-fuel generator in your house, and you want to run specific appliances. But suddenly you decide on running the other appliances such as the furnace (as you know it cannot be run using the extension cord).
So my point is you can’t know for sure that which device you want to run at any given time. To be on the safe side, install the transfer switch, and after that, you can program each appliance to be powered individually.
Moreover, if your portable generator is not capable of powering all the connected electric devices at the same time, then you can assign a particular load to each device; hence, you will be able to run it easily.
On top of that, with the help of circuits of a transfer switch, you can switch between different loads/electric devices by routing power to one device at a time, so it is a very handy feature in my opinion.
So this is how you can connect the transfer switch to your house and can benefit from it. Comment down below if you have any further questions about a portable generator or transfer switch.
