February 19, 2020
A generator can be a lifesaver during power outages. It can help keep your family prepared and protected during expected storms and unexpected ones. How do you connect it to the house, though? When it comes to connections, it’s not like you’re taking your phone charger out to the generator and plugging it in. The link is to the house itself or an extension cord, depending on the type of generator you have. Not every connection is the same, however. You have to pay attention to what kind of wattage the generator is.
● Portables: The portable generator is mainly for an emergency. It’s not designed to supply power to your whole house.
○ Small Watt: If it’s a small watt generator, only giving out 3,000 to 5,000 watts, all you need is a generator cord. Sometimes you can get away with heavy-duty extension cords, but it might not be strong enough to handle the wattage.
○ Large Watt: For larger wattage portable generators, usually about 6,000 to 17,500 watts, you’re going to need a power transfer system. This connection can be hooked up to the house to handle hard-wired appliances like lights, furnaces, security systems, and air conditioners.
● Residential: This generator is attached to the house by an existing natural gas or liquid propane supply. You won’t be moving this unit around, so it needs to have a permanent spot outside of your home. It can easily handle powering the majority if not all of your house when the power goes out. It’s always at the ready too. Since it’s already connected to the house, there’s no interruption between the power going out and the generator kicks in.
