Connecting your Electric Generator to your home

The first thing you should not do is plug your generator into one of your homes outlets. This is called backfeeding. It is dangerous and could kill electrical workers trying to repair powerlines.

Power Transfer System

To connect your generator to your home you will need a switching system commonly known as a 'power transfer system'. This simply allows your generator to run some or all of your homes circuits, allowing your home to operate normally during a power outage.

AMP Generators recommends that you hire a qualified electrician to install your power transfer system.(PTS) The PTS is connected directly to the main circuit breaker in your home. You will now be able to run your necessary appliances from your generator without having to run extension cords from the outside to the inside of your home.

If you have chosen a generator large enough to handle the normal load of your home, you will not need to select which circuits to energize. If, however, the generator you chose is too small for normal household maintenance, you will need to select specific circuits to run, cutting out the circuits that are unnecessary. Keeping your kitchen circuits energized and de-energizing your washer and dryer circuits is a good example.

The Correct Amperage

The type of PTS you choose will depend on the generator you have. Choosing the correct system is not hard to do. You only need to inspect your generator and find the outlet with the largest AMP rating. If, for example, you have chosen a generator where the largest amp rating is 30 amps. You only need to buy a PTS with a 30 am rating. Simple. When you make your purchase, double check to make sure the plugs you are using are the correct configuration. Certain plugs are built differently to disallow anyone from plugging them into an outlet of incorrect amperage ratings.

Here is a typical 30 AMP Power Transfer Switch to help get you started.