Home Standby Generator Installation Overview It is critical that correct procedures be followed when installing a home emergency standby generator. Failure to connect the generator to your home wiring system in the proper manner can result in fire, injury, electrocution, and death not only to your or your family, but to power company employees who are working to restore power in your neighborhood.

There are two ways to use an emergency standby home generator. The method that you choose depends upon the type of generator that you have purchased.

Smaller, less expensive generators come equipped with a double electrical outlet that is almost exactly the same as those found in your home. These generators are designed to operate one or two electrical appliances that consume relatively low wattage. Typically you plug the appliance directly into the generator's outlet, or plug the appliance into a heavy-duty extension cord that is then plugged into the generator's outlet. Long extension cords are not recommended as you will experience a voltage drop the farther away the appliance is from the generator.

The second method is to connect the generator to your home's existing wiring system. The remainder of this article covers that type of installation.

Usually your local government regulations will dictate that a licensed electrician must be used to complete the connection to your home. If you live in an area that permits you to do it yourself, then you should become familiar with the guidelines listed below.

If you haven't done so yet, select a home standby generator that meets your usage requirements.

Locate a suitable spot for your generator. Choose a safe and dry location. The exhaust from the generator's engine must be vented outside using heat and exhaust-proof ducts. Simply opening a window is not sufficient to protect your family from the dangers of carbon monoxide poising which is often fatal.

The generator's engine creates hazardous exhaust fumes, and the engine creates enough heat that it may ignite a fire in an enclosed area. Be sure to have enough open space, and air circulation, to dissipate the generator's heat.

When connecting the wiring, follow the rules of the National Electrical Code, as well as your local ordinances, to the letter.

Attach all grounding wires in compliance with the National Electrical Code and your local ordnances.

Connect the output side of your generator to a double-throw switch before making the connection to your home. This switch isolates your home's wiring from the commercial power grid when the generator is running. This not only ensures that you will not back feed power into your local utility company's lines, thereby possibly injuring a power company employee, but it also ensures that the power company will not pour electricity into your generator's circuits once commercial power is restored. You may choose between a manual switch, or a switch that is automatically activated when the commerical power fails.

Once your generator is installed you should seriously consider having a licensed and qualified electrician inspect the wiring before you load test the generator.

Start Up Procedure

Before starting your generator, either for testing, or for an actual emergency, shut of ALL electrical equipment. Your generator is not designed to handle the heavy load at startup if there are appliances connected to the circuit.

Start the generator.

Put the double-throw switch in the position that disconnects your home from the commercial power grid and connects it to your generator.

Watch your generator's volt meter until it registers that it has come up to full power and is ready to carry a load.

Turn on the appliance with the heaviest load first. Wait until it comes to operating speed and then start the next largest. Continue until you have started up all devices that you want to run. Be sure that you do not exceed your generator's rated capacity by adding too many too quickly or you may damage your generator and/or the electrical devices.

When commercial power is restored, turn your generator off. Disconnect all appliances so they do not receive a power surge when you reconnect to the commercial power grid.

Turn the double-throw switch back to the position required to connect your home to the commercial power grid.

Reconnect oyur appliances following the same procedure that you did when you switched to emergency standby power.

General Precautions

ALWAYS turn your generator off before refueling. WAIT until the engine cools to avoid starting a fire if fuel is accidentally spilled on the engine during refueling.

ALWAYS keep a fully charged and working fire extinguisher close by in case of an emergency. The extinguisher should be rated for flammable liquids as well as general combustionable materials.

NEVER overload your generator by attaching more electrical devices to it then it was designed to handle.

DISCLAIMER

Neither the author of this article, nor the owner of this web site are licensed electricians. The information contained in this article is of a general nature and should be used for information purposes only. This article is not a complete set of instructions, nor does it necessarily comply with regulations in your area.

We recommend that you always consult a licensed, qualified electrician when installing a home emergency backup generator.