Portable Generator Interlock Installations in NH & Mass

Omni Electrical installs generator interlocks for portable generators in NH & Mass. A generator interlock is a device that prevents the main breaker and the generator breaker from being turned on at the same time. Generator interlocks are installed on the front of your home's breaker panel, allowing a portable generator to power multiple circuits in your house. The number of circuits powered must not exceed the capacity of the generator. When installing a generator interlock kit, additional modifications may be needed within the electrical panel, including having enough circuit breaker spaces inside the panel.

When the power goes out you will turn OFF the circuit breakers that your generator cannot support like your electric range, electric dryer, A/C, electric water heater etc. At this point you can turn OFF your main circuit breaker, start up your generator and turn ON your generator breaker. Once those steps are taken, your entire panel is being powered off your generator It’s critical you turn OFF those heavy loads though, before powering the generator up. Otherwise you will over power the generator.

How does the generator tie into the manual transfer system?

With either option, you will be given a male outlet sized to your system. Most commonly a 30amp outlet. This can be installed in your basement at the panel / generator, or more conveniently outside where the generator will sit. From your generator you will have a heavy duty cord (again rated for the load) which will connect the generator to the male outlet. These cords come in all kinds of different lengths and can get expensive once you get to 40’ and above. We recommend installing the generator outlet outside in the vicinity of where the generator will be placed.

There are a few things to consider when choosing a portable generator:

Propane or gasoline…or both? The combo units as propane burns much cleaner and the generator will probably last many more years with fewer problems if propane is used. Plus you don’t need to store any gas on site! If you ever run low on propane or don’t have access to it, you can always fall back on gas. I really love this flexibility.

What Generator Size To Choose.

Generators are rated in watts (W). The higher the wattage the more power they can deliver. If you are looking to power your heating system, refrigerator and some lighting going as small as a 5000 watt unit is perfectly fine. If you want to power your microwave, washing machine, window AC and more, then a 10,000 to 12,000 watt unit is ideal. If you want to power even more things such as a dryer, electric water heater, then going to a 15,000 watt + unit may be needed.

Most of our customers go with 12,000 watt units; this seems to be the perfect size for most homes. It allows you to power a good portion of your home, while staying in an affordable range. Keep in mind that with some careful planning, powering some of the higher wattage appliances could be possible with a generator in this range. Call or click here for a complimentary consultation and quote.

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