Standby generators and portable generator hookups, installed safely and permitted, so you can power through hurricane season without extension cords or dangerous back-feeding.
Call (727) 476-7079 before storm season · Request service online
Standby generators
- Standby generator installation: a permanently installed generator that starts on its own when the power goes out
- Automatic transfer switch: switches your home or business to generator power and back
- Sizing: whole-house or essential circuits, based on what you need to run
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Portable generator hookups
- Inlet box + interlock kit: the most economical way to power selected circuits from a portable generator through your panel. The interlock mechanically prevents the main and generator breakers from being on together.
- Manual transfer switch: dedicated circuits switched to generator power
- Load planning: which circuits matter most (fridge, lights, fans, medical equipment, well pump) and what your generator can actually run
Why not just back-feed a dryer outlet?
Back-feeding without an interlock or transfer switch can energize utility lines and endanger line workers. It’s also a fire risk and against code. Duke Energy and TECO both warn against it.
Financing available
Financing available through Acorn Finance, subject to credit approval. Check your options without affecting your credit score. Ask us and we’ll include the financing link with your itemized quote.
Hurricane season: generators and transfer equipment
October is still hurricane season. Practical notes before a storm, without response-time promises:
- Standby generators connect through a listed transfer switch: either a service-rated switch ahead of the main panel for the whole house, or one that feeds a smaller essential-loads panel. We size, permit and wire those hookups.
- Portable generators plug into an outdoor inlet box, and that inlet has to feed the house through a listed interlock kit or a transfer switch. The inlet by itself doesn’t stop back-feeding. Never use a double-male “suicide” cord in a dryer outlet: back-feeding is illegal and dangerous to line workers.
- SPAN Panels: a portable-generator interlock cannot go in a SPAN Panel; a standby generator still connects through a transfer switch ahead of SPAN. See SPAN smart panel installation.
- After a storm: if the generator, transfer switch or panel took on water, leave it off and call for an inspection before re-energizing. Emergency calls are answered 24/7.
- Our workmanship warranty is 3 years, or 5 years for Member Care Plan members. Members also get priority scheduling for planned generator and surge work — details on our Member Care Plans page.
Request service online
Tell us what you need and a licensed electrician will call or text you back. For anything urgent, call (727) 476-7079.
FAQ
Standby or portable: which do I need? A standby generator starts automatically and can run the whole house. A portable generator with an interlock or transfer switch costs less and powers the circuits you pick. We’ll walk through both with you.
Interlock kit or transfer switch: what’s the difference? Both keep generator power from back-feeding the utility lines. An interlock is a mechanical plate on your existing panel that lets the main breaker or the generator breaker be on, never both at once. It has to be listed for your panel’s make and model, and you pick which circuits run by switching breakers. A transfer switch is a separate device that moves selected circuits, or the whole house, between utility and generator power. A manual transfer switch is flipped by hand. An automatic transfer switch (ATS) senses the outage and switches over on its own, and it’s the usual choice with a standby generator.
Which one is right for my house? For a portable generator, an interlock is usually the simplest option if a listed kit exists for your panel and there’s an open space next to the main breaker for the generator breaker. A manual transfer switch suits a short list of fixed circuits, or a panel with no listed interlock. A standby generator needs a transfer switch, usually automatic. An interlock can’t go in a SPAN panel. We look at your panel before recommending one.
What size generator do I need? It depends on what you want to run. We’ll help you list the loads and size the generator or hookup to match.
Do generators and hookups need a permit? Yes. Generators, inlets, interlocks and transfer switches are permitted electrical work, and the building department inspects them before the job is closed out. Madeira Beach, for example, publishes a generator permit checklist. The gas piping for a standby unit is separate gas work under its own permit, and some jurisdictions also review where the unit sits on the lot. Inspection dates depend on the building department’s schedule, so we can’t promise one, but we pull the permit and book the inspection.
Can I combine this with a panel upgrade? Yes, and it’s often the cheapest time to do it. Many new panels accept an interlock kit. A SPAN panel works with standby generators through a transfer switch (an interlock can’t go in a SPAN panel), and with a compatible home battery it can manage backup priorities.
Do you offer financing? Yes. Financing is available through Acorn Finance, subject to credit approval. You can check your options without affecting your credit score. Ask us and we’ll include the financing link with your itemized quote.
Get storm-ready. Call (727) 476-7079.
Related: Panel Upgrades · Service Upgrades · Whole-House Surge Protection · SPAN smart panels · Member Care Plans · 24/7 emergency electrician
Ready to get started? Call (727) 476-7079 or request service online.
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