Portable inlet
Plug the generator in outside, not through a window
An inlet box on the outside wall, wired to a small transfer switch next to your panel.
You already own a portable generator, and you want the furnace, the fridge and the well pump on it without a tangle of cords. The inlet takes a 30 or a 50 amp plug, matched to your generator. The transfer switch holds only the circuits you chose, so the generator never carries more than it should.
What the job includes
A weatherproof inlet box outside
A transfer switch with the circuits you picked
Every circuit on it labeled
A cord to match the inlet, if you need one
Signs it fits
You probably want an inlet if
You run cords through a window
That lets cold in and puts the generator too close to the house.
You only need a few things running
A furnace blower, a fridge, a freezer, a well pump and some lights.
You own a portable generator already
An inlet is made to fit the one you have, and we ask for its label.
You'd rather not move the house's whole panel
A small transfer switch is a smaller job than a standby system.
The visit
What the visit looks at
The outside wall
Where the inlet can go, away from windows and doors, and out of drifting snow.
The panel
Its make, its age and room for a transfer switch beside it.
Your generator's label
Its running watts and the outlet it has, so we match the inlet.
What you want to run
The list we build the switch around. A well pump is the one to tell us about first.
Inlet questions
Can my generator run the whole house through an inlet?
Only as far as its wattage allows. We size the transfer switch to what you want running, and we say plainly if the whole house is more than your generator can carry.
Where does the generator sit?
Outdoors, well away from windows, doors and vents. The inlet is placed so the cord reaches without crossing a walkway.
Is a transfer switch different from an interlock?
Yes. A transfer switch feeds a small set of chosen circuits. An interlock lets the generator feed your main panel, one breaker at a time.
Do I need a permit?
Usually, yes. We pull it where one is required and book the inspection.
Send a photo of the outside wall
Take one from a few steps back, so we can see the wall, the meter and the panel's side of the house.