Portable hookups
Portable generator hookups
Already own a portable generator? We install an outdoor inlet and a panel interlock so you can run chosen circuits safely, without extension cords through a window and without ever backfeeding the street.
At a glance
Outside only
- Inlet + interlock
- From $850
- Install
- Half a day
- Distance
- 20 ft or more
- Permit
- Included
- Portable generator. Always outside, exhaust pointed away from the house.
- 20 ft or more. From any window, door or vent. Never in a garage or porch.
- Generator cord. A single cord, matched to the inlet (30 A or 50 A).
- Wall inlet. A weatherproof box on the outside wall.
- Panel interlock. Main breaker OR generator breaker, never both at once.
How it works
A portable generator hookup has three parts: a weatherproof inlet box on the outside wall, a short cord from the generator to the inlet, and an interlock on your main panel that makes it impossible to have the main breaker and the generator breaker on at the same time.
With that in place you can run the circuits you choose: furnace, well pump, fridge, a few lights, internet. You decide which breakers to turn on, within what your generator can carry. We label the panel and leave a one-page card on the inside of the door.
The generator itself always stays outside, at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointing away from windows and doors. Never in the garage, the basement, a shed or a porch, even with the door open.
Safety, plainly Generators make carbon monoxide, which has no smell. Never run a portable generator indoors, in a garage, basement, shed or porch. Keep it at least 20 ft from the house with the exhaust pointed away, and put a CO alarm on every level. If you smell gas, leave the area and call your gas utility or 911 from outside.
Price book
Planning ranges for typical homes in our area, before tax. The firm price is written after we have seen the site, and it includes the permit as its own line.
| Job | Range (USD) |
|---|---|
| Inlet box and panel interlock (30 A) Most portables up to about 7,500 W | $850 to $1,350 |
| Inlet box and panel interlock (50 A) Larger portables, 8,000 to 12,000 W | $1,050 to $1,550 |
| Manual transfer switch instead of an interlock 6 to 10 pre-selected circuits | $1,100 to $1,900 |
| Generator cord, 20 or 30 ft Matched to your inlet | $120 to $220 |
| Hard-wired carbon monoxide alarm Interconnected, per alarm, installed | $140 to $220 |
Where quotes go above the range. Some panels do not accept an interlock kit. In that case we quote a manual transfer switch instead and explain why. Either way, the generator must stay outside, well away from the house.
How it goes
- 1 Photo or visit A photo of your panel and generator label is often enough to quote.
- 2 Install Half a day. Power off for about an hour.
- 3 Inspection We file the permit and attend the inspection.
- 4 Practice run We run your generator through the inlet with you, start to finish.
Questions about portable hookups
How far from the house should a portable generator be?
At least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointed away from windows, doors and vents. Never inside a garage, basement, shed or porch, even with doors open. Have working carbon monoxide alarms on every level.
Other services
Site visits are free
Ready to talk about portable hookups?
Send the details in five short steps and we will call to book a visit, or start with the sizing calculator for an estimate.