| It is always a good idea to have a professionally | | | | high wattage requirements from such things as |
| installed transfer switch connect your portable | | | | heat pumps, central air conditioning or deep well |
| generator to your household control box. | | | | water pumps. |
| Nevertheless, most conscientious homeowners | | | | A transfer switch provides a safe method to |
| can safely use this source of backup power if | | | | hook up your generator with selected circuits that |
| they will confine its use to smaller essential home | | | | you identify inside your home. When professionally |
| appliances. | | | | installed next to your breaker box, it will help to |
| When the electricity goes out, the first thing to | | | | prevent any power from accidentally becoming |
| do is provide enough light within your living | | | | live and dangerous outside your home where |
| environment so that you and your family can | | | | workers might be servicing the utility lines. |
| move about safely. Depending on the length of | | | | Manual transfer switches connect power with |
| the blackout, you always must be sensitive to the | | | | either individual breakers or with a large master |
| potential spoilage of the food in your refrigerator. | | | | unit. The automatic transfer switch is a digitally |
| Keep in mind that you can rotate power to the | | | | controlled system which is programmed to be |
| various appliances. In other words, you can keep | | | | fully automatic. It permits you to set individual |
| the frig going for a couple hours and then switch | | | | circuits by preference ahead of time. |
| your power outlet to other devices like the | | | | In summary, do not assume that because a |
| television or computer. | | | | generator is portable it does not require the |
| An average household can usually get by | | | | safety net provided by a professionally installed |
| adequately with 5500 watts of power. However, | | | | transfer switch. While it is certainly possible to |
| smaller portables such as 1000 watts units can be | | | | operate your small unit safely, it is always better |
| used for such things as microwaves, toasters and | | | | to seek the advice of a professional electrician |
| other electrical cooking devices. | | | | before taking unnecessary chances. |
| Remember to always check with a professional | | | | And, finally, never operate your generator in an |
| electrician about the need to install a transfer | | | | enclosed environment where others may be |
| switch. This is especially true if you have | | | | present. Generator exhaust fumes contain |
| appliances that create power surges as a result | | | | poisonous carbon monoxide gas that can be lethal. |
| of their startup operation. Or, perhaps you have | | | | |