Setting up a generator manually, running cords, and managing power usage yourself can be inconvenient and potentially hazardous if you find yourself in hazardous weather that affects your power. A transfer switch and interlock kit can make using your generator safer, easier, and more convenient.

An interlock kit and a generator transfer switch disconnects your home from the utility grid before powering it with a generator. This avoids damage to your generator and connected devices when power is restored. This device eliminates the chance of your generator back-feeding the utility system, potentially harming workers who are trying to restore power.

An interlock kit uses a simple metal plate to prevent the main breaker, or the generator’s supply breaker, from turning on while the other is active. During a power outage, the homeowner would turn off the main breaker and all branch circuits, then slide the interlock plate away from the generator’s breaker, allowing it to be turned on. Branch circuits could then be turned on individually, being careful not to exceed the generator’s output capacity.

A transfer switch reroutes important circuits to a secondary service panel, where a transfer switch can disconnect from utility power before connecting those circuits to the generator. Transfer switches can be manual or automatic, and they can power a few select circuits or an entire home.