The safe, legal way to run your house off a generator.
Plenty of folks in the mountains own a portable generator and have no safe way to connect it. Running a cord to a "suicide" male-to-male plug or back-feeding a dryer outlet is how linemen get killed and houses catch fire — and it will fail an inspection every time. The right answer is simple hardware installed correctly: an interlock kit or a manual transfer switch, usually paired with a weatherproof inlet box on the outside wall.
I install all of it to code, pull the permit, and handle the inspection. When I am done you carry the generator out, plug into the inlet, start it, and flip one switch. That is the whole routine — and it is a fraction of the cost of a whole-home standby.
Three safe ways to plug in a generator.
Every home is a little different. On a free walkthrough I will tell you which of these fits your panel, your budget, and what you want to keep running.
Interlock Kit
Power Inlet Box
Manual Transfer Switch
Dedicated Circuit & Sizing
What homeowners say about Farmer Electric.
- “I had Farmer Electric add a generator hookup to our meter base and I could not be happier! They done everything by the book and were very professional! I highly recommend them, very family friendly and affordable!” — Isaac Pless, verified Google review (5★)
- “Kenneth was great!!! If you want an electrician that is honest and does great work then this is who you need. He showed up when he was supposed to did the job quickly and stayed in the price that he quoted. He is very knowledgeable and trustworthy.” — Joel Caldwell, verified Google review (5★)
- “We had an outlet that had burned and he came fixed it all and explained to us what happened and why. Checked other outlets in home and breaker box to make sure everything was safer. Kenneth was very easy to talk to and offered great price. He was honest and on time. I would definitely use him for more electrical work.” — Brenda Smith, verified Google review (5★)
The questions I get most.
What does a portable generator hookup cost?
It depends on the setup. An interlock kit on an existing panel is the most affordable; an exterior inlet box or a dedicated manual transfer switch runs a bit more for the extra materials and circuit work. All of it is a fraction of a whole-home Generac standby. I give you a fixed price after a quick look — what I quote is what you pay.
Interlock kit or transfer switch — which do I need?
An interlock lets you back-feed the whole panel safely and pick any breaker to run — cheaper and more flexible. A transfer switch is a separate box wired to pre-chosen critical circuits — simpler to operate. On the walkthrough I will tell you which fits your panel and how you want to run things.
Is hooking a portable generator to my house safe and legal?
Yes — done correctly. A "suicide cord" or back-feeding a dryer outlet is dangerous and illegal; it can electrocute a lineman and start a fire. An inlet with an interlock or a transfer switch is the code-compliant way. I pull the permit and handle the inspection.
What size generator do I need?
For most homes here a 5,000–8,500 watt portable runs the essentials — fridge, well pump, furnace blower, lights, outlets. Central AC or an electric range needs more. Tell me what you want running and I will size the inlet and breaker for it.
Do you also install automatic Generac standby generators?
Yes. If you would rather it start automatically the second the power drops — no hauling out a portable, no refueling in the rain — I install whole-home Generac standby systems too. Call and we will talk through which one makes sense.
Ready to hook up your generator the right way?
Free written quote. Licensed and insured. Same crew on the quote and the install.