A backfed generator hookup lets a portable generator feed the house panel through an inlet and a breaker, with an interlock so utility power and generator power cannot be on at the same time.
What “backfed” means
Most breakers send power out from the panel to a circuit. A backfed breaker is wired the other way. Power from the generator comes into that breaker, then onto the panel, and from there to the circuits you choose to run.
The parts of a proper hookup are an outdoor inlet, a cable from that inlet to the panel, a breaker listed for this use, a retainer that holds the breaker in place, and an interlock. The interlock is a plate on the panel. It blocks the main breaker and the generator breaker from both being on. That is what keeps generator power off the utility lines.
This is not a cord plugged into an outlet
Plugging a generator into a dryer outlet or a wall outlet, including with a cord that has a plug on both ends, is not a backfed hookup. That connection can send power out of the house onto lines a utility worker expects to be dead. It can also damage equipment when grid power returns.
We do not install that kind of connection. If you already have a cord like that, unplug it and leave it unused. The safe version is an inlet on the outside of the house and an interlock on the panel. Our backup power article covers the same warning in the context of a storm.
Backfed breaker or transfer switch
A backfed breaker with an interlock can power circuits through the existing panel. You start the generator, plug it into the inlet, and move the interlock yourself. You also have to keep the load within what that generator can carry. Running the whole house at once can stall a portable unit.
A transfer switch does the switching for a chosen set of circuits, such as the refrigerator, the furnace, a well pump, or a sump pump. A manual switch is thrown by hand. An automatic switch starts a compatible standby generator when utility power drops. We install both transfer switches and inlet-and-interlock hookups. The generator page explains those connection options.
What we look at before the quote
We need the generator model if you already have one, the fuel it uses, where it can sit outside, and which loads you want during an outage. We also look at the panel with the cover on: its condition, whether an interlock is made for that panel, and whether a backfed breaker will fit. Some panels need a different approach, or a panel repair, before a generator connection is a good idea.
Photos of the closed panel and the outdoor spot help the first conversation. Do not take the cover off to get a picture. Cost depends on the inlet location, the wire run, and whether the job is an interlock or a transfer switch. Our generator installation cost guide lists what to have ready.
Call or request a quote if you want a backfed generator hookup or a transfer switch in the Lake Norman area.