01/26/2026
I’ve heard from several people making preparations to be in the best position possible for the next storm we get, specifically considering backup power options. Here’s a few thoughts and considerations that I hope are helpful.
The most important factor in considering backup power for your home or business is safety. Do not connect anything to your home or electric panels if you aren’t absolutely certain of the proper procedures. Backfeeding the utility grid can happen with a single mistake and can cost a lineman their life. You need a proper transfer and disconnecting means between your home and the utility grid and there are several options.
A Generlink is a great option and is approved by many utility providers. It’s a fairly straightforward plug and play option if you have a 200 amp service, or less. It’s limited to 40 amps I believe but that will get you through several sticky spots.
An interlock kit is also a fairly affordable manual option that’s easy to use. They mount to your panel and prevent backfeed with a mechanical lock.
If you are shopping for portable generators, consider size and fuel sources. If you have the ability to use propane or natural gas, that’s a great option in a storm scenario for bulk usage. When sizing a portable generator, more is usually better. Something around 15,000 watts is a good size to keep some normalcy in your home. It likely won’t be enough to run an all electric HVAC system, but space heaters, lights chargers and small appliances should run fine.
There are good battery options like the Jackery units. They are silent and have decent output and run times for small appliances, chargers, etc. A unit like that could be recharged and supplemented by a portable generator.
Alternative heating sources like wood open up a lot of options in a winter storm by lessening the electric load you may need in your home.
The real bee’s knees of backup power is a permanent standby generator with an automatic transfer switch. They still require fuel, but they start and stop automatically when the power goes out and then comes back on. And they come in sizes that allow your home to function as normal with heating, cooling, cooling, etc. It’s also an expensive purchase and install.
If anyone has questions, feel free to reach out.
- Bobby
https://www.jackery.com/
https://shopgenerlink.com/pages/faqs
The GenerLink is a plug and play transfer switch that gives the homeowner the ability to use anything in their electrical panel up to the capacity of the generator. The GenerLink is UL listed and is a safe way for homeowners to use a portable generator during an outage. It provides a great peace of....
