Generac manual transfer switches

The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) says a generator wired permanently into a home needs a transfer device, which keeps generator power from flowing back into the utility system. Power fed back through a panel puts line workers and neighbours at risk, so a cord run from a generator into a wall outlet is never a safe way to connect. Connecting a generator permanently needs a notification of work filed with ESA, and ESA recommends hiring a licensed electrical contractor for the installation. ESA also advises checking the generator and its parts for the mark of a recognized certification agency.

None of the seven product pages shows a Canadian mark, so each row asks you to confirm availability with us. A whole-house switch used as service entrance equipment sits between the meter and the main panel, and the utility has to disconnect and reconnect the service while it goes in. A GenerLink, which fits behind the electricity meter, is the other common way to connect a portable generator, and it also needs a short meter pull arranged with the utility. With any of these switches, the generator's 240 V outlet has to match the switch's inlet, such as an L14-30 on a 30 A switch.

The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) notification of work is filed before the work starts. When the installation is done, ESA inspects it and issues a Certificate of Acceptance once it passes. Where the unit burns natural gas or propane, a licensed gas fitter makes the gas connection. Where a meter or a service entrance switch is involved, the local utility does its part of the work.