Generator Hookups and Transfer Switches in Tampa Bay

After Milton, much of the bay went days without power, and portable generators ran on extension cords through windows. A generator connected properly powers the circuits that matter, the fridge, the lights, the well or a window unit, without anything plugged into a wall outlet and without feeding the utility's lines.

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Never through a dryer outlet

A cord with two male ends, plugged from a generator into a dryer or range outlet, sends power back out through the panel to the street. Line crews working on what they believe is a dead line can be hurt, and the generator and the house wiring can be damaged when the grid comes back. Duke Energy says plainly that it does not recommend connecting a generator directly to a breaker panel, fuse box or meter box, and that standby generators should be installed by a licensed electrician.

What Tampa Electric and Duke require

Tampa Electric's service requirements call for an approved double-throw transfer switch, manual or automatic, after the meter, so the house is on the grid or on the generator and never both, and they say a standby generator may not be connected without Tampa Electric's prior approval. They also ask that a generator's exhaust stay at least 15 feet from Tampa Electric equipment, meters included.

For a portable generator, the usual setup is an inlet box outside and a transfer switch, or a listed interlock on the main panel that the building department accepts as the transfer means. The electrician confirms what the utility and the city accept before choosing.

Standby units

A standby generator runs on natural gas or propane, starts on its own, and switches the house over with an automatic transfer switch. It needs an electrical permit and a gas permit, a load calculation for its size, and a spot that meets the manufacturer's and the code's clearances from windows, doors and the property line. In a flood zone it sits at or above the required elevation.

• Inlet box and transfer switch or listed interlock for a portable
• Automatic transfer switch for a standby unit
• Load calculation: what runs, what waits
• Permit, inspection and utility approval where required
• Placement away from openings and the meter

Running it

Run a portable generator outside, away from doors, windows and vents, never in a garage, even with the door open. Start it before switching the transfer to generator, and switch back before shutting it down when the grid returns.