Generator / electric panel question

[etxranch]

Hi all, I'm looking to hook up a portable generator in case of emergency. As seen in the picture, the panel under the meter is feeding a 200 amp service underground to another panel inside the house. (About 100 feet away behind me)

My question is can I install the generator power inlet to this panel? (The house panel is out of slots)

[RSMDTX]

Yes. Need manual transfer switch or panel interlock to do it properly.

[Rubi513]

Yes, as long as you have a MCB in that panel.

[dallred]

A manual interlock device should be mounted just below the main breaker.

[etxranch]

Yes, as long as you have a MCB in that panel.

How do I tell? I attached a pic on the panel door.

[Rubi513]

How do I tell? I attached a pic on the panel door.[ATTACH]1051986[/ATTACH]

My fault with the abbreviation.
Do you have a main circuit breaker?
If so, you would need the interlock kit that has been mentioned.

[elhefe]

I've been thinking of doing this for my house. I had an electrician give me a quote for over $2000! I about fell out. I definitely don't want to back feed the circuit and I'm not much of an electrician. That just seemed out of control on pricing

[kmitchl]

I've been thinking of doing this for my house. I had an electrician give me a quote for over $2000! I about fell out. I definitely don't want to back feed the circuit and I'm not much of an electrician. That just seemed out of control on pricing

If you have space in your panel and can move things around enough to install a two pole breaker in the top right position it should be fairly straight forward.

[etxranch]

I've been thinking of doing this for my house. I had an electrician give me a quote for over $2000! I about fell out. I definitely don't want to back feed the circuit and I'm not much of an electrician. That just seemed out of control on pricing

That's lots of money, but if you are unfamiliar with electricity and have to rewire lots of breakers then it might be worth the cost. Here is a video about how the power inlet is done:

https://youtu.be/osdz0_JNXpg

[Mike D]

Speaking from an electrical contractor perspective, material costs are through the roof right now. Aluminum wire is up 50-60% and copper is up 90-100%. And labor certainly isn’t getting any cheaper.


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[drs]

I bought the interlock switch and did it my self for around 100 bucks

[kingranch]

i just did this, it cost like 100$
the most expensive was the #6 wire from home depot was like 40$ for just a few feet for the whip

[etxranch]

Speaking from an electrical contractor perspective, material costs are through the roof right now. Aluminum wire is up 50-60% and copper is up 90-100%. And labor certainly isn’t getting any cheaper.


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Hope they come down soon. Just saw lumber dropped a little for the first time in months.

[JFFB]

Yes you can. Just got mine done to my house. Use a lic. elect. Most places require you get a permit and the power company might come out and pull the meter pan till switch is installed. I know what some are saying on here and I was told the same thing. But a lic. elect. and a good friend told no way. Do it right cause if some thing wrong you will be in a heep of trouble. Cost me $2300 because I waited so long and some of that stuff is hard to fine not even you can get it and the prices of material are going up every dad. My biggest cost was for my feed wire from generator to the switch box that was 85' but I wanted generator away from my house in my shed and made it a extra longer just in case. You might not have that problem looking at your pictures. Do not try to run power from your gen. to a dryer plug end people do that but God for bid if some happens and some one gets kill or you burn your house down. Cause if happens they will come check it. Good Luck but If I was you I would get it done by a lic. person Brother

[JFFB]

Yep

Yes. Need manual transfer switch or panel interlock to do it properly.

This