Service
Standby generator installation
A standby generator sits outside like a heat pump and starts by itself when the power goes out. An automatic transfer switch moves the house onto it, and back again when the utility returns. We do the electrical installation, from the load calculation to the inspection.
- 5.0 on Google
- Licensed, Bonded & Insured
- WA Lic. WESTPEL745M7
The electrical installation includes
- Load calculation and sizing
- An automatic transfer switch
- Wiring between generator, switch, and panel
- Permit and inspection
- A test under load and a walk-through
A standby generator makes sense if
- Someone at home depends on powered medical equipment.
- The house is on a well, so no power means no water.
- You are away often, or can’t be the one wheeling a generator out in a storm.
- You want the heat, the refrigerator, and the lights to stay on without doing anything.
A portable generator with an inlet and an interlock costs far less and covers the essentials. If that is closer to what you need, see our Generator Hookups page.
What we install
Our part is the electrical system that connects the generator to the house and keeps it apart from the utility.
- An automatic transfer switch, sized for the whole service or for a set of chosen circuits
- Power and control wiring between the generator, the transfer switch, and the panel
- Grounding and bonding
- Labels at the service equipment
- Electrical permit and inspection
Whole house or chosen circuits
A whole-house setup puts the entire panel on the generator. That takes a larger generator and a transfer switch rated for the full service. An essential-circuits setup moves a chosen set of circuits, such as the furnace, the well pump, the refrigerator, and some lights and outlets, onto a smaller switch and a smaller generator. Which one fits comes from a load calculation, not a guess.
Why the transfer switch matters
The transfer switch is what makes a standby generator safe. It disconnects the house from the utility before the generator feeds it, so generator power can never flow back onto lines where crews are working. Clark Public Utilities requires one, installed by a licensed electrician, for any permanent generator.
Fuel, placement, and other trades
A home standby generator usually runs on natural gas or propane. The fuel line is separate from the electrical work and is permitted separately. The generator also needs a level pad and clearances from windows, doors, and vents, which are set by the manufacturer’s instructions and by code.
We go over placement with you before anything is ordered, because where the generator sits decides how far the wiring and the fuel line have to run.
Permits and inspection
A standby generator is new wiring at your service, so it needs an electrical permit and an inspection: the City of Vancouver inside city limits, Washington L&I elsewhere in Clark County. We pull the electrical permit and meet the inspector. Where the transfer switch goes in ahead of the main panel, Clark Public Utilities disconnects and reconnects the service, and we schedule that.
Process
How the job goes
Site visit and load calculation
We look at the service, the panel, and where the generator could sit, and work out how large it needs to be.
Estimate and permit
You get a price for the electrical scope. We pull the electrical permit.
Transfer switch and wiring
The switch goes in, the wiring is run, and any utility shutoff is scheduled.
Inspection, test, and walk-through
After inspection, we cut the utility power on purpose, watch the generator take the house, and show you what to expect.
What affects the cost of a standby generator installation
The generator itself is only part of the cost. On the electrical side, these are the things that move the price.
- Whole-house or chosen circuits, which sets the size of the transfer switch
- The distance between the generator, the transfer switch, and the panel
- Whether the transfer switch goes at the service entrance, which involves a utility shutoff
- The condition and capacity of the existing panel
- Trenching or conduit for the wiring run
Do we cover your address?
Our service area page lists every community we work in.
From a customer
Ed is great. Easy to work with, stays in scope, communicates any changes/needs.
Questions
Things people ask us.
Does WestPeak Electric do standby generator installation?
Yes. WestPeak Electric is a licensed electrical contractor (Washington license WESTPEL745M7). We do standby generator installation throughout our service area. Call or text 360-521-6913, Monday to Friday, 7 AM to 5 PM.
What is the difference between a standby generator and a portable generator hookup?
A standby generator is permanently installed, usually runs on natural gas or propane, and starts automatically. A portable hookup is an inlet and an interlock at your panel: you roll the generator out, plug it in, and switch over by hand. The portable route costs far less and covers the essentials. Standby covers more of the house and needs no one at home.
How big a generator do I need?
That comes from a load calculation: what has to run, and what can start at the same moment. A well pump, a heat pump, and an electric range each change the answer. We size from the actual loads in your house, and we’ll say so if a smaller generator on chosen circuits would do the job.
Does a standby generator need a permit?
Yes. The electrical work needs an electrical permit and an inspection. The fuel line is permitted separately from the electrical work.
Can a standby generator run my whole house?
It can, if it is sized for it. Clark Public Utilities notes that some permanent models produce up to 20,000 watts, enough to keep several large appliances or a whole heating system running at once. Whole-house coverage costs more than covering chosen circuits, so it is worth deciding what you actually need on.
Will it start by itself if I’m not home?
Yes. That is the job of the automatic transfer switch. It senses the outage, starts the generator, and moves the house over. When utility power is back and steady, it moves the house back and shuts the generator down.
Does Clark Public Utilities have rules for standby generators?
Yes. The utility says a permanent generator must have a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician, so the generator can never back-feed the grid. Where the installation involves the service equipment, the utility also disconnects and reconnects the power, which we arrange.
Related
Related services
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Tell us what’s going on. We’ll ask the right questions, look at the job if it needs it, and give you a clear scope and price.
- 5.0 on Google
- Licensed, Bonded & Insured
- WA Lic. WESTPEL745M7