Minnesota storms and ice can knock the power out for hours or days. A generator keeps your furnace, sump pump, fridge and lights running until the lines are back up.
Chris Electric handles generator installation in White Bear Lake and nearby towns. We wire standby generators and transfer switches, set up safe hookups for portable generators and repair systems that will not start or switch over. A licensed electrician does the work, and you get the price before we start.
Standby or Portable
There are two main ways to back up your home. The right generator setup depends on what you need to keep running, how long outages last and whether you want to do anything by hand.
A permanent unit outside the house that starts on its own when the power goes out and switches your home over in seconds.
Pick this if you
You wheel the generator out, plug it into an inlet on the house and switch over the circuits you choose.
Pick this if you
Not sure which one fits? We look at your panel, the loads you care about most and where a generator could sit, then help you choose.
Installation
Home generator installation is more than setting a unit on a pad. The real work is in the wiring that lets your house switch safely between the grid and the generator.
If your panel is old or full, an electrical panel upgrade may need to come first.
We list what you want running during an outage, like the furnace, sump pump, well and fridge, and check that your panel can take a transfer switch.
Motors pull extra power when they start, so we size the generator for those spikes, not just the steady load.
A standby unit sits outside on a level pad, a safe distance from windows, doors and vents so exhaust stays out of the house.
We wire the transfer switch at your panel and run the circuits to the generator, all to code.
Generator wiring usually needs an electrical permit. We file it and set up the inspection.
We cut the power on purpose and watch the system take over, then show you how it works.
Transfer Switches
The transfer switch is the heart of whole-home standby generator wiring. It keeps the generator and the utility lines apart, so power never flows back out to the street where line crews could be working.
On a normal day, your home runs on power from the grid.
It senses the outage, starts the generator and switches your circuits over.
Lights, heat and pumps come back in seconds and run until the grid returns.
Portable Generators
A portable generator is a great backup, but only when it is hooked up the right way. The wrong hookup can push power back into the utility lines or fill the house with carbon monoxide.
We install the parts that make a portable generator safe and easy to use, so all you do in an outage is roll it out, plug in one cord and flip a few switches.
The safe way we set it up
A weatherproof inlet near where the generator sits. You plug one cord in, and there is no cord through a window or door.
A device listed for your panel that lets either the main breaker or the generator breaker be on, but never both at once.
We help you choose what to run, like the furnace, sump pump, fridge and some lights, so you do not overload the generator.
Never do this
Backfeeding through an outlet can shock line workers fixing the outage and can damage your home's wiring. Have a carbon monoxide alarm on every level of the house.
Repairs
The worst time to find a problem is during an outage. These are the electrical problems we fix most often on home generators and transfer switches.
A weak or dead starting battery, a loose connection or a fault in the controller.
The transfer switch did not switch over, or a breaker between the two has tripped.
The house is asking for more than the generator can give, often when a big motor starts.
A stuck transfer switch or a sensing problem after the power returns.
Loose wiring, an overloaded circuit or a load the generator was not sized for.
We read the code, find the cause and fix the electrical side of the problem.
Minnesota Ready
Ice storms, heavy snow and summer thunderstorms can all knock out power around White Bear Lake. A few hours is an annoyance. A few days in January can mean frozen pipes and a flooded basement.
When we plan your system, we start with the loads that protect your home. Sensitive electronics on backup power are safer with whole home surge protection too.
Even a gas furnace needs power for its blower and controls. Without it, pipes can freeze fast in January.
Spring melt and summer storms are when outages and wet basements tend to happen together.
If your home is on a well, no power means no water for drinking, cooking or flushing.
Keeping food cold through a long outage saves a lot of money and trips to the store.
Oxygen, CPAP and other equipment, plus enough light to move around safely at night.
Why Chris Electric
When the power goes out, your generator has one job. Our electricians in White Bear Lake wire it so it does that job every time, safely and to code.
Generator wiring ties into your panel and the utility. It is work for a licensed pro.
Every system we wire keeps the generator and the grid apart, so power never backfeeds.
We plan around the loads you truly need, including motor starts, so the system does not quit on you.
You know the cost before we start, and we tell you right away if anything changes.
Customer Reviews
Our Service Area
From lake homes on wells to houses with finished basements, we wire backup power across White Bear Lake and the towns below. Do not see yours? Call and ask.
FAQs
It depends on what you want to run, not the size of the house. We add up the loads you need, like the furnace, sump pump, well and fridge, and allow for the extra power motors pull when they start. Then we size the generator to match.
No. A double ended cord into an outlet can send power back into the utility lines and hurt line workers, and it can damage your wiring. A proper inlet box and a transfer switch or interlock is the safe way.
It is a switch at your panel that moves your circuits from utility power to generator power. It keeps the two apart so power never flows back out to the grid. Standby systems use an automatic one, and portable setups use a manual one or an interlock.
Generator wiring and transfer switches usually need an electrical permit and an inspection. We file the permit and set up the inspection for you.
Outside, on a level pad, a safe distance from windows, doors and vents. The exact distance depends on the unit and local code. We help you pick a spot that works before anything is installed.
It can, if the generator is sized for it. Air conditioners pull a big surge when they start, so they need to be part of the plan from the start.
Licensed, Bonded and Insured
Tell us what you need to keep running when the power goes out. A licensed electrician will check your panel, plan the right setup and give you a clear price.
