If I got a generator for my house to be prepared for a power outage (California wildfire country) – how does that work? Do I have to run extension chords from any appliances I want on generator power? Is there a way to connect a generator to the house so that lights work?
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Speak to your electrician. There are basically two options.
One option is that you plug extension cords into the generator, so the generator is only powering the devices that you plug into it.
The other option is having the generator wired into your electrical panel, using something called a transfer switch. That way when the power goes out, your generator is providing power to all of the plugs in your house via your electrical panel. The transfer switch will automatically disconnect your generator when the power comes back on (which prevents you from backfeeding the grid and possibly electrocuting someone working on the power lines)
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