Using Generator Power Only

Q: I have a cabin in a very remote area with no access to grid power. There will be no grid power available in the foreseeable future. I would like to hook the cabin solely to generator power. Do you hook the generator up as if the cabin were hooked to grid power? — Jack Sivertson, via e-mail

A: Yes, you’re correct. But unless you’re an electrician, you should hire this project out.

Honda’s representative, Tom Pernice, says his company recommends doing one of two options for hooking up your generator; both of these require a wired cabin.

Option 1: If your cabin is wired for grid power, with a load center in the house, Pernice suggests that your electrician install a manual transfer switch at your breaker box. This way, you can easily switch over to grid power if it becomes available and/or “manually transfer” the various loads of power if your generator can’t handle all of them at once. Option 2: Have an electrician install a feed for the generator to plug into; this doesn’t require a transfer switch. Both of these options provide safe circuit protected power.

For more information, go to www.honda.com, and click on “generators.” There you can read articles on choosing generators, operating generators and generator safety, and you can view several video clips.