Portable power, hooked up safe
Generator Transfer Switch in Gilbert, AZ
A portable generator is a solid backup plan — until the power actually goes out and you are threading extension cords through a cracked window in a dust storm. There is a better way. A transfer switch or interlock lets you plug the generator into one outdoor inlet and feed real circuits in your panel: fridge, fans, lights, Wi-Fi. Plug in, flip, done.
It is also the only safe way. Backfeeding a generator through a dryer outlet — the so-called suicide cord — can energize the utility lines outside your house and kill a line worker restoring power. It can also destroy your generator when the grid snaps back on. AC/DC Electric installs transfer switches and interlocks across Gilbert and the East Valley so your backup power is legal, safe, and simple.
Watch for these
Signs you're one storm from a bad night
- Outages mean extension cords through windows
- Somebody suggested backfeeding the dryer outlet
- Your generator sits unused because hookup is a chore
- You want the fridge, fans, and internet covered
- Monsoon season knocks your block out every year
- You bought the generator but never finished the plan
Transfer switch or interlock — which one fits?
A manual transfer switch is a small sub-panel with a handful of pre-picked circuits. During an outage, you switch it over and those circuits come alive — dead simple and hard to overload. An interlock kit works differently: a sliding plate on your existing panel makes it impossible for the generator breaker and the main breaker to be on at the same time. It can feed any circuit in the house, but you manage the load yourself by flipping breakers.
Which is right depends on your panel model, your generator's size, and how hands-on you want to be at 10 p.m. in a blackout. We look at your setup and give you a straight recommendation, with a flat price on each option.
Matched to your generator, not a guess
Overloading a portable generator is how good machines die young. Part of every install is matching the connected circuits to your generator's real running and surge wattage, so the system works the first stormy night you need it. We finish every job with a live test using your own generator — you see it run the house before we leave.
Why AC/DC Electric
This is panel work, and panel work belongs with a licensed, bonded, and insured electrical contractor. AC/DC Electric quotes flat before the panel cover ever comes off. And because we run 24/7, the company that installed your transfer switch is the same one that answers the phone when a storm takes out half of Gilbert on a Saturday night.
Need an electrician now?
Call anytime — nights, weekends, holidays. A licensed electrician answers.
FAQ
Straight answers
Can my portable generator run the air conditioner?
Central AC is a heavy load, and most portable generators cannot start it. A large portable might carry one smaller unit, sometimes with a soft-start device added to the AC. We do the wattage math on your specific generator and your specific equipment before promising anything — that is exactly what proper sizing is for.
Is an interlock kit legal?
Yes — when it is a listed kit made for your exact panel model, installed with a proper generator inlet and breaker. What is illegal, and genuinely dangerous, is any hookup that can push generator power toward the utility line. A correctly installed interlock makes that physically impossible, which is the entire point.
Do I need a permit for a transfer switch?
Adding a transfer switch or interlock modifies your electrical service, and East Valley cities treat it as permitted work. We handle the paperwork and the inspection scheduling as part of the flat quote, so you are not chasing the city yourself. The inspection also gives you independent confirmation the install is safe.
What if I want a standby generator later?
It happens a lot — people start portable and go permanent once they see what backup power is worth. Nothing about a transfer switch locks you out of that path, and some of the work carries forward. When you are ready, our [whole-home generator installation](/services/whole-home-generator-installation-gilbert-az) service handles the move to automatic standby power.
Residential Electrical
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Generator Transfer Switch — available 24/7 in Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale and the surrounding area.
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