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Standby vs portable generators for home backup

Both make power from fuel for as long as you keep them fueled and serviced. The difference is how they connect to the house, how they start, and how much of the house they can carry.

Standby generators

A standby generator sits outside on a pad, usually runs on natural gas or propane, and connects to your panel through an automatic transfer switch. When the grid drops, it starts on its own and takes over the circuits it was sized for. When the grid returns, it hands back and shuts down. It needs a licensed electrician (and often a gas fitter for the fuel line), usually a permit, and routine maintenance. It suits homes where outages last days, or where power has to come back on its own while nobody is home.

Portable generators

A portable generator is wheeled outside, fueled (often gasoline, some models also propane), and started by hand or with a button. It can run a few appliances on heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords sized for the load, or feed chosen circuits through a generator inlet and a transfer switch or interlock kit that an electrician installs. Inverter models are quieter and make steadier power for electronics.

The safety rules that never change

• Never run a generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, or shed, even with the doors and windows open, and don't run a portable one on a porch or in a carport. Its exhaust carries carbon monoxide, which can kill in minutes. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says to run a portable generator outside, at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointed away from the home and any building people can enter.
• Never plug a generator into a wall outlet to feed the house. That backfeed can electrocute utility workers and damage equipment. Use a transfer switch or interlock installed by an electrician.
• Turn a portable generator off and let it cool before refueling.
• Look for a portable generator with a carbon monoxide shut-off feature.
• Put carbon monoxide alarms that run on batteries, or have battery backup, outside sleeping areas and on every level of the home.

Which one fits

Start from the circuits you need on, as in the battery backup, UPS, and generator guide. If outages where you live are short and rare, a portable power station or a portable generator with an inlet usually covers them. If they run for days, or power has to come back while you are away, a standby unit is worth pricing with a licensed installer.

Questions

Can a portable generator power my whole house?

Usually not. A portable generator covers the circuits you choose through a transfer switch or interlock kit. Whole-house backup usually means a larger standby unit sized by an installer.

Do I need a permit?

A standby generator installation usually needs a permit and a licensed electrician, and often a licensed gas fitter for the fuel line. Connecting a portable generator to your panel needs proper transfer equipment. Rules vary, so check with your local building department.

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More guides

• Battery backup, UPS, and home generators

  Which of the three fits your outage, and how to size it from the load.

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• Running a refrigerator on a portable power station

  Check the startup surge and the watt-hours before the outage, not during it.