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🚦 Start Here
If you’re new, start with the big picture and core terms before shopping or wiring.
A fast overview of options and why planning matters.
Portable vs standby vs battery/hybrid—clear pros/cons.
Watts, volts, amps, kWh, surge—made simple.
Figure out what you actually need to run before you buy anything.
🧯 Safety & Codes
The non-negotiables: backfeed prevention, safe connections, and code-aware decisions.
The homeowner safety checklist and code fundamentals that prevent backfeeding, shock hazards, and inspection failures.
The code-aware foundation for safe generator and backup connections.
Cords, inlets, grounding, breakers, and the hazards that matter.
Find your state’s adopted code baseline and where local rules can differ.
DIY boundaries, permits, and when it’s time to hire a licensed electrician.
Understand split-phase power and what “240V generator” really means.
Protect sensitive electronics from outages, surges, and bad power.
⛽ Generators & Sizing
Pick the right size without overspending. Avoid common “internet sizing” traps.
🔋 Batteries & Solar
Runtime, capacity, recharge expectations, and when batteries make sense (or don’t).
Where batteries shine, where they don’t, and what outages really look like.
How long will a battery run your essentials? (Wh/kWh explained.)
What a 100W/200W panel can actually do during an outage (and what it can’t).
🔧 Troubleshooting
Step-by-step diagnosis for common generator and backup power problems.
🧮 Tools & Calculators
Fast answers. Use these when you’re choosing sizes, runtimes, or connection options.
🔌 Connections: Interlocks & Transfer Switches
Deep dives on safe panel connections, interlock compatibility, and transfer switch wiring.
How to choose a panel-matched, UL-listed kit and avoid dangerous mistakes.
The “no guessing” guide to match your exact panel model/series.
Why “same amps” doesn’t mean compatible—and what to verify.
The safe operating steps during an outage (LINE → GEN, circuits, shutdown).
Generator breaker, main breaker, inlet landing—what gets connected where.