Power to the People-Back Up Generator

Shortly after the Texas “big freeze” in February 2021, I contacted various vendors of back up generators. Some did not bother to respond, a few came out, ostensibly to give me a quote and I never heard from them again. One vendor did send me a blank form with a very high total price, without completing the cost analysis for running gas lines, electrical wiring and the other things that are “adds” to the cost of the generator itself. 

I kicked this around for a while– given the heat in Central Texas during the summer–110F for days on end, we got constant warnings last summer (2023) to reduce power consumption, lest we suffer rolling blackouts. And then there’s the fact that Austin really isn’t “built” for freezing temperatures. Black ice with no road crews, downed power lines, and demand that teeters off the edge of power failure catastrophe. I do not want to go into the power grid issues here- suffice to say, it’s a constant topic of consternation among Texans. 

I finally found a vendor who carried a variety of brands, not just Generac, which is the most common residential brand, but commercial/industrial equipment. I chose a big Kohler (26kWa) and spent some time with the electrician to explain my needs. I was aware of Mike Fremer’s complaint that the automatic transfer switch (ATS)– the thing that senses the loss of utility power and throws over to the generator– made his system sound horrible. Apparently, he had a lot of other issues too– from aluminum wiring to corroded contacts at the meter block. Yet there was some truth behind Fremer’s initial complaint that the ATS- filled with semiconductors– was contributing to the lackluster sound of his system. 

I checked with our local Code authority about feeding the audio electrical subsystem directly from the incoming service before the ATS/generator hook-up. My goal was to bypass the ATS altogether for the hi-fi. The electricians came up with a clever solution- involving an ATS that also has a service panel within it- made by Square D, a Schneider brand that I’ve always considered to be good quality. But that was a “special order”– something that even this generator supplier didn’t keep on the shelf. 

I also consulted with Rex, a/k/a KingRex, who helped in solving Mr. Fremer’s issues. Rex offers a consulting service for a very reasonable fee, and though he isn’t local and would, like any good electrician, defer to the local authority on Code matters, his input was invaluable. https://www.kingrexelectric.com/ 

Just to be clear, I’m not supporting the hi-fi system with the generator– just the opposite- I want it as far removed from the generator/ATS set up as possible. I’ll fill in more detail as the install gets finalized. The electricians come back this week- the “special” ATS finally arrived at the vendor’s shop and the wiring can begin in earnest.  Thankfully, one of the electricians on the team already verified each circuit, and its corresponding breaker, so I’ll have accurate panel labels for every circuit. (Gee, is that GFCI connected to the Ring light or the microwave?)

Hopefully, the final install goes smoothly, this thing will be powered by natural gas and I got some learning on UPS boxes  (shout out to @jfeldt )to keep the router/wi-fi node online until the generator switches over. Once the install is complete, the Code inspector comes to sign off. (I don’t like to stray too far from the standards here, especially given that Code is sort of a minimum and given what most of us have invested in our homes, stereos and record collections, it pays to be scrupulous when dealing with things like electrical power). 

More as it happens. 

Bill Hart

Austin, Tx.