Short answer
Never plug a generator into a wall or dryer outlet. That backfeeds power onto the utility lines and can electrocute line workers and neighbors. The safe options are to plug appliances directly into the generator with outdoor-rated cords, or have an electrician install a transfer switch or interlock kit. Run portable generators outside only, far from doors, windows and vents, because carbon monoxide kills. Size the generator to what you truly need running.
What's Probably Happening
If the whole house is out and the neighbors are too, it's a utility outage. Report it to your utility: Consumers Energy at 1-800-477-5050 across most of the area, or Bay City Electric Light & Power inside Bay City. If only your house or only part of it is out, see our page on partial power loss. The rest of this page is about getting through an outage safely.
Michigan Outages Are Cold Outages
Ice storms, heavy wet snow and high winds bring lines down here every winter, and restoration can take a while when damage is widespread. A house without power loses its furnace blower, and in many homes its sump pump. Rural homes in Midland County often have well pumps, and about one in six Midland County homes heats with propane, which still needs electricity for the furnace. That's why a generator plan matters here.
Backfeeding Is the Big Danger
Backfeeding is sending generator power into your house wiring through an outlet, usually with a homemade cord that has a plug on both ends. The power flows into your panel and out through the service wires, where the transformer steps it up to thousands of volts on the lines outside. Line workers repairing what they believe is a dead line can be killed. The exposed prongs of that cord are live too. It's also a fire risk when the utility power comes back on. There's no safe way to do it.
Transfer Switches and Interlock Kits
The right way to power house circuits from a generator is a device that makes it impossible to be connected to the utility and the generator at once. A transfer switch is a separate unit that moves chosen circuits, or the whole house, over to generator power. An interlock kit is a sliding plate on the main panel that lets either the main breaker or a dedicated generator breaker be on, never both. Both are installed with an inlet box outside so the generator cord plugs in safely. Standby generators use an automatic transfer switch and start on their own when the power fails.
Carbon Monoxide
Generators make carbon monoxide, which you can't see or smell. People die every year from generators run in garages, basements and on porches. Run a portable generator outside only, far from the house, with the exhaust pointed away from doors, windows and vents. Keep working CO alarms inside, and get to fresh air if anyone feels dizzy, sick or confused.
Sizing
List what you need: furnace blower, sump pump, well pump, refrigerator, freezer, some lights and outlets. Add their running watts and allow extra for motor starting surges. That number tells you whether a portable unit on a few circuits is enough, or whether a whole-house standby generator makes more sense.
What You Can Safely Check Yourself
- Confirm it's an outage: check with neighbors and report it to your utility.
- Turn off or unplug sensitive electronics so they aren't hit by a surge when power returns.
- If you run a portable generator, set it outside, well away from the house, on a dry surface, and never under an open window.
- Plug appliances directly into the generator using heavy, outdoor-rated extension cords sized for the load. Don't run cords under rugs or through closed doors.
- Turn the generator off and let it cool before refueling.
- Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
When to Stop and Call
- A line is down: stay at least 30 feet away and call 911 and your utility (Consumers Energy at 1-800-477-5050, or Bay City Electric Light & Power inside Bay City).
- Anyone feels dizzy, nauseous or confused while a generator is running: get to fresh air and call 911.
- You want to power the furnace, well pump or other hardwired equipment from a generator. That needs a transfer switch or interlock installed properly.
- Your service mast or meter was damaged in the storm. The utility reconnects, but repairs on your side need an electrician.
- You're ready to stop dragging cords around every outage and want a standby generator.
Select Electric does generator sales and installation, including the transfer equipment that makes a generator safe to use with your house wiring. To plan one before the next storm, call (989) 835-3587.
Common Questions
Can I plug my generator into a dryer outlet or wall outlet?
No. A cord with a plug on both ends, sometimes called a suicide cord, sends generator power backward through your panel and out onto the utility lines. That can electrocute a line worker or neighbor, and the plugs themselves are live and exposed. Use a transfer switch or interlock installed by an electrician, or plug appliances directly into the generator with outdoor-rated cords.
What's the difference between a transfer switch and an interlock kit?
Both make it physically impossible to feed the utility and the generator at the same time. A transfer switch is a separate device that switches selected circuits, or the whole house, between utility and generator. An interlock kit is a mechanical plate on your main panel that only lets the main breaker or the generator breaker be on, never both. Which fits depends on your panel and how you want to use the generator.
How big a generator do I need?
Add up the running watts of what you truly need during an outage, such as the furnace blower, sump pump, well pump, refrigerator, freezer and some lights, then allow extra for the surge when motors start. Portable units often cover essentials. A standby generator can be sized to carry most or all of the house.
How far from the house should a portable generator be?
Outside only, well away from the house, and pointed so the exhaust blows away from doors, windows and vents. Many manufacturers call for at least 20 feet. Never run one in a garage, basement or porch, even with the door open. Have working carbon monoxide alarms inside.