Manual transfer switch or interlock kit
For a portable generator there are two good approaches. A manual transfer switch is a small panel beside your main panel with a handful of circuits moved into it. You start the generator, plug it into an inlet outside, and flip the switch. Only those circuits run on generator power. An interlock kit is simpler: a metal plate on your existing panel that makes it mechanically impossible to have the main breaker and the generator breaker on together. You choose which breakers to run, up to what the generator can carry. Interlocks cost less. Transfer switches are more foolproof at 2 a.m.
Automatic transfer switches for standby generators
A standby generator sits on a pad outside, runs on propane or natural gas, and starts itself. The automatic transfer switch is what tells it to. The ATS senses the APS outage, signals the generator to start, waits for it to stabilize, and moves the house or a selected set of circuits over. When utility power returns, it transfers back and shuts the generator down. We install the ATS, the feeder, the control wiring, and any load-shedding modules that let a smaller generator manage a heat pump or an EV charger. The generator comes from a dealer, who handles the gas line and the unit.
Which circuits to put on backup
Most homes in Prescott do not need the whole house on generator. They need what matters during a winter outage at 5,300 feet: the furnace blower or heat pump, the refrigerator and freezer, the well pump if you have one, a few lights, the garage door, and the internet. That list usually fits on a 30 or 50 amp inlet and a mid-sized portable. We walk the house with you, add up the loads, and pick circuits that keep you comfortable without overloading the generator. Electric ranges, dryers, and water heaters are usually left off.
PSPS shutoffs, and what drives the cost
APS ran Arizona's first Public Safety Power Shutoff in April 2026 near Flagstaff. Prescott proper is not on the APS PSPS list, but nearby areas are: Highland Pines, Dearing Park, Iron Springs, Pine Lakes, Emmanuel Pines, Potato Patch, Walker, Groom Creek, and Wolf Creek. Near Prescott Valley, Coyote Crest, Mingus West, Prescott Ridge, and Yavapai Downs are designated. In those areas a planned shutoff during fire weather can last hours or longer, and a transfer switch turns a generator into a real plan. On cost, the factors are the switch type, inlet amperage and location, distance from inlet to panel, and whether the panel has room for the generator breaker.
When we would talk you out of it
- Someone who wants us to sell a generator: we do the panel side only. Buy the unit from a dealer, then we wire the house for it.
- A house with a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel: an interlock on a panel that should be replaced is the wrong order. Replace the panel first.
- A home that only needs a phone charged and a lamp on: a battery power station and an extension cord may be all you need.
What you get
- Interlock kits, manual switches, and automatic transfer switches
- Generator inlet mounted where the cord actually reaches
- Circuit selection based on real loads, not guesses
- Load-shedding for heat pumps and EV chargers on standby units
- No backfeed risk to APS linemen or your own equipment
- Permit and inspection on every transfer switch
How it goes
- Step 1
Text us photos
Send a photo of the open panel and the generator label, or the standby unit spec sheet.
- Step 2
Pick the approach
Interlock, manual switch, or ATS, and which circuits go on backup. Quoted in writing.
- Step 3
Install
Inlet mounted outside, switch or interlock installed, generator breaker landed, directory updated.
- Step 4
Test and inspection
We run the generator through a full transfer with you watching, then the inspector signs off.
Questions we get on the phoneStraight answers
Can I plug a generator into my dryer outlet?
No. Backfeeding through a dryer outlet with a double-ended cord energizes the APS lines outside your house and can kill a lineman working on the outage. It also feeds your neighbors' loads through your generator. A transfer switch or interlock kit with a proper inlet is the only safe way.
Interlock kit or transfer switch, which is better?
An interlock kit is cheaper, keeps every circuit available, and works with most modern panels. A manual transfer switch limits you to a fixed set of circuits but makes it impossible to overload the generator by accident. For a portable unit and a homeowner comfortable with the panel, we usually suggest the interlock.
Do I need a permit for a transfer switch in Prescott?
Yes. A transfer switch, interlock kit, or generator inlet is a change to the service equipment and needs an electrical permit in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Dewey-Humboldt, and Yavapai County. We pull it and meet the inspector. Unpermitted interlocks are a common finding when a house sells.
Is Prescott on the APS PSPS list?
Prescott proper is not. APS has designated specific areas near Prescott, including Highland Pines, Dearing Park, Iron Springs, Pine Lakes, Walker, and Groom Creek, and near Prescott Valley, Coyote Crest, Mingus West, Prescott Ridge, and Yavapai Downs. Check your address at aps.com/psps.
Related
Where we do this work
Transfer Switches across Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and Dewey-Humboldt, with Williamson Valley and Paulden by appointment. See the full service area.