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Running a generator safely when the power is out
Run a portable generator outside, in a well-ventilated area, and plug appliances into it with heavy-duty extension cords. Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office says never to connect it to the house through a power point, only through a generator change-over switch and appropriate socket, with the switch installed by a licensed electrician, and Energy Safe Victoria says any change to household wiring must be carried out by a licensed electrician.
General information from electrical safety regulators’ and networks’ own pages, each labelled with its state. Your state’s electrical safety regulator, and the instructions that came with the generator, are the places to check.
Back-feeding, and why the power point is off limits
Energy Safe Victoria says connecting one through a wall socket or switchboard, without an existing dedicated generator inlet, “can result in back-feed that can risk the safety of utility workers and neighbours”: the people connected to the same local network. Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office calls it “extremely dangerous ‘back-feeding’”.
New South Wales says it in its own words. NSW Fair Trading: “If misused, a generator can be just as dangerous as mains supply. The connection of a portable generator to a house with mains supply must be done correctly.” And the NSW SES says not to connect a portable generator to a home’s wiring unless a licensed electrician has installed a changeover switch, and to read the manufacturer’s instructions very carefully first.
Energy Safe Victoria’s generator advice, in full
This is the “Using a generator” section of Energy Safe Victoria’s page for households without power, every line in its order. The words are the regulator’s.
Energy Safe Victoria, Victoria
“Using a generator”
“Portable generators must be used with care as they pose safety risks including electrocution, fire or asphyxiation when not used correctly.”
“Please follow this safety advice to manage the risks associated with the use of portable generators during power outages:”
- “To connect household equipment to the generator: plug in an extension lead and then use a double adaptor or power boards to connect other equipment such as a fridge.”
- “Never modify your house wiring to accommodate a generator. Any changes to household wiring must be carried out by a licensed electrician.”
- “A generator should only be used outside, in a well-ventilated area.”
- “Portable generators should never be used indoors or in enclosed areas. They emit carbon monoxide that you cannot see or smell, and may cause carbon monoxide poisoning and asphyxiation very quickly, and death.”
- “Generators are designed to be operated outdoors. It is recommended that the generator is located outside in a well-ventilated area sheltered from the weather, such as a carport. When setting up your generator ensure that you:”
- “place the generator on flat ground”
- “ensure the exhaust is not blowing onto flammable or combustible materials, or back into the house”
- “choose a location that offers some protection from the weather such as a carport, under the eaves or veranda”
- “do not cover the generator as the exhaust is very hot and will burn any material in direct contact with it and cause a fire”
- “follow the generator instructions on how to fill the fuel correctly: Always ensure the generator is off and has cooled down before re-fuelling”
- “Be conscious not to spill fuel as the hot exhaust can ignite the fuel”
- “Do not smoke near the generator, and extinguish any naked flames before refuelling.”
- “Only use heavy-duty extension cords that are in good condition and rated in watts or amps at least equal to the rating of the generator.”
- “Protect connection points between extension cords and appliances from the weather. There are many products readily available such as a safety box” (its page shows a picture of one).
- “Never try to power the house by connecting the generator into a wall socket or switchboard, unless there is an existing dedicated generator inlet. This can result in back-feed that can risk the safety of utility workers and neighbours in other words, those connected to the same local network. Any modifications to an electrical installation should only be made by a licensed electrician.”
- “Ensure fuel is stored in proper safety containers and away from ignition sources (for example a gas water heater).”
Queensland’s generator lines, as its storm page sets them out
Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office keeps its generator advice inside its page on electrical safety during storms. This is that section, every line in order.
Electrical Safety Office, Queensland
“Generators”
“Power from generators can be dangerous, so make sure you:”
- “Connect your generator to your house electrical wiring using a generator change-over switch and appropriate socket. These switches must be installed by a licensed electrician.”
- “Do not connect your generator to your house using a power point on a power circuit or any other connection point. This can cause extremely dangerous ‘back-feeding’.”
- “Ensure all leads used to connect your generator are in good working order.”
- “Use power boards with an overload cut-out switch.”
- “Run the generator outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.”
- “Do not exceed the generator’s load rating and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.”
What a generator of each size can run
“Do not exceed the generator’s load rating” is easier to follow when you know roughly what a rating covers. Energy Safe Victoria describes three common sizes.
| Size | What Energy Safe Victoria says it can run |
|---|---|
| 750 to 1,000 watts | Small: a computer, phone chargers, a small bar fridge and LED camping lights, but not a small kettle or toaster. |
| 2,000 watts | Mid-range: a standard household fridge, a microwave or a kettle, though it may not run all three at once. |
| 5,000 or 8,000 watts | Large: everything the 2,000-watt size runs, with spare capacity for an oil-filled heater, a kettle or toaster, and a second fridge or freezer. |
What the networks say
After a flood, for a property that water did not enter, three Victorian networks, CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy, give the same advice for a backup generator: don’t try to connect it to your home’s wiring; run it outside and use an extension cord to power an appliance such as the fridge directly.
SA Power Networks answers a question people ask it: it does not provide generators or pay for them, and if you use your own, it asks you to follow all relevant safety guidelines.
A change-over switch or a generator inlet is wiring work: Queensland says a licensed electrician installs the switch, and Victoria keeps any change to household wiring for one. Once the outage is over and everyone is safe, a licensed electrician can tell you whether your home has one and what fitting one would involve.