Preparing for the next Wintergeddon, I got a gas powered 5000 watt generator. Does anyone have knowledge on how much it would cost to get a generator power inlet box in breaker box?

Shade-tree electrician/handyman without an interlok switch, you're probably looking at $350.

Real electrician with an interlok, probably $1000.

Recently discussed here, assuming DIY - https://texags.com/forums/61/topics/3253786/replies/60889920

mosdefn14 said:

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Shade-tree electrician/handyman without an interlok switch, you're probably looking at $350.

Real electrician with an interlok, probably $1000.

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Uh, what? I had a real electrician, aka licensed, and permitted, come out and install an approved interlock switch for like $450 but that included a couple different adaptors as I wanted flexibility with what generators I was using.

A FIFY example would be:

Simple, but approved interlock switch: $350
Secondary panel with transfer switch: $1000+

You got a deal. I had 3 or 4 quotes and they all were in this range.

mosdefn14 said:

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Shade-tree electrician/handyman without an interlok switch, you're probably looking at $350.

Real electrician with an interlok, probably $1000.

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I think you likely mean a transfer switch - the interlock is as simple as some stamped sheet metal to keep the inlet breaker in the off position until the main is switched off.

Did your $1000 quote include all the equipment (except the generator)? I have most of the equipment already (see 4 below) and my 1st quote was $1300. Have they just jacked up prices since the power outages last February?

1) Centurion by Generac Power Systems 5000W PORTABLE GENERATOR
2) GenInterlock SD-200A Square D Electrical Panels Interlock Kit, 150 and 200 Amp
3) Reliance Controls Generators Up to 7,500 Running Watts PB30 30-Amp NEMA 3R Power Inlet Box
4) RVGUARD 4 Prong 30 Amp 40 Feet Generator Extension Cord

if you can post a pic of your breaker box, maybe there's something oddball? Is there not enough room?

Seems like all you're missing is a 30A breaker and a short piece of conduit and some wire.

I'd never advise anyone who isn't comfortable with electricity to take this on, but if you are, it's a pretty straightforward DIY project.

The 1st company that gave me the estimate told me all the high collar items to buy for the job. I'm sure they got the 30 amp breakers and conduit in their truck. The only thing odd they said about the install is having to move some of the breakers from the bottom left to the top left. Other than that, it's a pretty straight forward install. I'm getting an interlock not transfer switch installed so I thought $1300 was a little high if I supplied most of the equipment which cost ~ $300.

You've basically bought every component, they're essentially charging you $1300 for less than an hour of labor. I'd call a couple other electricians out.

Yes, they will have to free the slot on the bottom left. But that's not odd, I imagine this has had to be done in 90% of interlock kit installs. If you look at your interlock you bought, either the bottom left or the supply can be turned on, they can't both be on at the same time. I believe normally it's the top right, but you'd just install the interlock upside down.

Picture from amazon:

where do you live? Plano given your use name? If in Houston, I provided all my own equipment (minus the wire) for a 50a install and it cost about $300

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where do you live? Plano given your use name? If in Houston, I provided all my own equipment (minus the wire) for a 50a install and it cost about $300

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I do live in Plano but I doubt the electrician market is much different between Houston and DFW. This 1st company said it would be about 3-4 hours of work. Therefore, $300 sounds more accurate.

So going back to quotes & notes, my issue was there wasn't room in the panel to add a 50amp where needed for the Interlok. So they were going to have to redo nearly a quarter of my panel. Also, they were adding a whole panel surge protector.

What are the pros/cons of having the inlet box in the garage versus on the outside of the garage?

I was thinking of putting mine inside the garage. I have a 40 foot generator cord. In the case of an outage, I feel it would be easier to just roll the generator just to the outside of the garage door rather than around to the side of the house or having to go to the side of the house to plug the generator in. My breaker box is at the very front of my garage so an exterior inlet box would be about 20 feet in from the garage door.

Really just personal preference. Biggest consideration is where your gen will be placed when it's running. How loud will it be from that location if you have to run it for multiple days?

My breaker box is on the opposite side of the house from the garage, and I made a long enough cord that I can hook into my panel by the breaker box (in the front yard), run the cord under the fence, and still have the gen set back 10-15 yards away from the house in the back yard.

Not sure about in Plano, but in Houston, post-Ike, we were out of power for 2+ weeks, and people without gensets couldn't get them... legally. Lots of driveway generators went missing overnight.

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Lots of driveway generators went missing overnight.

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That's a good thing to keep in mind. The input plug inside my garage (next to panel) would be closer to running the generator from the backyard behind a locked fence. On the backside of the panel (outside the garage) would require an additional 20 feet of cord to get the generator behind a locked fence.

MrJonMan said:

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where do you live? Plano given your use name? If in Houston, I provided all my own equipment (minus the wire) for a 50a install and it cost about $300

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I don't want to derail the thread, but did you major in ento/graduate in 2006?

A local guy highly recommended (Pecan Grove) did mine for $475 this summer. I did a 30amp inlet box, moved a few breakers for fitment, plus the interlock kit. Easy job, took him about 20 minutes.

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I don't want to derail the thread, but did you major in ento/graduate in 2006?

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Nope. Note the 98 in the user name.

PlanoAg98 said:

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I don't want to derail the thread, but did you major in ento/graduate in 2006?

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Nope. Note the 98 in the user name.

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Sorry that was for mrjonman. For some reason I can't PM.

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A local guy highly recommended (Pecan Grove) did mine for $475 this summer. I did a 30amp inlet box, moved a few breakers for fitment, plus the interlock kit. Easy job, took him about 20 minutes.

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I got a 2nd quote today $357. That's not including the inlet box & interlock kit. Those cost $110 combined so that about equals $475. I can't believe Milestone Electric quoted me $1300.

PlanoAg98 said:

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A local guy highly recommended (Pecan Grove) did mine for $475 this summer. I did a 30amp inlet box, moved a few breakers for fitment, plus the interlock kit. Easy job, took him about 20 minutes.

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I got a 2nd quote today $357. That's not including the inlet box & interlock kit. Those cost $110 combined so that about equals $475. I can't believe Milestone Electric quoted me $1300.

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Probably so busy they just priced it not wanting to do it but at a price they couldn't say no to