Licensed electricians who wire your generator

Generator wiring and installation: who it is for

A generator is only safe when it is wired right. We are the licensed electricians who do that work: the transfer switch, the permit, and the connection to your panel. It does not matter whether we supply a Generac or you or another company supplies the unit.

Generators are a smaller part of what we do than solar, batteries, and panels. Wiring them is work we like and do well, and a generator is a good complement to solar and storage.

A whole-house generator senses a power outage, starts on its own, and feeds your home through a transfer switch. It fits homes with a well pump, medical equipment, a freezer full of food, or a family that will not tolerate cold in an ice storm.

We wire generators, whoever supplies the unit

• A Generac whole-house generator that we supply and install
• A generator you bought, wired by our licensed electricians
• A generator another company supplies, where we do the electrical side

What is included

• A site visit to plan where the generator and the transfer switch go
• Generac whole-house generators, when we supply the unit
• An automatic transfer switch wired to your panel
• Permit applications and inspection coordination, handled by us
• Electrical work by our own licensed electricians, with the gas connection coordinated as part of the install
• Startup, testing, and a walkthrough so you know how it behaves

How a generator job works

1. Consultation and design. We walk the property, review your panel and loads, and plan placement for clearances, noise, and gas supply. If we supply the unit, we help you pick the size.
2. Permitting and paperwork. A permit is required for a backup generator in Oregon. We pull it and handle the paperwork.
3. Installation. We set the generator if it is ours, install the transfer switch, and connect electrical and fuel lines to code.
4. Activation and support. We start and test the system, show you how automatic operation works, and remain your contact afterward.

How automatic backup works

1. The transfer switch detects that utility power is lost.
2. It disconnects your home from the grid so power cannot flow back out to utility lines.
3. The generator starts on its own and comes up to speed.
4. Power flows through the switch to your panel.
5. When utility power returns, the switch flips back and the generator shuts down.

It all happens whether you are home or away.

Generator plus battery plus solar

You do not always need a huge standalone generator. A smaller generator, or a 240 volt portable generator, can back up a Sigenergy or FranklinWH battery in a long outage. The battery runs your home quietly, and the generator steps in when the outage runs long.

Solar and storage cover everyday use and short outages. A generator covers the long ones. That is the best of both worlds, and we wire all of it to work together. See our battery backup page for the storage side.

Generator or battery

A generator can run as long as it has fuel and suits whole-home loads such as heating and cooling equipment. It needs periodic maintenance and makes noise when running. A battery is silent, needs no fuel, and works well with solar, but it holds a limited amount of energy. Some homes use both. Our post on whole-house generator benefits goes deeper.

Permits and incentives

Yes, you need a permit for a backup generator in Oregon, and we pull it for you. We do not count on generators for incentives, but Energy Trust of Oregon and state programs may apply to related upgrades such as a battery or panel work, and we check what fits when you ask for your quote.

Signs a generator may fit your home

• Ice storms or wind events have taken your power out for days, not hours
• You rely on a well pump, a sump pump, or medical equipment
• Your battery plan would not cover the length of outages where you live
• You want heating and cooling to keep running during an outage
• You run a home business or farm that cannot stop when the grid does

See what is changing in our post on Oregon energy resilience.

Why one licensed electrical team

One licensed team means one set of people who design the work, pull the permit, wire it, and answer the phone after it is running. Energy Solutions has been doing this since 2013, our crew carries 50+ years of combined team experience, and our Oregon CCB license number is 202002. Licensed electricians are on our own crew, so the electrical part of your job is not handed to a stranger.

A generator install depends on the transfer switch and panel work being right. Our electricians do that work in-house, so the part that decides whether your home safely isolates from the grid is done by licensed hands, not subcontracted out.

What customers say

"It's the day before Independence Day and every company we called was either closed or couldn't get anyone to come out until Monday... We called Energy Solutions and Sean was at our house in an hour to save the day!"

Stephanie Smith, Google review, Jul 2026

Where we wire and install generators

We work across the Portland metro, down to Salem, out to the coast and Mount Hood, and into SW Washington. Local pages: Beaverton Canby Gresham Hillsboro Lake Oswego McMinnville Newberg Portland Salem Tigard West Linn Wilsonville. See the full service area.