Electrical Backup Power

Electrical fundamentals and backup power systems. Use when someone needs to understand their electrical panel, safely connect a generator, evaluate solar options, or prepare for extended power outages.

# Electrical Basics & Backup Power

This is not a home wiring skill -- the survival-basics skill covers outlets and switches. This is about understanding the electrical system in your building and what to do when the grid goes down. Two things kill people in power outages: carbon monoxide from generators run indoors, and electrocution of utility workers from generators backfed into the grid. Both are preventable with basic knowledge. Beyond emergency generators, a basic understanding of solar and battery backup means you can keep critical systems running during extended outages without risking anyone's life, including the lineman working to restore your power.

```agent-adaptation
# Localization note -- electrical safety principles are universal. Standards and voltages differ.
# Agent must follow these rules when working with non-US users:
- Safety principles (CO poisoning prevention, backfeed danger) are universal.
- Electrical standards vary significantly:
  US/Canada: 120V/240V split-phase, 60Hz, NEMA outlets
  UK: 230V, 50Hz, BS 1363 outlets, ring circuits
  EU: 230V, 50Hz, Schuko/Type C/E/F outlets
  Australia: 230V, 50Hz, Type I outlets
- Electrical codes:
  US: National Electrical Code (NEC/NFPA 70)
  UK: BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations)
  AU: AS/NZS 3000 (Wiring Rules)
  EU: varies by country (HD 60364 harmonized standard)
- Transfer switch requirements and installation standards are jurisdiction-specific.
  Agent must advise user to hire a licensed electrician for any panel work.
- Solar regulations and grid-tie requirements vary dramatically by country,
  state, and utility. Agent must advise checking local rules before installing.
- Generator connection laws:
  Backfeeding is illegal and dangerous everywhere.
  Transfer switch requirements vary -- some jurisdictions mandate them by code.
- Breaker panel layout and labeling conventions differ by country.
  US: typically 120V branch circuits with 240V for large appliances
  UK: consumer unit with MCBs and RCDs
  AU: switchboard with MCBs and RCDs
```

## Sources & Verification

- **National Electrical Code (NEC/NFPA 70)** -- the US standard for electrical installation. Referenced by all US jurisdictions. [nfpa.org](https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-70-standard-development/70)
- **NFPA electrical safety** -- fire and electrical safety guidelines for consumers. [nfpa.org/electrical-safety](https://www.nfpa.org/electrical-safety)
- **Consumer Reports generator guides** -- independent testing and safety reviews. [consumerreports.org](https://www.consumerreports.org/)
- **Department of Energy solar basics** -- objective guide to residential solar technology. [energy.gov/solar](https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/homeowners-guide-going-solar)
- **OSHA electrical safety** -- workplace electrical safety standards applicable to home environments. [osha.gov/electrical](https://www.osha.gov/electrical)
- **CPSC generator safety data** -- Consumer Product Safety Commission data on CO deaths from portable generators. [cpsc.gov](https://www.cpsc.gov/)

## When to Use

- User wants to understand their electrical panel and what each breaker controls
- User needs to safely connect a generator during a power outage
- User is evaluating solar panels or battery backup for their home
- User wants to size a generator for their critical loads
- User needs to use a multimeter to diagnose an electrical problem
- User is preparing for extended power outages (storm season, grid instability)
- User has a shed, RV, or off-grid structure that needs basic electrical

## Instructions

### Step 1: Understanding Your Electrical Panel

**Agent action**: Help the user read and understand their breaker panel without touching anything inside it.

```
YOUR BREAKER PANEL:

WHAT IT DOES:
-> Receives power from the utility (via the meter)
-> Distributes it to branch circuits throughout your home
-> Each breaker protects one circuit from overload and short circuit
-> When a breaker trips, it disconnects that circuit to prevent fire

BREAKER SIZES AND WHAT THEY SERVE:
-> 15 amp: lighting, general outlets, bedrooms
-> 20 amp: kitchen countertop outlets, bathrooms, laundry, garage,
   outdoor outlets (anywhere code requires GFCI protection)
-> 30 amp (240V): electric dryer, some water heaters
-> 40 amp (240V): electric range/oven, some hot tubs
-> 50 amp (240V): large electric range, sub-panel feed
-> Main breaker (100-200 amp typical): disconnects everything

READING YOUR PANEL SCHEDULE:
-> Inside the panel door is a list (or should be) mapping each
   breaker to what it controls
-> If this is blank or wrong, map it yourself: turn off one breaker
   at a time, walk the house to find what went dead, label it
-> This takes 30-60 minutes and is worth every second. You need to
   know what you're working with.

CALCULATING CIRCUIT LOAD:
-> Watts = Volts x Amps
-> A 15A circuit on 120V = 1,800 watts maximum
-> The 80% rule: don't load a circuit beyond 80% of its rating
   for continuous loads. 15A circuit = 1,440W practical limit.
-> Add up the wattage of everything on a circuit. If it exceeds
   80% of the breaker rating, you're overloaded.

WHAT TRIPS BREAKERS:
-> Overload: too many devices on the circuit (breaker feels warm,
   trips after running a while)
-> Short circuit: hot wire touches neutral or ground (breaker
   trips instantly, may arc or spark)
-> Ground fault: current leaking to ground through unintended path
   (GFCI outlet or GFCI breaker trips)
-> Bad breaker: breakers can wear out and trip falsely (rare but real)

DO NOT OPEN THE PANEL COVER (the inner deadfront, not the door):
-> Behind the breakers is the bus bar with line voltage
-> Contact with the bus bar or main lugs can kill you instantly
-> The panel door (with the breaker schedule) is safe to open
-> The deadfront cover (behind the breakers) is electrician territory
```

### Step 2: Generator Safety and Connection

**Agent action**: Cover the critical safety rules FIRST, then proper connection methods.

```
GENERATOR SAFETY -- READ THIS BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE:

CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) -- THE INVISIBLE KILLER:
-> Portable generators produce carbon monoxide, which is colorless
   and odorless
-> NEVER run a generator indoors, in a garage (even with the door
   open), in a basement, in a crawl space, or in any enclosed area
-> Place the generator at least 20 feet from any window, door, or vent
-> Point the exhaust AWAY from the building
-> Install battery-powered CO detectors on every level of your home
   and near sleeping areas (if you don't already have them)
-> Symptoms of CO poisoning: headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion.
   If anyone feels these symptoms during a power outage with a
   generator running: get outside immediately, call 911.
-> CPSC data: generators cause more CO deaths each year than any
   other consumer product

BACKFEEDING -- A FELONY THAT KILLS PEOPLE:
-> Backfeeding means connecting a generator to a house outlet with a
   "suicide cord" (male-to-male plug) so power flows backward through
   your wiring to all your outlets
-> This sends power BACK into the utility grid through your meter
-> Utility linemen working on "dead" lines get electrocuted by YOUR
   generator power stepped up to thousands of volts by the transformer
-> This is illegal, it is a felony in most jurisdictions, and it kills
   utility workers trying to restore your power
-> NEVER DO THIS. There is no safe way to backfeed.

PROPER CONNECTION OPTIONS (safest to simplest):

OPTION 1: MANUAL TRANSFER SWITCH ($200-300 + electrician install)
-> Installed next to your main panel by a licensed electrician
-> Lets you select which circuits get generator power
-> Physically disconnects those circuits from the grid before
   connecting to the generator -- impossible to backfeed
-> The RIGHT way to do it. One-time cost, permanent safety.

OPTION 2: INTERLOCK KIT ($50-150 + electrician install)
-> A mechanical device on your panel that prevents the main breaker
   and generat