STANDBY GENERATOR
Generac, Kohler, Briggs & Stratton standby installs. Sized to actual load, gas line coordinated, automatic transfer switch programmed.
Keil Electric installs whole-home standby generators across San Diego County and the Austin metro. Generac, Kohler, and Briggs & Stratton air-cooled units (typically 18-26kW). We size to actual load, coordinate the gas line and concrete pad, install the automatic transfer switch, and program the controller before commissioning.
Same scope on either side. Pick the shop that covers your area and we will route you to the right crew.
We start with a load calc. Whole-home backup vs essential-circuit backup is the first decision. Whole-home requires sizing to peak load. Essential-circuit runs a smaller generator dedicated to specific circuits (HVAC, refrigeration, lighting, well pump). The right answer depends on the customer's outage tolerance and budget.
Standby generators need natural gas or LP fuel, a concrete or composite pad, and code-mandated clearances from windows, doors, and combustibles. We coordinate the gas line work with a licensed gas installer, confirm pad placement against setback rules, and verify clearances before scheduling the install.
The automatic transfer switch is the brains of the install. It senses utility outage, signals the generator to start, and transfers the loads. We install service-entrance-rated ATS for whole-home, sub-panel ATS for essential-circuit. The transfer switch wiring, programming, and commissioning is the bulk of the electrical work.
Generator installs trigger an electrical permit and often a gas permit. We schedule both, walk any inspector through the install, and run the full commissioning sequence (test transfer, test under load, verify alarm and fault codes) before turning over to the customer.
Our crew walks the property, calculates loads, and recommends whole-home vs essential-circuit.
Generator size and brand, ATS type, gas coordination, pad install, and full price.
Schedule the gas line work, pad pour, and electrical install in sequence.
ATS wiring, generator wiring, controller programming, full transfer test, customer walkthrough.
Not every job requires a permit. When the local AHJ requires one, we pull it, schedule the inspection, and stay with the job until it passes. No paperwork on you.
Written warranty: 5-year on outlets, fixtures, and EV chargers; 10-year on wire and breakers; lifetime on panelboxes and surge protection. Parts and labor. Transfers with the home.
Generator installations involve gas piping, transfer switches, and utility coordination. We work with licensed gas installers for the fuel side and handle the electrical and transfer-switch side.
Real work from our San Diego and Austin shops. Same standards, same warranty, every job.
For whole home generator installation, here's the honest comparison. We'd tell you the same thing if we weren't trying to win the job.
Most whole home generator installation calls start when the homeowner is planning ahead: a renovation, an addition, an EV charger, a generator, a panel upgrade, or any project where the existing electrical needs to be sized correctly for the new load. The earlier we walk the property, the cleaner the project sequencing. Bringing us in before the drywall closes saves rework. Bringing us in before the contract is signed with the GC saves scope confusion. We are happy to walk a property at the planning stage even if the install is still months out.
A walk of the property with attention to the panel (age, capacity, available breaker space), conduit accessibility, attic / crawlspace conditions, and the load picture (current loads + planned future loads). For installs that touch the service drop, we factor utility coordination from the start. The estimate we leave with is fixed for the scope as walked. Change orders only happen for genuinely new findings during the work, you hear about them before we proceed.
Whole-home generator installation is one of the largest residential electrical projects we do. It coordinates electrical, gas, concrete, and inspection trades, and the install pays itself back in the first multi-day outage. After the 2021 Texas freeze and the regular SDG&E PSPS shutoffs in San Diego County, demand for standby power has been steady.
Depends on what you want to back up. Whole-home backup typically needs 22-26 kW for a 2,500-3,500 sq ft home with central AC. Essential-circuit backup runs 12-18 kW for refrigeration, key lighting, well pump, and partial HVAC. We run the actual load calc.
Total install cost includes the generator, the automatic transfer switch, the concrete pad, the gas line work, the electrical permit, and labor. We quote in writing after the load calc and site walk.
Most modern standby generators run on either, with a fuel selector at install. Natural gas is preferred when available. LP requires a tank sized to the runtime expectation.
Modern Generac and Kohler air-cooled units run around 65-70 dB at 23 feet, similar to an outdoor AC condenser. Liquid-cooled units (larger) are quieter. Setback distance from neighbor windows is part of the placement plan.
Total project from quote to commissioning is typically 4-8 weeks, depending on permit speed, gas line scheduling, and pad pour time. The actual on-site install is 2-3 days.
A licensed electrician runs the load calc, walks the gas and pad locations, and writes the install scope in fixed terms. Permit, gas coordination, and commissioning included.
