Portland generators & backup power
Standby generators, portable generator connections, and battery backup for Portland homes and businesses, sized from a load calculation, wired to a transfer switch, and serviced by the crew that installed them.
What's included in a Portland generator install
The generator is the simple part. What sets the price is what has to stay on, whether the gas meter can feed the unit at full load, and how far the spot it sits on is from the meter and the panel. We settle all three on the site visit, before a generator is ordered.
Whole-home standby generators
A Generac standby generator on natural gas or propane with a service-rated automatic transfer switch, so the whole house moves over within seconds of an outage, with load management to shed the large appliances when the generator nears its limit.
Critical-circuit backup
A smaller generator carrying a dedicated subpanel of the circuits you cannot lose: the furnace, the refrigerator, the sump or well pump, and a few receptacles for the home office.
Portable generator connections
An inlet on the outside wall and an interlock or manual transfer switch at the panel, so a portable generator powers chosen circuits with one cord and no back-feeding.
Battery backup
A battery system for shorter outages, silent and with no fuel to store, on its own or paired with solar or a generator.
Commercial standby power
Standby generators and transfer switches for offices, shops, and facilities that cannot close for an outage, with the load documentation larger installs need. See our commercial work in Portland.
Maintenance & repair
As a Generac dealer we service what we install and Generac units others installed: oil, filters, plugs, the starting battery, and a test under load, so the generator starts when the power goes.
The full scope we take on in Portland:
- Permanent Standby Generator Installation
- Portable Generator Connections
- Battery Backup Systems
- Automatic Transfer Switch Installation
- Manual Transfer Switch Installation
- Whole Home Backup Power
- Critical Circuit Backup
- Generator Load Calculations
- Natural Gas & Propane Coordination
- Generator Maintenance Program
- Generator Repair & Service
- Commercial Standby Power
Why choose Multiphase Electric
- Sized for the outage, not the brochure. A generator that can't carry the well pump and the furnace together is a generator you'll resent in January. We calculate the load first, then pick the unit.
- Changeover you don't have to be home for. An automatic transfer switch senses the outage, starts the generator, and moves the house over in seconds — no cords, no back-feeding, no being home to throw a switch.
- We service what we install. A standby unit that sits untested for four years is a decoration. Our maintenance program exercises it, changes the oil and filters, and catches a failed battery before the storm does.
Licenses and certifications
- Generac — Dealer & service
- Oregon CCB — Electrical contractor
How a project runs
Every Portland generator install follows the same steps. The first one decides most of the price, and the gas work is what usually sets the calendar.
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Site visit and load calculation
We list what has to stay on, run the load calculation, look at the gas meter and the panel, and choose the generator's spot with the clearances code and the manufacturer require.
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Fixed written quote
You get a fixed price that names the generator and its rating on your fuel, the transfer switch, the pad, the gas run, and the permit, not only the unit.
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Permit, gas, and equipment
We pull the electrical permit and coordinate the fuel supply: the gas piping, and a meter upgrade request to NW Natural if the existing meter is too small, or the propane tank and its supplier.
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Install and test under load
Pad set, generator placed, transfer switch wired in, then a simulated outage so you watch the house change over. A typical standby install is one to two days on site.
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Inspection and handoff
We schedule the inspection, show you the exercise cycle the generator runs on its own, and set up the first maintenance visit.
What a generator installation costs in Portland
Every install is quoted at a fixed price after we see the property, so these are typical ranges for the Portland metro, not a quote. The standby rows include the generator, the transfer switch, the pad, a typical gas run, the permit, and the inspection. What moves the number most is the generator's size, the length of the gas run, and whether the gas meter needs upsizing. Commercial standby power is priced per project.
| Scope | Typical range | Timeline | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portable generator inlet & interlock | $1,000 – $2,500 | Half a day on site | Outdoor inlet, interlock kit or manual transfer switch, generator breaker, permit, and inspection. |
| Critical-circuit standby generator | $8,000 – $14,000 | 1–2 days on site | Air-cooled standby generator, transfer switch with a dedicated subpanel, pad, gas run, permit, and inspection. |
| Whole-home standby generator | $13,000 – $22,000 | 1–2 days on site | Air-cooled standby generator, service-rated automatic transfer switch, load management, pad, gas run, permit, and inspection. |
| Large liquid-cooled generator | $25,000 – $50,000 | 2–3 days on site, plus equipment lead time | Liquid-cooled generator for a large house or a light commercial load, transfer switch, pad, gas supply, permit, and inspection. |
| Battery backup system | $12,000 – $25,000 | 1–2 days on site | Battery and its gateway or transfer equipment, backed-up circuits or the whole house, permit, and inspection. |
| Annual generator maintenance | $250 – $450 per visit | 1–2 hours | Oil and filter change, spark plugs as scheduled, starting battery test, and a run under load. |
What our clients say
“I was referred to Multiphase Electric. We now use them from small changes, to our biggest projects. Clear communication, punctual, and guaranteed results. Highly recommend.”
“Really happy with these guys. We did a complete rewiring of the whole house and New panel. Leti is awesome running the office. Very responsive. Vitaliy, John and all the other Electricians were fantastic. They are pros! Highly recommend this company.”
“I have been a customer of Multiphase since 2007, I wouldn't think to go anywhere else they go above and beyond and nothing but Quality work, you definitely can go to bed knowing you were in safe hands, Dave and the whole team has been better than Good to me”
Portland and Multnomah County
We install and service generators across Portland and Multnomah County and the rest of the Portland metro, from Hillsboro and Beaverton to Gresham and Oregon City, at houses and businesses alike.
Nearby in Multnomah County: Gresham, Corbett, Fairview and Troutdale.
Portland generators & backup power FAQs
Do you install generators in Portland?
Yes. As a Generac dealer we install standby generators, portable generator connections, and battery backup for homes and businesses across Portland and the rest of the metro, from the load calculation through the final inspection, and we service them afterwards.
How much does a standby generator cost in Portland?
Most whole-home standby installs cost $13,000 to $22,000, including the generator, the transfer switch, the pad, a typical gas run, and the permit. A critical-circuit system is usually $8,000 to $14,000. You get a fixed price after we see the property.
Do I need a permit to install a generator in Portland?
Yes. A generator means a new transfer switch and new circuits, and usually gas work as well, all of which is permitted and inspected work in Portland. We pull the electrical permit, coordinate the gas side, and schedule the inspection.
Can my gas meter run a standby generator?
Often, but it has to be checked. A whole-home generator at full load can burn as much gas as everything else in the house combined. If the meter is too small, NW Natural upsizes it, and we put in the request as part of the project so it does not hold up the install.
Natural gas or propane in Portland?
Natural gas, wherever the house already has it. There is no tank to fill and it runs as long as the gas supply does. Propane is the answer where there is no gas service, and we size the tank for the number of outage days you want covered.
Where can a generator go on my property?
Where the manufacturer's clearances from windows, doors, and vents are met, with room to service it, on a level pad, and within any setback from the property line. On a narrow side yard that can take some working out, which is why we choose the spot on the site visit, close to the gas meter and the panel where possible.
Can you connect the portable generator I already own?
Yes. We install an inlet on the outside wall and an interlock or manual transfer switch at the panel, so you plug in one cord and throw one switch. It costs a fraction of a standby system and removes the risk of back-feeding the utility line.
Should I get a generator or a battery?
For outages that last hours, a battery is quiet and needs no fuel. For outages that last days, a standby generator keeps going as long as the gas does. Some houses end up with both, and we install either.
How long does a generator installation take?
A standby install is usually one to two days on site. The whole project, including the permit, the gas work, and the equipment, typically takes a few weeks from the quote, and longer when the gas meter has to be upsized.
Do you service Generac generators in Portland?
Yes, including ones we did not install. Annual maintenance covers the oil and filters, the spark plugs, the starting battery, and a run under load, which is what catches a failing battery before an outage does.
About Multiphase Electric
Multiphase Electric LLC is a licensed and insured electrical contractor based in Oregon City, serving residential and commercial clients across the Portland metro since 2005. Reach us at (503) 908-1593, see our generators & backup power page, or see every city we serve.
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