Installing an interlock kit can save you thousands of dollars. Pair it with an inlet box and a generator power cord and you’ll skip the hassle, and the danger of running extension cords across the house to power things one at a time. It’s also easier on whoever’s operating the panel: compared to a manual transfer switch, an interlock kit gives you access to 2 to 6 times more breakers, depending on your backup power system. Bottom line, an interlock kit can cut the cost of installing a generator or solar system in half or more, which means more money back in your pocket.

Our kits are laser engraved and made from stainless steel, so the labeling never wears off and the plate won’t rust or flake the way painted aluminum does. They’re also MET Listed to UL standards, tested and certified which most of the interlock kits sold on Amazon and other online marketplaces are not. That certification is what electrical inspectors look for, and it’s the difference between a kit that passes inspection and one that gets pulled out.

Our kits are designed in AutoCAD and laser cut from stainless steel, making the Original Interlock Kit one of the sturdiest interlock kits available today. Like an electrical panel, interlock kits change shape based on the breaker configuration they need to work with, but while the design changes, the operational premise stays the same from kit to kit.

• Our interlock kit consists of two steel plates: a back plate that acts as a base and a front plate that acts as a slide, held together with binding posts and screws.
• Our logo and UL 67 certification are engraved on every kit to satisfy inspectors.
• Visit our shop page to view our interlock kits on an electrical panel.

We’re proud to work with America’s premier testing entity for product safety approvals and regulatory certification of electrical products, MET Laboratories.

Twice a year, MET tests our products in the following areas:

• Operational standards
• Operational effectiveness
• Code compliance

All interlock kits manufactured with our logo meet NEC Code 702 for the installation and operation of optional standby systems.

• First, find the manufacturer of your panel by checking the inside of the panel door for manufacturer information. If none is listed, use the breakers inside the panel to help identify the manufacturer.
• Determine the amperage of the main breaker.
• Determine the toggle throw direction of the main breaker: horizontal or vertical.
• If there’s a gap between the main breaker and the branch circuits, measure how big that gap is.
• Determine if the main breaker is centered, offset left, or offset right in the panel.
• If you can’t find a match after gathering this info and searching the site, reach out to our sales team and we’ll match or confirm the best kit for you. We’re always happy to help.
• Send photos to (804) 400-5803.
• Shoppers/contractors, contact us at questions@interlockkit.com.
• Supply houses/distribution centers, contact us at sales@interlockkit.com.

Your panel is the distribution and protection system for electricity in your home. Power is fed from the utility into the panel, run across the different circuit breakers, and out into the rest of the home. The interlock kit lets you safely switch from utility power to your back-up power source by sliding into place to block either the MAIN or the GEN/SOLAR breaker, forcing one off while the other operates.

Here’s how the switch from grid power to a secondary power source works:

• Turn the main breaker to the OFF position.
• Turn all branch circuits to the OFF position (so you don’t overload the generator during start-up).
• Slide the interlock kit into the open position created by turning the main breaker OFF.
• This allows the secondary power source to be turned ON.
• The kit now forces the MAIN OFF while the generator or solar battery is ON.
• WARNING: Let appliances start up before engaging the next circuit.

Once an interlock kit is installed in your main distribution panel, your electrical panel essentially becomes a transfer panel, ready to operate. So which items can you actually run?

Start by adding up the wattage for the items you need in your home. Most household items list their wattage right on the nameplate. If only amps and volts are given, just multiply them (for example, 10.2 amps x 120 volts = 1,224 watts). Keep in mind it’s not a good idea to run a generator at full capacity. Try not to run it at more than 80% capacity for more than 1 hour at a time. Below are general wattages for common household items (check your own appliances for exact numbers, since they can vary):

• Electric water heater: 4,500 watts
• Microwave: 1,600 watts
• Toaster oven: 1,800 watts
• Stove top: 2,200 watts
• Hair dryer: 1,500 watts
• Well pump: 2,000 watts
• Basement sump pump: 900 watts
• Refrigerator: 700 watts
• Freezer: 700 watts
• Furnace or boiler (gas, oil, propane): 700 watts

Make sure your generator can support everything you need to run during an outage. A 7,500-watt generator can run almost anything in the home you’d normally have on, just not all at once. For example, you could run the water heater overnight while fewer items are in use, then switch it off in the morning once you’re using the blow dryer and microwave to make breakfast.

A qualified electrician will hard-wire from the electrical panel (where a generator back-feed breaker is installed) to a generator convenience outlet or receptacle. A generator power cord then plugs into that receptacle and runs to the generator. Once the interlock kit is installed, your generator is ready to safely use!

Accessories like outlets, power cords, breakers, and power back meters that you’ll need to run your generator can be found here:

• Convenience inlet boxes
• Generator power cords
• Generator back-feed and tandem breakers
• Reliance PowerBack

Bundle and save today!

Back-feed breakers (also called generator breakers) are how power from your generator gets into your panel, and the breaker style must match your panel’s style. You can order the amperage breaker you need (check your generator’s owner’s manual), or just tell us the size of the generator you plan to use and we’ll match the size and style of the breaker for you.

Generally, people use a 30-amp back-feed breaker and convenience outlet for generators up to 8,000 watts, and a 50-amp back-feed breaker and convenience outlet for larger units. For generators with outlets greater than 50 amps, please consult the factory.

Back-feed generator breakers need at least two breaker spaces to be installed and operated, which can be a problem if your panel is already full. A tandem breaker (also called a “piggy-back breaker”) helps create space by consolidating two independent circuit breakers into one breaker space. Tandem breakers take up just one breaker space but have two independent switches, making them perfect for freeing up room.

Note: if you’re removing single-pole breakers to replace with tandem breakers, make sure the amperages listed for the tandem breaker match the amperages of the original single-pole breakers. For example, if you removed two 15-amp breakers, you’d need a 15/15-amp tandem breaker. If one single-pole breaker was 15 amp and the other was 20 amp, a 15/20-amp tandem breaker would be the right fit.

Click here to view tandem breakers on our accessories page.

Click the “My Account” link at the top right hand side of our site to view orders you have placed. Then click the “Change quantities / cancel orders” link to find and edit your order. Please note that once an order has begun processing or has shipped, the order is no longer editable. We can only reroute the packge to a differnet address or have it returned to us. If you need to do either, please contact customer support.

Click the “My Account” link at the top right hand side of our site to track your order. Tracking will be sent in an email shortly after the order confirmation is sent.

Click the “My Account” link at the top right hand side of our site to track your order status. Be sure that all of the items in your order have shipped already. If your order displays your Package Tracking Numbers, check with the shipper to confirm that your packages were delivered. If your packages each show a status of “delivered”, please contact UPS customer service & Interlockkit for assistance with claims.

Click the “My Account” link at the top right hand side of our site to track your order status. Be sure that all of the items in your order have shipped already. If your order displays your Package Tracking Numbers, check with the shipper to confirm that your packages were delivered. If your packages each show a status of “delivered”, please contact customer service for help replacing missing parts. A list of contents included in your Interlockkit package can be found on the front page of the installation instructions.

Backordered items are those which our suppliers are unable to predict when they will have more in stock. We are rarely out of products but wait times will never be longer than 3 weeks if your kit is out of stock.

We currently ship anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. Please create an account by clicking the “My Account / Order Status” link at the top right hand side of our site.

All orders submitted before 12pm EST ship out the same day. Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information: just add items to your cart and head to checkout to see your shipping method choices and prices. We’ll ship your order shortly after we receive your payment.

Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Just add items to your cart and head to checkout, where you’ll see your shipping method choices and their prices.

Click here for more information on returning an item. Return labels can also be created at the bottom of the email that contains your tracking number.

If you think you’ve received the wrong product, please contact customer service within 72 hours of receiving it.

We value your privacy. Please view our Privacy Policy for complete details on how we use the information we collect.

Check the Product & Installation FAQ above for “How do I choose the correct interlock kit for my panel?” To find the product you’re looking for, you can (1) use the Shop button at the top of the site, or (2) type a keyword into the search box. If you have any trouble locating a product, feel free to contact customer service for assistance.

To navigate the site, click on a category you’re interested in under the Shop menu. Quick tip: hover your cursor over anything you think might be a link. If it’s clickable, your cursor will turn into a “hand.” If it’s not a link, your cursor stays an “arrow.” You can also type a keyword into the search box to quickly find a specific product. If you have any trouble locating a product, feel free to contact customer service for assistance.

Click here for our company contact information.