We review power stations. We are not electricians, and nothing on this site is electrical advice for your home.
Connecting to your home's panel
A transfer switch, an interlock kit or an outdoor power inlet connects a station to your home's wiring. That is work for a licensed electrician, and it may need a permit. Rules vary by place, so check with your local building department.
The electrical code requires equipment that stops the station and the utility from ever being connected at the same time (NEC 702.5 summary). The CPSC says a permanent connection needs a transfer switch installed by an electrician (CPSC). We explain what a station can run. We never give wiring steps.
Never backfeed through an outlet
Never plug a station into a wall outlet with a double-ended cord to power the house. It can send power back into the utility lines and electrocute line workers or neighbours (CPSC, OSHA).
A portable station is not a home battery system
Portable stations are certified as portable power packs. Wiring several into a home does not make a listed home energy storage system (UL Code Authority). Your electrician and building department will know what your area requires.
Indoors, and in storage
A battery station has no engine, so it makes no carbon monoxide. Gas generators do: the CPSC says to run them outside only, at least 20 feet from the house (CPSC).
Lithium batteries can still catch fire. Keep a station clear of anything that can burn and out of exits, follow the brand's charging temperatures, and stop using it if it swells, smells, leaks or gets unusually hot. Keep the brand's app and firmware up to date; recent big-brand recalls were fixed by firmware. Check your model on the CPSC recall list.
Medical devices
If you depend on a CPAP or other medical device, confirm that a station is suitable with the device maker or your clinician.