The Power Outage Experience with a Standby Generator
If you have a properly installed standby generator from Generac, Kohler, or another major brand, a power outage is a non-event. The system detects the outage, starts the generator, and restores power to your home automatically. You may notice a brief interruption, after which your home operates normally on generator power for the entire duration of the outage. Here is a second-by-second and minute-by-minute walkthrough of what actually happens.
Second 0: The Outage Occurs
A storm, grid failure, equipment malfunction, or other event causes utility power to drop out. Your lights go off, appliances stop, and HVAC shuts down. This is the moment that separates homes with generators from homes without them.
Seconds 1 to 5: Outage Detection
Your automatic transfer switch (ATS) detects the voltage loss within 1 to 2 seconds. The ATS confirms the outage is not just a momentary flicker by waiting a brief programmed delay (typically 2 to 5 seconds, adjustable). This prevents unnecessary generator starts for split-second interruptions that resolve on their own. If the outage persists beyond the delay threshold, the ATS sends the start signal to the generator.
Seconds 5 to 15: Engine Startup
The generator cranks and starts its engine automatically. On Generac models, the G-Force engine reaches operating speed within a few seconds. On Kohler models, the engine starts with similar speed. The generator runs briefly to stabilize voltage and frequency before the transfer switch connects the load. During these seconds, your home is still dark and without power, which is normal and expected.
Seconds 15 to 30: Power Transfer
Once the generator output is stable, the automatic transfer switch disconnects your home from the (dead) utility grid and connects it to the generator. Your lights come back on. Your HVAC system restarts. Your refrigerator and freezer resume cooling. Your sump pump is operational again. Your Wi-Fi router reboots (which takes an additional 1 to 2 minutes for full internet restoration). Every circuit connected through the transfer switch has power.
Minute 1 and Beyond: Normal Home Operation
From this point forward, your home operates normally on generator power. You can run your air conditioning, cook on your electric range, watch TV, work from home, charge devices, do laundry, and use every system in your home just as you would on utility power. The generator runs continuously, fueled by natural gas from the utility line (effectively unlimited) or propane from your tank. There is nothing to monitor, nothing to refuel, and nothing to manage.
What Your Neighbors Without Generators Are Experiencing
While your home is running normally, your neighbors without generators are reaching for flashlights, checking their phones for outage updates, watching food start to warm in their refrigerators, bundling up in winter or sweating in summer without HVAC, losing water pressure if they are on well water, and watching their sump pump sit idle while rainwater rises in the basement. For an outage lasting hours to days, their experience escalates from inconvenience to genuine hardship and potential property damage.
When Utility Power Returns
The ATS continuously monitors the utility feed even while the generator is running. When stable utility power returns, the ATS waits a verification period (typically 5 to 10 minutes) to confirm the power is stable and not a momentary restoration that will fail again. Once confirmed, the ATS transfers your home back to utility power using the same break-before-make process (disconnect from generator, brief pause, connect to utility). The generator runs for a cool-down period (typically 1 to 5 minutes), then shuts down automatically. The system returns to standby mode, ready for the next outage.
What About That 10 to 30 Second Gap?
The brief period between the outage and generator power restoration is the only interruption you experience. During these seconds, digital clocks may reset (unless they have battery backup), devices on battery (laptops, phones) continue operating unaffected, your HVAC and refrigerator stop briefly but resume within seconds with no impact on temperature, and any device plugged into a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) continues without interruption. For the vast majority of household equipment, a 10 to 30 second interruption has zero practical impact. For homes with medical equipment or servers that cannot tolerate any interruption, a UPS on those specific devices bridges the gap seamlessly.
The Generator Weekly Self-Test
Between outages, you will notice your generator start and run briefly once a week during its automated exercise cycle. This is normal and expected. The exercise cycle runs for approximately 12 to 20 minutes, verifies all systems, charges the battery, and confirms the generator is ready. Generac, Kohler, and all major brands include this feature.
Experience the peace of mind that comes with automatic backup power. IB Lighting carries Generac home standby generators from 10kW to 28kW and Kohler generators at competitive pricing with free freight plus insurance on every order. Call (800) 674-9019 for sizing and ordering.