Temporary Power Keeps Job Sites Running. Backup Power Keeps Businesses Open.

Temporary power is a short-term electrical system installed only for the duration of a project to run tools, lighting, trailers, and equipment until permanent power is available. It can be supplied by a temporary utility service — temp power pole, meter, and distribution panel — or by portable generators feeding spider boxes and temporary panels. By code, temporary wiring is regulated under NEC Article 590, OSHA 29 CFR 1926.405, and California Title 8 Section 2405.1, and must be removed when the project is complete. All receptacles used by workers must have GFCI protection, and the setup must pass inspection before the utility will energize it. Temporary wiring is not a permanent solution — California code limits most temporary installations to 90 days for events and similar uses.

Commercial generator sizing is based on measured load, not guesswork. The proper process measures peak amps on each leg of your service during normal operations, converts to kilowatts, and adds 25% reserve capacity for motor starting and growth. As a quick planning ballpark: typical commercial or office space needs approximately 50 kW plus 5 watts per square foot. Retail and restaurant spaces need approximately 50 kW plus 10 watts per square foot due to refrigeration and kitchen loads. These are planning estimates only — Cali Rollin Electric performs a formal load study and coordinates with life-safety requirements under NEC Articles 700, 701, 702, and 708 before recommending a specific kW rating. The right size depends on your actual connected loads, not square footage alone.

Yes. For both permanent and rental generators, best practice is three-way coordination among the electrical contractor, generator supplier, and for permanent units the engineer or GC. The supplier confirms fuel type, kW rating, voltage, and physical requirements including weight, footprint, exhaust, and clearances. Cali Rollin Electric designs and installs the electrical integration — pads, conduits, cabling, terminations, and transfer equipment. For rental generators we pre-plan connection points and cabling so the generator can be dropped in and connected rapidly during an outage. This coordination prevents sizing or compatibility mistakes and speeds up both installation and any future emergency deployments.

Yes — for any permanently installed generator that ties into a building's electrical system, a transfer switch is required by code to prevent dangerous backfeeding onto the utility grid. Legally required and emergency systems such as egress lighting, fire pumps, and some medical loads must use automatic transfer equipment so power is restored without operator intervention. Optional standby systems for purely business continuity may use manual transfer in some cases, but once you are feeding building wiring a listed transfer device — manual or automatic — is still mandatory. In practice nearly all commercial facilities choose an Automatic Transfer Switch so that power restoration is automatic, predictable, and compliant with insurer and authority having jurisdiction expectations.

If you already have an identified tie-in point and a suitable rental generator is available, emergency temporary power can often be set up within hours to a day. A portable generator rental can typically be arranged on short notice — same day or next day for commercial units. On-site setup requires a qualified electrician to handle cabling, grounding, and connection to your distribution system or temporary panels. If a new temporary power service with a pole and utility meter is needed, the process is longer — design, permit, inspection, and utility scheduling can take weeks to months, so that path is for planned projects, not same-day emergencies. Cali Rollin Electric works with key commercial clients to pre-plan load priorities, safe connection points, and cabling routes in advance so that in an actual outage we can bring in a rental generator and restore power as fast as logistics allow.