How we pick

A free backup-power guide for Michigan homes. Method last reviewed November 15, 2026.

What the site is, and isn’t

• It is an independent guide: a short quiz that turns your answers into one backup-power plan.
• It isn’t DTE, Consumers Energy or any maker. It doesn’t sell or install anything.
• It isn’t an electrician. Educational content only; not electrical advice.

How it’s paid

Some product links are affiliate links. If you buy through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The disclosure sits next to every set of links.

Commission never changes the pick. When a standby or a cheaper option fits better, the plan says so.

How we picked

1. Fit first. Your answers set the path: DTE’s meter hookup, an inlet and interlock, a battery, or a standby.
2. Spec sheets. We read each maker’s spec sheet and manual: watts, outlets, fuel, weight, noise.
3. DTE’s rules. For the meter hookup we check the outlet (L14-30 or 14-50), the wattage limit, and that the generator has no full-GFCI panel. We show “fits the meter hookup” only when the maker’s own sheet confirms it, and we link that sheet.
4. Roles. Each plan has a top pick, and where it helps, a budget pick and an upgrade pick.
5. Downsides. Every pick lists a real downside, like weight, noise or runtime.
6. Sources and dates. Every number links to its source with the date we checked it. We never type store prices.

What we didn’t do: we haven’t lab-tested these. We haven’t run them in an outage, and we don’t take free products.

Wattages come from one published chart: Champion’s generator wattage chart, checked November 15, 2026. Real appliances vary, so check your label.

Our plans are a starting point. A licensed electrician should confirm sizing before anything is wired.

Corrections

Spot a wrong number, a dead link, or a Michigan program we missed? Email [CONTACT EMAIL]. We fix it and date the fix below.

Corrections log: none yet.

Lights Back On is not affiliated with DTE. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by DTE Energy, Consumers Energy or any maker. Educational content only; not electrical advice.

Guides: All guides · DTE meter plug (GenerLink) review · Is DTE’s meter plug worth it? · Best generator for DTE’s meter plug · Meter plug vs. standby · Consumers Energy generator hookup · Power outage checklist · DTE generator plug, explained · Generator interlock in Michigan · Standby generator cost in Michigan · Sump pump backup power · CPAP and medical backup power · DTE outage credit · What size generator do I need? · Running a furnace on a generator