I had a back feed switch at my last house. I seriously regret not adding one when I upgraded my panel for the car. Completely slipped my mind at the time.
I’ve recently joined the electrical union (in NY), so eventually I’m hoping to do it myself. Thankfully NJ allows homeowners to pull permits for self-performed electrical work because I’ll only be licensed in NY.
Interesting story, pardon the drift.
My neighbor across the county road was an electrical engineer, in addition to an all-around handyman and mechanic. They had about 20 acres that included a huge banked barn built by Amish/German immigrants in the late 1700s, and a stone house built just before the Civil War. When the decided to live there, they had running water (well) but no central heat, only fireplaces. There also was no electrical service.
My neighbor is a hardworking individual who doesn’t suffer fools lightly. When he tried to pull permits to wire the house, he was refused by the county because the work wasn’t being done by a licensed electrician. He inquired how to get licensed. They told him he had to take a 3~5 hour written test. He asked for the test, but they didn’t want to give it to him since he hadn’t been to any electrical trade school or served as an apprentice.
He asked if trade school or apprenticeship was a requirement for taking the test, and the said, sheepishly, no. So he told them he’d like to take the licensing test. At first they said no because he hadn’t ‘prepared’ himself for the 3~5 hour test, but eventually they gave in and let him sit for the exam.
Of course you can see where this is going. He took the exam in an hour or so, and passed with flying colors, and became a licensed electrician, able to pull permits and do his own work. Safely, and to code.