Jarrett from Piscataway, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since August of 2020. The generator was commissioned that December: 16 kW on natural gas, on a 200-amp service-entrance switch with a smart management module, matching a 15 kW calculation for the 3,000 square foot house. Two separate freezers alongside a refrigerator make up a good part of that figure, with an electric oven, a sump pump, a washer, a gas dryer and a dishwasher completing it. Three pieces of cold storage is the quiet argument for backup power – the cost of a long outage is measured in what has to be thrown away afterwards, and it lands whether anybody is home or not. Annual maintenance, a ten-year extended parts-and-labor warranty and monitoring we manage all sit behind the machine.
Project Facts
- Location
- Piscataway, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- August 2020
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7178
- Rated output
- 16 kW LP / 16 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 3,000 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 200 amp
- Transfer switch
- 200 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Piscataway homeowners
How close to the house can a generator sit in Piscataway?
For the air-cooled models covered by the manufacturer's listed installation guidance, the rear of the generator can be as close as eighteen inches to a qualifying structure when every condition of that listing is met. That eighteen inches is a tested installation dimension, not a zoning setback, and a municipality can require more.
What is a service-entrance-rated transfer switch?
One that is listed for use as service equipment when installed in the appropriate configuration. These are commonly used for whole-house systems, where the transfer switch becomes part of the home's service arrangement rather than sitting downstream of it.
Will a 16 kW generator run an entire Piscataway house?
For many homes, yes, but that does not mean every load can run at the same moment. Houses with two central air conditioners, electric heat, EV charging, pool equipment or electric cooking may need load management or a larger machine. The answer comes from a load calculation rather than from the phrase whole house.