Maryann from Manchester, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since October of 2020. The machine is a Generac 7038-1 rated 20 kW on propane and 18 kW on natural gas, running on natural gas, on a 150-amp transfer switch. It was commissioned in April of 2021. A 150-amp switch on a house of about 2,100 square feet is a whole-house installation rather than an essential-circuits one – nothing gets left off, and there is no list to remember when the power goes.
Project Facts
- Location
- Manchester, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- October 2020
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7038-1
- Rated output
- 20 kW LP / 18 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 2,100 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 150 amp
- Transfer switch
- 150 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Manchester homeowners
Can a generator be installed in a flood zone in Manchester?
Yes, but the generator and its electrical equipment may need to be elevated or otherwise protected. The installation is evaluated against the property's FEMA flood zone, its Base Flood Elevation and Design Flood Elevation, the municipal flood ordinance, any applicable freeboard, and NJDEP requirements where they apply. It is a property-by-property assessment rather than a rule of thumb.
Why does the generator run when the power is on?
It is performing its automatic exercise cycle, which confirms basic engine operation and keeps the machine ready. A generator can also start because utility voltage has become abnormal even though the power has not gone off completely -- the controller watches the quality of the supply, not simply whether it is absent.
What does the kW number on a generator mean?
It is the maximum continuous output the machine is rated to produce under the manufacturer's specified conditions. A current 22 kW model, for example, is rated 22 kW on liquid propane and 21 kW on natural gas. That difference is exactly why the fuel and the model both matter when a generator is sized.