Nancy from Elberon, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since October of 2020. The generator was commissioned in May of 2021: a 13 kW Generac Guardian on natural gas, on a 200-amp whole-house transfer switch with a smart management module. The load calculation asked for 14 kW across the 2,500 square foot house, and the management module is what closes that gap – rather than fitting a larger machine, it holds back the heaviest draw for a moment when several things start at once, so the whole house stays covered. The garage had to be cleared before work began, to give access for the gas run and the electrical panel. The generator is supported by annual maintenance, a ten-year extended parts-and-labor warranty, and monitoring we manage.
Project Facts
- Location
- Elberon, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- October 2020
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7175
- Rated output
- 13 kW LP / 13 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 2,500 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 200 amp
- Transfer switch
- 200 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Elberon homeowners
What size standby generator does a Elberon home need?
The correct size is decided by the electrical loads the generator is expected to run, not by the square footage of the house. Central air, heat pumps, electric heat, well and sump pumps, refrigerators and freezers, electric ranges and dryers, pool equipment and EV chargers all count. Where a load is connected automatically, the generator either has the capacity for it or an approved load-management system controls it.
Is a standby generator the same as a portable one?
No. A home standby generator is permanently installed and automatically connected to the home's electrical and fuel systems. A portable normally has to be placed, fuelled, started and connected by hand each time, using approved connection equipment. The standby machine is designed as an integrated backup-power system rather than as something you fetch out of the garage.
Does the generator need its own gas shutoff?
The fuel installation has to include the shutoff arrangements required by the adopted fuel-gas code and by the installation instructions. The valve must be positioned where it is accessible, both for servicing and for isolating the machine in an emergency.