Lisa and Ed from Freehold, NJ have been Green Sun Energy Services clients since August of 2020. A Generac Guardian rated 16 kW went in that December, running on natural gas behind a 100-amp automatic transfer switch, with 2,500 square feet of living space behind it on the load survey. A 100-amp switch on a house this size is a close match rather than a generous one: the machine and the switch are both sized to what the survey actually found, which is the difference between an installation designed around the house and one specified from a catalogue.
Project Facts
- Location
- Freehold, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- August 2020
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7176
- Rated output
- 16 kW LP / 16 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 2,500 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 100 amp
- Transfer switch
- 100 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Freehold homeowners
How far from the property line does a generator need to be in Freehold?
There is no single statewide New Jersey property-line setback for a residential generator. Setbacks are set by the municipality's zoning ordinance, so the requirement is a Freehold question rather than a general one. A generator can meet every manufacturer clearance and still breach a side-yard or rear-yard setback, which is why the zoning review happens before the location is fixed.
Does a generator produce less on natural gas than on propane?
Some models do have a lower rated maximum output on natural gas than on propane -- a current 22 kW machine is rated 22 kW on LP and 21 kW on natural gas. Other models carry their own ratings, so the model-specific specification sheet is what settles it rather than a general rule.
Can it start during a brownout when the power is not fully off?
Yes. The controller monitors whether the utility supply is acceptable, not merely whether voltage is present, so it can start while some lights and appliances still appear to be working. That is usually the explanation when a generator runs during severe utility-voltage problems.