Standby Generator Installation in Middletown, NJ by Green Sun Energy Services.
Walter from Middletown, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since July of 2019. The generator was commissioned that September: 16 kW on natural gas, on a 200-amp whole-house transfer switch, sized against a 14 kW calculation for the 3,000 square foot house. Two refrigerators, a separate freezer, a washer, a gas dryer and a dishwasher make up the load. Whole-house rather than a critical-load panel is the choice worth noting on a house this size: nothing has to be nominated in advance as the part that keeps working, and nobody has to remember which sockets were on the list. Seven years on, the machine is still in service.
Project Facts
- Location
- Middletown, NJ
- Service
- Standby Generator Installation
- Client since
- July 2019
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 70371
- 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
The whole project could not have gone any smoother. The sales presentation was concise and informative. Very professional installation process, Green Sun took care of all aspects from municipal approvals to contractor scheduling, Along the way they kept us informed on every single step of the process via email and phone. They gave us the electrical and plumbing installation dates about three weeks in advance and everything came off just as they said it would. The contractors were courteous, friendly and very professional. All we had to do was sign the contract and they made everything happen. Couldn't be more pleased. Best of all, after installation about a month ago we've had the power go out twice in the last week and the Generac performed as advertised.
Green Sun Energy Services replied
Thank you, Walter. Municipal approvals and contractor scheduling are the two things that make a generator project drag, and taking both on entirely is the point. The 16 kW whole-house backup at your home in Middletown went in on that basis. Concise and informative is what a first meeting should be.
Standby generator questions from Middletown homeowners
What should a Middletown homeowner look for in a generator installer?
A contractor who can design, permit, install, commission, maintain and repair the whole system rather than one who sells the machine. That means generator sizing and transfer equipment, disconnect and shutdown requirements, grounding and bonding, the manufacturer's own installation requirements, gas or propane capacity and pressure, the model-specific clearances, the municipal zoning setbacks, windows and vents and carbon-monoxide entry points, flood requirements where they apply, permits and inspections, utility coordination, load management, commissioning, warranty registration, monitoring and long-term service. The lowest proposal is not necessarily the lowest cost over the life of the system.
What actually gets done at a service visit?
It depends on the model, the age and the interval, but typically engine oil and filter, air filter, spark plug inspection or replacement, battery inspection, a fuel-system leak check, sediment-trap inspection, valve clearance where applicable, and inspection of the enclosure and intakes.
Can a standby generator be used instead of utility power?
Residential standby generators are intended for backup during outages rather than as a permanent substitute for normal utility service. Running through an extended outage is expected, but maintenance requirements become considerably more important during prolonged continuous use.