Ryan from Red Bank, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since December of 2019. The generator was commissioned in March of 2020: a 16 kW Generac Guardian on natural gas, outdoors beside the meter, on a 200-amp whole-house transfer switch. The load calculation asked for 14 kW across the 2,106 square foot house, with two refrigerators, a washer, a gas dryer and a dishwasher to carry, so the machine sits above the requirement rather than at it. Whole-house rather than a critical load panel is the choice worth noting – nothing in the house has to be nominated in advance as the part that keeps working. The generator is supported by annual maintenance, a ten-year extended parts-and-labor warranty, and monitoring we manage.
Project Facts
- Location
- Red Bank, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- December 2019
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7178
- Rated output
- 16 kW LP / 16 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Electrical service
- 200 amp
- Transfer switch
- 200 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Red Bank homeowners
Does the transfer switch need flood protection as well as the generator?
Yes. A flood review should cover much more than the generator enclosure. FEMA recommends that a residential standby system consider elevation or protection of the generator, the transfer switch, the normal and emergency panels, the feeders and the control wiring together.
Will a larger gas meter be needed?
Possibly. A generator can significantly increase a home's maximum gas demand. If the existing meter or service cannot hold the required pressure while supplying the generator and the other appliances together, the gas utility may require an upgrade.
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.