Michael from West Long Branch, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since December of 2020. The generator was commissioned in September of 2021: 17 kW on natural gas, on a 150-amp managed whole-house switch with two smart management modules, sized against a 14 kW calculation for the 1,900 square foot house. Two sump pumps are the load that decides the case here – a house with one has a wet basement, a house with two has already learned that one is not enough, and both will be running in the storm that takes the power out. A refrigerator, a washer, a gas dryer and a dishwasher complete the list. Nine months separated the contract from the commissioning, which was the shape of generator work through that period.
Project Facts
- Location
- West Long Branch, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- December 2020
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7226
- Rated output
- 18 kW LP / 17 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 1,900 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 150 amp
- Transfer switch
- 150 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from West Long Branch homeowners
Can the generator go in the back yard?
Yes, provided the location complies with the installation instructions and the applicable state and municipal requirements. A distant back-yard position lengthens the electrical and gas runs, which can call for larger conductors or larger gas piping and can raise the cost of the installation.
How deep does the electrical conduit have to be buried?
It depends on the wiring method and the location; there is no single burial depth for every installation. The National Electrical Code governs underground wiring and sets minimum cover in a table, and the conduit type, the location and the physical protection all change the answer.
Can a generator be installed in a flood zone in West Long Branch?
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.