Bob from Fair Haven, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since September of 2021. The generator was commissioned that November: a Generac Guardian rated 17 kW on natural gas, outdoors beside the meter, with a 200-amp service disconnect and a smart management module. The load calculation asked for 16 kW across the 2,800 square foot house, which is carrying two refrigerators and a separate freezer along with a washer, a gas dryer, an electric oven and a dishwasher. Cold storage is the quiet argument for backup power – a freezer that stays cold through a three-day outage saves more than most people expect, and one that does not is a loss nobody budgeted for. The generator is supported by annual maintenance, a seven-year extended parts-and-labor warranty, and monitoring we manage.
Project Facts
- Location
- Fair Haven, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- September 2021
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7228
- Rated output
- 18 kW LP / 17 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 2,800 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 200 amp
- Transfer switch
- 200 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Fair Haven homeowners
Can Fair Haven require a generator to sit farther from the house than the manufacturer does?
Yes. Another applicable requirement can result in greater separation than the manufacturer's listed minimum -- equipment may be permitted eighteen inches from a qualifying wall while the local ordinance requires several feet from a property line. Both requirements have to be satisfied; neither cancels the other.
Can the platform height be read off the FEMA flood map?
Not necessarily. The map matters, but it may not carry every elevation the platform design needs. An Elevation Certificate, a surveyed ground elevation, the Base Flood Elevation, the Design Flood Elevation, the local freeboard and the municipal flood ordinance can all bear on it, so the height is calculated for the specific property.
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.