John from East Hanover, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since October of 2023. The generator was commissioned that November: 18 kW on natural gas, on a 200-amp service-entrance switch with a smart management module and surge protection. The load calculation asked for 14 kW across the 2,400 square foot house, so the machine carries a comfortable margin over what the code requires. East Hanover sits inland in Morris County, well away from the shore, which is a useful reminder that outages are not a coastal problem – inland storms bring down trees onto lines just as reliably, and the recovery can be slower where the damage is spread across wooded streets.
Project Facts
- Location
- East Hanover, NJ
- Service
- Standby Generator Installation
- Client since
- October 2023
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7226
- Rated output
- 18 kW LP / 17 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 2,400 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 200 amp
- Transfer switch
- 200 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from East Hanover homeowners
Can East Hanover 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.
What gas pressure does a generator need?
It is model-specific and has to be read off the specification sheet rather than assumed. A current 22 kW model, for instance, specifies a minimum natural-gas pressure of 3.5 inches water column. Different models carry different requirements.
What does remote monitoring actually tell you?
Depending on the generator and the connectivity, remote monitoring can report status, maintenance notifications, alarms, exercise information and operating history. Its real value is that a fault announces itself between service visits, instead of being discovered during the outage it was bought for.