Standby Generator Installation in Cranford, NJ by Green Sun Energy Services.
Mary from Cranford, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since September of 2018. The generator was commissioned in February of 2019: a Generac Guardian rated 18 kW on natural gas, outdoors beside the meter, with a 100-amp service-entrance switch and a smart management module. The load calculation asked for 18 kW across the 2,000 square foot house, and the double electric oven and heat pump between them account for most of that – both are heavy draws, and the heat pump is heaviest in the moment it starts rather than while it runs. Two refrigerators, a washer, a gas dryer and a dishwasher make up the rest of what stays on.
Project Facts
- Location
- Cranford, NJ
- Service
- Standby Generator Installation
- Client since
- September 2018
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7038-1
- Rated output
- 20 kW LP / 18 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 2,000 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 100 amp
- Transfer switch
- 100 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Everything went as planned - we are extremely happy with the process from start to finish. Every step was scheduled and on time. We were kept informed throughout the entire process which made everything go so smooth from the permits, installation and final testing with Glen. We would highly recommend Green Sun Energy Services.
Green Sun Energy Services replied
Thank you, Mary. Permits, installation and final inspection each run on their own clock, and the only way a project feels smooth is if somebody is watching all three. The 20 kW whole-house backup at your home in Cranford went in on that basis. Glad it came together as planned.
Standby generator questions from Cranford homeowners
Why do outages last longer on some Cranford streets than others?
Mature tree cover over overhead lines is the usual reason. Limbs coming down in wind, snow or ice take the lines with them, so heavily treed streets tend to see both more frequent outages and longer restoration times than open ones. It is one of the honest arguments for standby power rather than a portable generator.
Does a generator produce less on natural gas than on propane?
Some models do have a lower rated maximum output on natural gas than on propane -- a current 22 kW machine is rated 22 kW on LP and 21 kW on natural gas. Other models carry their own ratings, so the model-specific specification sheet is what settles it rather than a general rule.
Does a permanently installed generator need a disconnect?
Yes. Permanently installed generators fall under the disconnecting-means requirements of the National Electrical Code's generator article, and the equipment and electrical design have to satisfy those requirements alongside the machine's own listing and instructions.