Joseph from Shrewsbury, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since April of 2023. This is a second generator rather than a first: one went in at the previous house in Middletown in 2020, and on moving here the household had another installed, this one on our top-tier plan with an annual visit, an extended parts-and-labor warranty and remote monitoring we manage directly. The Shrewsbury machine was commissioned that July, rated 21 kW on natural gas against a load calculation asking for 19 kW, with five load-management modules and a surge protective device on a 200-amp service. Three sump pumps sit on the load, which tells you what the ground under a 4,000 square foot house is doing. The Middletown installation is written up here.
Project Facts
- Location
- Shrewsbury, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- April 2023
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7209
- Rated output
- 24 kW LP / 21 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 4,000 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 200 amp
- Transfer switch
- 200 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Shrewsbury homeowners
Does a 200-amp service need a 200-amp transfer switch?
A transfer switch installed in the service path has to be rated appropriately for the service and the configuration. A 200-amp service commonly uses a 200-amp service-rated switch, but the actual design is confirmed by the electrician rather than assumed from the service size.
What should a Shrewsbury homeowner look for in a generator installer?
A contractor who can design, permit, install, commission, maintain and repair the whole system rather than one who sells the machine. That means generator sizing and transfer equipment, disconnect and shutdown requirements, grounding and bonding, the manufacturer's own installation requirements, gas or propane capacity and pressure, the model-specific clearances, the municipal zoning setbacks, windows and vents and carbon-monoxide entry points, flood requirements where they apply, permits and inspections, utility coordination, load management, commissioning, warranty registration, monitoring and long-term service. The lowest proposal is not necessarily the lowest cost over the life of the system.
Does a generator need a concrete pad?
Not universally. Approved alternative support systems are permitted for applicable models. Concrete or an engineered platform may still be required because of the site conditions, flood requirements, anchoring, municipal requirements or structural design -- but it is not automatic.