Frank from Columbus, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since April of 2021. The generator was commissioned that December: a Generac Guardian rated 19.5 kW on natural gas, outdoors beside the meter, with a 200-amp service disconnect and three load management modules. The load survey is worth reading on this one – 4,000 square feet with a well pump, two sump pumps, a double electric oven, two refrigerators, a washer, a gas dryer and a dishwasher. A well pump matters more than most items on that list, because when the power goes out a house on a well loses its water along with its lights, and no amount of stored food helps with that. The generator is supported by annual maintenance, an extended parts-and-labor warranty, and monitoring we manage.
Project Facts
- Location
- Columbus, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- April 2021
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7043-2
- Rated output
- 22 kW LP / 19.5 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 Columbus homeowners
Why do outages last longer on some Columbus 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.
What is Base Flood Elevation and why does it matter here?
Base Flood Elevation is the elevation associated with the base flood -- generally the flood with a one percent chance of being reached or exceeded in any year. For a generator it is often the starting point for working out how high the mechanical and electrical equipment has to be protected or raised.
Why can't a generator be wired straight into the panel?
Because a standby generator needs approved transfer or interconnection equipment so that it cannot unintentionally energise the utility supply. The transfer switch is one of the most important electrical-safety components in the whole installation, not an accessory to it.