George from Ocean, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since September of 2021. The generator was commissioned in March of 2022: a Generac Guardian rated 19.5 kW on natural gas, on a 200-amp service-entrance switch with two smart management modules. The load calculation asked for 15 kW across the 2,688 square foot house, so there is a wide margin over the requirement. The siting is the notable part: a thirty-inch retaining wall was built before installation, filled with soil and pea gravel, to raise the pad and give the machine the ground clearance it needed – the kind of groundwork that has to happen before a generator arrives rather than after. The generator is supported by annual maintenance, an extended parts-and-labor warranty, and monitoring we manage.
Project Facts
- Location
- Ocean, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- September 2021
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7043-2
- Rated output
- 22 kW LP / 19.5 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 2,688 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 200 amp
- Transfer switch
- 200 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Ocean homeowners
Can a generator be installed in a flood zone in Ocean?
Yes, but the generator and its electrical equipment may need to be elevated or otherwise protected. The installation is evaluated against the property's FEMA flood zone, its Base Flood Elevation and Design Flood Elevation, the municipal flood ordinance, any applicable freeboard, and NJDEP requirements where they apply. It is a property-by-property assessment rather than a rule of thumb.
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 happens if we add a heat pump, a pool or an EV charger later?
Any major new electrical load should prompt a review of the generator's capacity. A machine sized correctly at installation may no longer be adequate once substantial loads are added. Load management can often accommodate the new equipment without replacing the generator.