Mike from Jackson, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since November of 2023. The generator was commissioned in February of 2024: a 24 kW machine on natural gas, on a 200-amp service-entrance switch with two smart management modules and surge protection. The load calculation asked for 20 kW across the 4,000 square foot house – two sump pumps, an electric oven, two refrigerators, two dishwashers, a washer and a gas dryer. Two dishwashers usually means two kitchens or a kitchen built for entertaining, and either way a house whose demand does not follow from its floor area alone. Annual maintenance, a seven-year extended parts-and-labor warranty and monitoring we manage all sit behind the machine.
Project Facts
- Location
- Jackson, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- November 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 Jackson homeowners
What should a Jackson 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.
Can the existing natural-gas service in a Jackson home supply a generator?
Often yes, but the gas system has to be evaluated first. The review covers the generator's BTU demand, meter capacity, available pressure, regulator capacity, pipe diameter and length, and every other gas appliance in the house -- furnace, boiler, water heater, range and fireplace among them.
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.