Richard and Ellen from Farmingdale, NJ have been Green Sun Energy Services clients since January of 2013, which places them among the oldest relationships on the site. The generator was commissioned that June: 14 kW on natural gas, on a whole-house transfer switch, for a 2,000 square foot house with an electric oven, two refrigerators, a washer, a gas dryer and a dishwasher. A maintenance plan has covered it ever since – a fifteen-year term taken out at installation, which is an unusual length and a considerable statement of intent from both sides. Thirteen years on, the machine is still under that plan and still being seen every year, with the manufacturer’s standard warranty behind it.
Project Facts
- Location
- Farmingdale, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- January 2013
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 6052
- Rated output
- 14 kW LP / 13 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 2,000 sq ft
- Transfer switch
- 0 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Farmingdale homeowners
Can the existing natural-gas service in a Farmingdale 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.
How can a whole house be carried on a smaller electrical service?
Through load management. One or more large loads are controlled so they do not start at the same moment, or shut down briefly if generator demand climbs too high. That is what allows whole-house coverage where the raw sum of every connected load would otherwise exceed the machine.
Can we plant shrubs or put a fence around the generator?
Yes, provided the planting or fence stays outside the required airflow and service clearances. Site-selection guidance treats shrubs, bushes and trees as part of the clear space around the machine, and clearance should be measured against how the planting will grow rather than how it looks the week it goes in. Local zoning may separately require screening.