Gerry from Allentown, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since October of 2021. The generator was commissioned in January of 2022: a Generac Guardian rated 19.5 kW on natural gas, on a 150-amp managed whole-house switch with a smart management module, sized against a 15 kW calculation for the 3,422 square foot house. The contract said plainly what the wait would be: 22 kW generators were running eighteen to twenty-two weeks from signature to installation. Putting the lead time in writing at the point of sale is unusual and worth more than an optimistic verbal estimate – a household that knows it will be four or five months can plan around it, and nobody has to chase an answer that was never given. A sump pump, two refrigerators, a washer, a gas dryer and a dishwasher make up the load.
Project Facts
- Location
- Allentown, NJ
- Service
- Standby Generator Installation
- Client since
- October 2021
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7042-2
- Rated output
- 22 kW LP / 19.5 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 3,422 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 150 amp
- Transfer switch
- 150 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Allentown homeowners
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.
How much clearance is needed above a generator?
Applicable air-cooled guidance requires roughly five feet of overhead clearance from structures, overhangs and projections. That is what rules out a good many low decks, roof overhangs and alcoves as generator locations, and it is worth establishing early rather than after a site is chosen.
Will a 22 kW generator run an entire Allentown house?
For many homes, yes, but that does not mean every load can run at the same moment. Houses with two central air conditioners, electric heat, EV charging, pool equipment or electric cooking may need load management or a larger machine. The answer comes from a load calculation rather than from the phrase whole house.