Mountain Hill School in Atlantic Highlands, NJ took delivery of its second generator in January of 2020, six years after the first. This one is a Generac Guardian rated 19.5 kW on natural gas, feeding two 150-amp service-entrance switches – 300 amps of transfer capacity in total – with two smart management modules, against a 16 kW calculation for the 3,300 square foot building. Two switches rather than one is what a building with two electrical services needs, and it is a rare arrangement even among the larger properties here. Adding the second machine six years after the first is what a campus contract is for: the buildings are done as budget allows rather than all at once, and each gets the same standard of equipment. A maintenance plan and an extended parts-and-labor warranty sit behind it.
Project Facts
- Location
- Atlantic Highlands, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- January 2020
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 70422
- Rated output
- 22 kW LP / 19.5 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 3,300 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 300 amp
- Transfer switch
- 300 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Atlantic Highlands homeowners
What happens if the manufacturer and Atlantic Highlands disagree?
The installation has to satisfy all applicable requirements. A manufacturer's listing cannot be ignored, and a manufacturer's minimum clearance does not cancel a municipal zoning requirement. Where requirements conflict or the interpretation is uncertain, the Authority Having Jurisdiction is consulted before the work goes in rather than after.
Does new gas piping have to be pressure tested in Atlantic Highlands?
Yes. Gas piping subject to the adopted fuel-gas code must be inspected and tested before it is accepted. New Jersey adopts the 2024 International Fuel Gas Code, which governs the inspection, the test pressure and how long the test has to hold.
Does the house run on the generator during its weekly exercise?
Not necessarily -- it depends on the generation of equipment, the controller and the configuration. Traditional systems commonly exercise without transferring the house at all. Newer equipment with current controls may support different exercise and transfer behaviour.