Cathy and Harry from Toms River, NJ have been Green Sun Energy Services clients since August of 2017. The generator was commissioned that October, on a 200-amp whole-house transfer switch, and the load survey on this 5,000 square foot house is unlike any other on our books: five sump pumps. Most houses have one, some have two, and five means a property actively managing water rather than occasionally coping with it. That is precisely the case where losing power is not an inconvenience but a flooded basement, and it is why whole-house coverage made more sense here than nominating a few circuits to keep alive. A double electric oven, an electric dryer, a heat pump, two refrigerators, a washer and a dishwasher fill out the load.
Project Facts
- Location
- Toms River, NJ
- Service
- Standby Generator Installation
- Client since
- August 2017
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7042
- Rated output
- 22 kW LP / 19.5 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 5,000 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 300 amp
- Transfer switch
- 300 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Toms River homeowners
Why do outages last longer on some Toms River streets than others?
Mature tree cover over overhead lines is the usual reason. Limbs coming down in wind, snow or ice take the lines with them, so heavily treed streets tend to see both more frequent outages and longer restoration times than open ones. It is one of the honest arguments for standby power rather than a portable generator.
What is the main line circuit breaker on a generator?
It is the generator's primary AC output breaker. Worth knowing because if it is open the engine can run without delivering any power through the transfer system -- a machine that sounds like it is working while the house stays dark.
Can an existing propane tank be reused for a new generator?
Possibly. Existing propane equipment can be reused when it is correctly sized, sited, regulated, maintained and capable of supplying the demand the generator adds. The propane supplier should verify capacity and regulator performance before the machine is commissioned rather than after.