John from Holmdel, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since November of 2018. He and Laurie signed on the first of November and the generator was commissioned a week before Christmas, a 16 kW Generac on its own pad behind a 200-amp service-rated switch with a power management module. It covers 3,500 square feet with two refrigerators, a dishwasher, the laundry and a sump pump. A PowerBase plan has kept it serviced since. Holmdel is in Monmouth County.
Project Facts
- Location
- Holmdel, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- November 2018
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 70371
- Rated output
- 16 kW LP / 16 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 3,500 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 200 amp
- Transfer switch
- 200 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Holmdel homeowners
Can the existing natural-gas service in a Holmdel 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.
Is the output the same on propane and natural gas?
Not necessarily. Many models are rated differently depending on fuel; a current 22 kW machine is rated 22 kW on LP and 21 kW on natural gas. The model-specific ratings should be compared before the generator is sized, not afterwards.
Can a standby generator be installed in the garage?
No. Residential air-cooled standby generators are designed for outdoor installation and must never be run inside a garage, basement, shed or any other enclosed occupied space. The engine produces carbon monoxide, which can cause serious injury or death. That is why outdoor location and separation from building openings are treated as critical rather than as preferences.