Meghan from Rumson, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since March of 2017. The 10 kW standby generator at the house was installed by another company in March of 2012, and five years later Meghan brought its servicing to us. The three-year service came first, in 2017 with 255 hours on the clock, followed by the four, five, six and seven-year intervals through to 2021, along with two service calls in 2020 when something needed attention between visits. A standby generator that starts on the one day it is needed is the result of that kind of routine rather than of the original purchase — the machine does not care which company installed it, only whether someone has been changing the oil and testing it under load.
Project Facts
- Location
- Rumson, NJ
- Service
- Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- March 2017
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 60511
- Rated output
- 10 kW LP / 9 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Transfer switch
- 45 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Rumson homeowners
Why does the generator run when the power is on?
It is performing its automatic exercise cycle, which confirms basic engine operation and keeps the machine ready. A generator can also start because utility voltage has become abnormal even though the power has not gone off completely -- the controller watches the quality of the supply, not simply whether it is absent.
Can a generator be installed in a flood zone in Rumson?
Yes, but the generator and its electrical equipment may need to be elevated or otherwise protected. The installation is evaluated against the property's FEMA flood zone, its Base Flood Elevation and Design Flood Elevation, the municipal flood ordinance, any applicable freeboard, and NJDEP requirements where they apply. It is a property-by-property assessment rather than a rule of thumb.
Can the generator be connected to any nearby gas pipe?
No. The branch supplying the generator has to be sized for the flow and pressure the machine needs. A pipe that happens to be close by may be too small, or may already be carrying too much load. Undersized piping shows up as poor starting, unstable running, reduced output or a generator that shuts down under load.