Scott from Westfield, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since September of 2020. The generator was installed by another company and commissioned in July of 2014, and the servicing came to us six years later. It has been seen every year since – September of 2020, September of 2021, October of 2022, November of 2023, October of 2024 and November of 2025 – from the six-year service through to the ten-year interval it now repeats. The battery was replaced in November of 2022, which is the most common reason a standby generator fails to start: the engine is fine, the fuel is there, and the battery has quietly died since the last time anyone asked anything of it. An annual maintenance plan covers the yearly visit.
Project Facts
- Location
- Westfield, NJ
- Service
- Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- September 2020
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 6250
- Rated output
- 20 kW LP / 18 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Transfer switch
- 90 amp
Standby generator questions from Westfield homeowners
What should a Westfield homeowner look for in a generator installer?
A contractor who can design, permit, install, commission, maintain and repair the whole system rather than one who sells the machine. That means generator sizing and transfer equipment, disconnect and shutdown requirements, grounding and bonding, the manufacturer's own installation requirements, gas or propane capacity and pressure, the model-specific clearances, the municipal zoning setbacks, windows and vents and carbon-monoxide entry points, flood requirements where they apply, permits and inspections, utility coordination, load management, commissioning, warranty registration, monitoring and long-term service. The lowest proposal is not necessarily the lowest cost over the life of the system.
Does a generator need a concrete pad?
Not universally. Approved alternative support systems are permitted for applicable models. Concrete or an engineered platform may still be required because of the site conditions, flood requirements, anchoring, municipal requirements or structural design -- but it is not automatic.
Can it start during a brownout when the power is not fully off?
Yes. The controller monitors whether the utility supply is acceptable, not merely whether voltage is present, so it can start while some lights and appliances still appear to be working. That is usually the explanation when a generator runs during severe utility-voltage problems.