Cindy and Alan from East Brunswick, NJ have been Green Sun Energy Services clients since August of 2020. The generator was installed by another company and commissioned in February of 2013, and the servicing came to us seven years later. Every interval since has been kept, each in high summer – the seven-year service in 2020, the eight-year in 2021, the nine-year in 2022 and the ten-year service in 2023, with the visits continuing after that. A machine now in its thirteenth year is well past the age at which most standby generators have been quietly forgotten, and the difference is entirely the record. An annual maintenance plan covers the yearly visit, with the manufacturer’s standard warranty behind the machine.
Project Facts
- Location
- East Brunswick, NJ
- Service
- Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- August 2020
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 5887
- Rated output
- 20 kW LP / 18 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Transfer switch
- 90 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from East Brunswick homeowners
How close to the house can a generator sit in East Brunswick?
For the air-cooled models covered by the manufacturer's listed installation guidance, the rear of the generator can be as close as eighteen inches to a qualifying structure when every condition of that listing is met. That eighteen inches is a tested installation dimension, not a zoning setback, and a municipality can require more.
Does every generator need a valve adjustment?
No. Valve-clearance requirements depend on the engine and the model. The technician identifies the model and serial number and follows the applicable maintenance schedule, rather than assuming every air-cooled machine gets the same procedure.
Does a house with a generator still need surge protection?
Yes. A generator protects against the loss of utility power; it does nothing about a surge. Current electrical code includes surge protection for applicable dwelling services, so whole-house surge protection belongs in a properly designed generator installation rather than being treated as an extra.