A whole-home or standby generator can be a fantastic investment that can help prepare you for blackouts and power outages. Unlike portable generators, whole-home generators are wired directly to the home’s electrical system. This means that not only will you be able to power your lights and charge your phone and other devices, but the generator can also run your heating or air conditioning, refrigerator, freezer, TVs and virtually anything else you may need. To understand how, here is a full overview of everything you need to know about whole-home generators, how they are installed and how they work.
Whole-Home Generator Installation
The generator itself needs to be installed on a concrete pad or a sand or gravel bed outside the home. There are usually strict requirements as to where the unit can and can’t be installed. This is because the generator will produce quite a bit of exhaust when it runs so it needs to be in an area where the exhaust can quickly dissipate and also where the exhaust can’t possibly leak back into the home.
The generator typically needs to be at least 5 feet away from the property line, but some local building codes may require a larger setback. The unit shouldn’t be under a roof or overhang as this could trap the exhaust fumes. Depending on the local codes and the specific model, the unit also needs to be somewhere between 18 inches and four feet away from the closest wall. The unit needs to be at least 5 feet away from all windows and doors as well.
Once you’ve selected an appropriate location, technicians can then mount the unit. The next step is to connect the unit to the fuel source, which can either be your home’s natural gas supply or a large propane tank. In either case, our technicians will run gas lines to the unit so that it has a constant source of fuel.
The final step is to wire the generator to the home’s electrical system. Wiring is run from the generator to the home and then connected to something known as an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS). The ATS is installed directly at the home’s main electrical panel where the electricity first enters the home. This is what allows the generator to automatically kick on and start providing electricity to the home any time the municipal power goes out.
How a Whole-Home Generator Works in a Blackout
The ATS is the primary control for any home standby generator. It works by constantly measuring the flow of electricity into the home so that it can automatically signal the generator to run if it detects that the power has gone out. If the power goes out, the ATS first sends a signal to the generator to start. As soon as the generator is running, electricity will start flowing through the wiring to the ATS.
Once the ATS senses this electricity from the generator, it then activates and switches so that the home’s electrical system is now powered by the generator. At the same time, the ATS isolates the home from the municipal electrical grid so that power can’t flow back out to the grid. This entire process typically only takes a few seconds, which means that your power will come back on almost immediately. The generator will then continue to run until the ATS senses that the municipal power grid has come back on, at which time it will signal the generator to stop and switch the home’s electrical system back to the grid.
How Load Management Works
Most home standby generators have a feature known as load management that prevents the unit from ever getting overloaded. This is important as the generator would automatically shut off if it ever were overloaded. Load management basically means that instead of trying to power and turn on everything in the house at one time, the generator instead prioritizes the most important or highest power systems and appliances. This means that it will supply power to the HVAC system first and then move on to power your lights, outlets and other appliances once the heating or air conditioning is running.
The reason that load management is important is that fixtures like central air conditioners, heat pumps and electric furnaces all draw a huge amount of electricity during the first few seconds when starting. In most cases, this starting load is somewhere between 3 and 5 times more than the amount of electricity the unit uses once it is fully running. If the generator were to attempt to start these HVAC units at the same time as it sent power to everything else in the home, it could easily be overloaded and forced to shut back down.
Load management prevents this as it allows the generator to temporarily divert power from other things whenever the HVAC unit needs to start to prevent possible overloading. For instance, the generator may temporarily shut off power to appliances whenever it needs to send extra power required for the HVAC system to start.
Home Generator Maintenance
Home standby generators do require a bit of regular maintenance to ensure that they are ready to work when needed. Once the generator is installed, you will need to have the oil changed after the unit has run for 25 hours. From there, you will then need to have the oil changed and the air and oil filters replaced every few years, depending on how much the unit runs. Different manufacturers have different maintenance schedules, but most units will need to be serviced either every 200 hours or two years or every 400 hours or four years.
The other important maintenance requirement is “exercising” the generator. All home standby generators have a programmable exercise cycle where the unit will turn on at the scheduled time and day and run for around 20 to 30 minutes. The primary purpose of the exercise cycle is to make sure that all of the engine components stay properly lubricated and to prevent moisture from building up in the unit. However, the cycle also works to ensure that the generator runs properly and is free of any issues.
If any issues do arise during the cycle, the generator will shut off and display an alert so that you know you need to have it inspected and serviced. It is also a good idea to monitor your generator during this exercise cycle so that you can check for other issues like leaks, excessive exhaust, loud or unusual noises, etc.
Most manufacturers recommend exercising the generator without a load every week, but some say it is only necessary to do this monthly. Exercising without a load means that the generator runs, but it doesn’t actually supply power to the home. Standby generators also need to be exercised with a load at least quarterly, which means the unit runs and powers the home for a short time. Both of these types of exercise are essential for preventing issues and ensuring that the generator is ready to supply power to the home whenever needed.
We Can Help
If you’re looking to have a home generator installed, you can count on the team at Aurora Pro Services Heating, Air, Plumbing, Electrical, & Roofing. We carry a wide selection of standby generators suitable for homes of any size, and our team can also take care of any of your home generator maintenance or repair needs. In addition, we offer a full range of other residential electrical services as well as heating, cooling, plumbing and roofing services for customers throughout the Greensboro area. For more information on our generator services or to schedule a consultation, give us a call today.
