More residential generator installation questions

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goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I'm being told by several of my colleagues that the vast majority of residences in my area are equipped with Class 250 natural gas meters and that they may not be large enough to have the capacity to deliver enough gas for a generator, range, furnace, clothes dryer and water heater. Customers may be required to bump up to Class 400 meters at their expense. I was trying to find more information about this and found this website :

http://premac.co/pdf/Cat_M_diafragmas.pdf

but I don't know how to interpret the information. If any of you have some degree of plumbing background (no disrespect intended:roll:) would you please offer some insight ?

I checked the specs on the following Generac units and found this NG consumption info :

10KW - 102 ft3/hr @ 50% load

14KW - 156 ft3/hr @ 50% load

20KW - 206 ft3/hr @ 50% load

I'm asking this because many of us are taking these jobs on as GC's and the onus will be on us not only for proper generator sizing but also for proper gas capacity sizing.

Thanks in advance.:thumbsup:
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
This site has a rough calculation:

Do I have to do anything to my gas or electric meters?
Not your electric meter, but quite possibly a larger gas meter may be required. Natural gas powered generators do use a sizeable amount of gas volume when they are operating, so it?s necessary to have a gas meter with enough volume to operate the generator and the other gas appliances in the house, i.e. furnace(s), stoves, cook tops, clothes dryers, hot water heaters etc. The gas meter typically has a plate on the front that lists its capacity in cubic feet/hour. One cubic foot per hour of gas volume equals approximately 1,000 BTUs. Total up the number of BTUs on the existing gas appliances and add to it the gas usage of the desired generator unit(see specification tables on this web site) and you can determine the required meter capacity. The homeowner is responsible for contacting the gas company to have a new meter installed if required.

http://yourhomegenerator.com/SECONDARY/faq.html
 

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Thanks CEB. That was a helpful publication. I just looked at the gas meter in my house and it's capable of delivering 275cu. ft/hr. Based on my calculations it looks like I may have to call PSE&G and upgrade my gas meter.
 

Sharpie

Senior Member
Location
PA

krisinjersey

Senior Member
Typical Plumbers

Typical Plumbers

What's stupid about that whole thing is that if we are knowlegeable enough to provide a fast, accurate quote to the consumer it's an easier sell for us which in some cases is going to translate into more work for them. I had a good friend of mine, who is a licensed plumber, walk me through the things I need to look at to provide the correct price. Lucky for us in New Jersey, we don't need a plumbing license for gas.
 

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Lucky for us in New Jersey, we don't need a plumbing license for gas.
That's true but as far as I'm concerned, the liability in doing the gas piping is greater than what the job is worth to me. Besides, I'm not geared up for plumbing work. My truck is already packed with things I need to do electrical work.
 
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