Site Preparation

• The first step to the installation process is to prepare the site where the generator will be placed. The generator needs to sit level and have at least 3 ft. of clearance at the front, inlet and exhaust. At the back, there should be at least 18 in. of clearance.
  
  Be sure to check with local inspectors to ensure any or all necessary permits are pulled. This is typically done by the installer.

• Part of choosing the right site for your generator is looking for areas away from openings in the home. Find a site that is away from windows, doors, vents, window wells, or openings in the wall. This is to prevent Carbon Monoxide, a toxic gas, from entering the home.
  
  Placing the generator closer to gas sources, such as natural gas or liquid propane, can save on trenching and additional piping, which can also lower the cost of the installation.

Installation Base

• There are a few different choices for the installation base: pea gravel, GenPad, Pylex stand or Gorilla Manufacturing stand.

• Pea gravel is poured gravel that is leveled and stamped. This is the minimum requirement for your generator's installation base.

• Generac offers the GenPad, which is an alternative to poured concrete. For air-cooled home standby generators in non-hurricane prone areas, the GenPad is offered in concrete or composite. Both are easier to install than pouring concrete, making for a more efficient installation.
  
  GenPads are also available in a four-inch hurricane-rated concrete pad for hurricane prone areas. If your home will be powered by a Protector Series standby generator, there is a GenPad option available.
  
  Ask your dealer if a GenPad is the best base solution for your home standby generator.
  
   
   

• Pylex Stands are used to level the generator on uneven ground where there is no concrete present. These stands can also be used to lift the generator off the ground in flood-prone areas. Assembly is required.
  
  Talk to your dealer to see if Pylex Stands are the best base solution for your home standby generator.
   
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• Gorilla Stands have a one-piece construction that makes installation quick and easy. The structure is MIG welded for enhanced durability. Stand options include slab-mounted, non-slab, and concrete footer.
  
  Available in sizes 12" - 84" for generators up to 48kW.
  
  Talk to your dealer to see if Gorilla Stands are the best base solution for your home standby generator.
   
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Connections from the Generator to the Home

• The installer connects the gas and electrical lines, essential steps in the installation process. For the generator to function properly, it is important to connect the fuel source to the generator and the electrical lines to the main electric panel for the house. When the transfer switch senses loss of utility at the main panel, it will turn the generator on for backup power.

Fuel Connections

• Part of the installation process is connecting fuel lines from the gas source to the generator. There are a few options and components to create an efficient, cost-effective gas line.
  
  We recommend your installer use materials such as Flex Fuel Lines and polypipe and flex risers to make the gas connections from your liquid propane tank or your natural gas line to the generator. These will create a cost-effective and efficient connection from your fuel source to your generator. Installers will also use shut-off valves as part of the fuel connections. Shut-off valves are required at the generator to provide an external fuel shut off.

Electrical Connections

• The generator will need to be connected to the home through electrical connections. The installer will use materials such as conductor cable, car flex, and service entrance cable. They will run the cables from the connection shelf on the generator to the automatic transfer switch. That automatic transfer switch is the mechanism that senses utility loss and triggers the generator to turn on for backup power.

Electrical Connections

• Every generator needs a battery. Without this, your generator will not turn on when it's needed.
  
  Standard wet-cell batteries should be replaced every 2-3 years. Generators using wet-cell batteries in cold climates, areas that regularly fall below 32°F, need cold weather kits, which include a battery warmer. An Aborsbent Glass Mat (AGM) battery is an alternative solution to battery warmers. These batteries start engines at low temperatures.
  
  Consistently hot or cold temperatures will shorten a wet-cell battery's life.
  
  
  Talk to your dealer for more information about battery solutions and if they offer home standby scheduled maintenance programs.

Automatic Transfer Switch (Mounting Location)

• The automatic transfer switch (ATS) is connected to the main electrical panel and can sense utility loss to trigger the generator for backup power. The ATS can be mounted outside or inside. Switches rated NEMA 1 must be installed indoors; however, NEMA 3R switches can be placed indoors or outdoors. Working space around the ATS and electrical panel will determine its location per local code.

Automatic Transfer Switch and Generator Connections

• For the Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) to sense utility loss, it must communicate with the utility company's electric meter. Service entrance cable (SER cable) is the communication line between utility and the ATS. The installer will run SER cable from the meter to the electrical panel inside the house, and then back to the meter.
  
  The installer will use conductor cable to connect the generator with the ATS. When the ATS senses utility loss, it will signal the generator to turn on for backup power. The ATS will then switch power from utility to backup power.

Load Management

• Load management, especially with smaller kilowatt generators, leads to greater generator longevity.

• The Smart AC Module (SACM) focuses on load management of air conditioning units. Loads are the appliances, lights, or other electric items in your home that you choose to be supported by the generator during a utility outage. Depending on what items are placed on backup power, turning them on all at once alongside the air conditioner may overload the generator, causing it to shut down. The SACM delays the start of connected air conditioning units, allowing the generator to accept the chosen loads first.
  
  Smart AC Modules are included in every single-phase Generac Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS).

• Part of your installation may include setting up load management. To prevent overloading the generator, Smart Management Modules (SMMs) allow designated appliances to turn on by priority when backup power is triggered, similar to how the SACM delays the air conditioning unit.
  
  Depending on what items in the home are placed on backup power, turning them on all at once may create too much load on the generator, which could cause it to shut off. If the generator frequency drops below normal operating parameters, the SMMs will turn off the connected appliances by priority. When the generator frequency returns to normal operating parameters, the SMMs will turn the appliances back on by priority.
  
  Smart Management Modules are available as an optional accessory at the time of installation.
  
  Talk to your dealer to see if SMMs are the best load management solution for your home.
  
   
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Stay Connected

• Generac Mobile Link provides visibility to your home standby generator from a smartphone, tablet, or PC. Mobile Link provides visibility to the generator's health, ensuring your generator will be ready at a moment's notice. WiFi-enabled monitoring comes standard on air-cooled home standby units (not including PowerPact models).
  
  Homeowners who want uninterrupted connection can upgrade to the 4G LTE Cellular Accessory. The 4G LTE accessory works with Verizon for broad coverage, more reliable connections, and faster download speeds.
  
  The Mobile Link 4G LTE Cellular Accessory is available as an optional accessory at the time of installation.
  
  Talk to your dealer to see if the 4G LTE Cellular Accessory is the connectivity solution for you.
   
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• A critical part of maintaining your generator is making sure there is enough fuel to get through unexpected power outages. If your generator is fueled by liquid propane, Generac offers the Tank Utility LTE Fuel Level Monitor. Once installed, the monitor measures the amount of liquid propane remaining in the tank. The Tank Utility monitor integrates with Mobile Link to provide tank level readings, offering customers the ultimate peace of mind.
  
  If your generator is fueled by liquid propane, the Tank Utility LTE LP Fuel Level Monitor accessory is available at any point during or after the installation of your generator.
  
  Ask your installer about Generac's digital liquid propane tanks. We offer bundled liquid propane tanks with the Tank Utility Monitor, providing you and your dealer a one-stop shop.
   
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