JD Belcher Electric
Generator FAQs

This is the number one question we get asked.  Each home is unique and we work with you to ensure we select the appropriate size generator for you.

Often times homeowners choose to power up the whole house and go with a generator large enough to do so which in the current line up is typically an 18 kW or larger.  We can also do a just the essentials approach and power up your sump pump, furnace, fridge, internet and lighting in important rooms to see you through a power outage.  The other approach between whole house and just the essentials would be a partial house system.  Some modern homes are quite large with multiple breaker panels multiple air conditioners and outbuildings which can make the whole house generator not an affordable option.  In this scenario we can work with you to back up just one panel or possibly the whole house but no air conditioning. 

The possibilities are endless and our dedicated sales team has seen it all and can provide a solution tailored to your power needs.

A generator is powered by an engine similar to a tractor or automobile engine; however, it runs on natural gas or liquid propane.  The weather protective enclosure is specially designed to reduce noise.  Automotive style mufflers are also installed to reduce noise.  During a power outage you can expect to hear the generator especially when it first starts up.  Once your house starts to power back up many customers find it turns into background noise. 

Once the power goes out you will hear the generator start up within a couple seconds.  It will run for about 10-20 seconds to ensure power is out and then the transfer switch will transfer you to generator power.  Today’s Generac Generators have bright LED lights on the end that will flash green when the power is out and the generator is powering your home.  When power is restored the generator will run for a few minutes as a cool down after you are back on utility power.

A home standby generator is approximately 2 feet deep by 4 feet across and about 2 1/2 feet in height. 

Generators are designed to run for several hours at a time and in some cases several days or even weeks in extreme situations where large outages have taken utility companies an extended amount of time to restore power.  After 3 – 4 days of run time it is recommended that you shut the generator down and check the oil adding more if needed.  We are happy to do a service call in this situation and can have your generator back up and powering your home in about 30 minutes. 

It is critical to have routine maintenance on your Generac generator to ensure the performance and reliability of the unit.  We offer several maintenance plans for our customers to choose from.  At a minimum a level one maintenance visit yearly will keep your generator and your generator’s warranty in good standing. 

Yes, we provide emergency service in the event that your power is out and your generator is not running.  We have a 24 hour emergency line and our technicians are available if needed.  Emergency service is an additional charge but we are fully staffed to take on emergencies if needed.  Often times we connect with new customers during outages when the companies they purchased from can not or will not help them out.  We prioritize our maintenance customers for emergency service in the event of an major outage.  This is another critical reason to have a current maintenance agreement. 

Most of our installations are one day.  We only do Generators and have invested significantly in having all the necessary equipment and technicians to ensure a smooth professional installation.  We have licensed electricians that have also been certified by Generac as technicians.  We will coordinate with your utility company if needed to disconnect power and/or upgrade your gas meter.  We also pull any needed permits and schedule inspections as required.  You will have your installation date well in advance to plan for installation day and our sales staff and office personnel can answer any questions you have. 

Once you’ve had your in-home consultation and decided to proceed with installation by signing your proposal how long can you expect to wait.  This is dependent on how many installations are ahead of you in line.  Generally speaking most of the time we have around a 6 week wait but this can increase in the aftermath of a major outage.  We will be upfront with you about your wait time and since we only do Generators and stock all the models in the lineup you can be confident that we will install your generator as soon as we can.