If you are looking to get a whole house generator, it is important that you understand what wattage you will need. This will ensure that your home stays powered in case of a power outage.
The wattage you need will depend on the appliances and tools that you have in your home. It is a good idea to check the wattage label on each appliance or tool for accurate wattage requirements.
Determine the Power Requirements of Your Appliances
There are many appliances in your home that use electricity, so you need to determine their power requirements. The power requirement of your appliances can be determined by adding up the starting and running wattage.
Appliances that run on 240 volts, like your water heater and kitchen stove, will require more power than those that use 120 volts, such as lights. This is because they are more powerful and require a larger surge to operate properly.
Most of the 240-volt appliances you own will have a label that states their power in either watts or amps. This is the easiest way to find out how much power they need.
Add Up the Starting and Running Wattage
A generator needs to produce a certain amount of power, called wattage, to run appliances and other equipment. The wattage requirements of your home and its appliances will determine the size generator you need.
Many appliances, such as air conditioners, require a starting wattage, or extra power that they need to start running. This is normally three to five times the running wattage and should be taken into account when choosing a generator.
To calculate the starting wattage of your appliances, check their manuals or use this generator wattage calculator.
You also need to determine the surge wattage, or additional power needed to start an electric motor. This is a separate figure that can vary among applications.
The generator you choose should be able to keep all the electrical loads and appliances in your home running during an outage. But if your generator is too small to start the big, electricity-hungry items like the heating, furnace, or AC, you’ll end up with no power left for other important appliances and systems in your home.
Check the Wattage Ratings of Your Appliances
Appliances require power, and they usually have specific wattage ratings on their label or in the owners manual. This is especially true of appliances that run on 240 volts like your water heater and HVAC system.
There are two different types of wattage ratings that you need to look out for: running watts and start-up watts. The former is the wattage required to maintain normal operation, while the latter is how much power an appliance requires when it first starts up or cycles on and off.
To get a good idea of what wattage is needed for your generator, you can start by listing out all of the appliances in your home. Once you’ve done this, calculate the total power requirements and compare it to the starting and running watts of your appliances. This will help you determine what size generator you’ll need for your whole house. Be sure to add a 10% uncertainty factor when doing so.
Determine the Number of Appliances You Want to Run
If you’re thinking about buying a whole house generator, the first step is to determine the number of appliances you want to run. This will help you calculate the power capacity of the generator.
The wattage required to operate an appliance depends on its power requirement and its voltage. This information is typically printed on the back of appliances and can be found in watts or amps.
Generally speaking, larger appliances require more power than smaller ones. This is because they have more motors and draw more current when running.
To get the exact wattage requirements for each of your appliances, make a list of everything you want to run and check the specifications on the appliance.
Almost every kitchen appliance uses a lot of power, especially when they’re running. A fridge and a slow cooker for example, both use more than 600 watts to start. In addition, they need more than 180 watts to run continuously.