Do I Know What Size Generator to Purchase for My House?

Do I Know What Size Generator to Purchase for My House?

A backup generator provides power in the event of an outage for essential appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, sump and lift pumps and a couple of lights. Estimating the size of the generator needed means adding up the entire amount of watts used by each appliance you wish to give power in the event of an outage. This info can be found on the appliance nameplates or at the documentation provided with each appliance. The more appliances you include, the more that may be powered, but the cost rises as the size of the generator goes up.

Create a list of the appliances you would like to power during an outage. Include refrigerators, freezers, furnace, and electric range, together with well, sump, lift or ejector pumps. Include the amount of watts each appliance requires for running and starting. Confirm with the appliance documentation or nameplate for this advice, which is expressed as watts, kilowatts or volt-amps. Calculate power requirements by multiplying amps by voltage for appliances that do not list watts, kilowatts or volt-amps.

Determine starting power requirements for appliances with motors that do not list the beginning power needed, like refrigerators, air conditioners, washers and dryers. Get in touch with the maker of these appliances or consult a chart that gives common requirements for these appliances.

Complete the running power requirements for appliances which do not have different beginning and running loads, such as incandescent lights, water heaters and toasters. Complete the beginning power requirements for different appliances with motors, like pumps and toaster. Add both totals for the whole power.

Choose between 240-volt and 120-volt generators; 240-volt generators will operate electric stoves, electric baseboard heaters, electric dryers, central ac components and grills. Pick a model the provides both the voltage and the entire power requirements required to run the appliances you chosen to have functional during a power outage.

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