When you are planning for a power outage, you must understand how to calculate how many watt of electricity your generator will require to power your appliances. Many people make the mistake of only calculating the running watts that their appliances require, but there are other considerations for starting their appliances that must also be made. For instance, appliances often requires a surge of power to start, especially if those appliances are items with motor that have to start from a dead stop.
If the generator does not have enough power to overcome the startup surge of power that these appliances require, the generator will stall or shut off. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the wattage requirements of each appliance for both it’s running watts and its startup surge watts in order to ensure that the generator will function correct. Generators can be of two main types: conventional generators and inverter generators.
How to Calculate How Much Power Your Generator Needs
People often use conventional generators to power heavy machinery, such as a circular saw. The conventional generator provides raw power to the machinery, but it does not provide the kind of power that electronics, such as a laptop or smartphone, require. An inverter generator, on the other hand, produce a clean sine wave of electricity that mimics the power that a standard power outlet in the home provides.
Furthermore, the inverter generator engine can adjust its engine speed according to the demands for electricity from the appliances that the generator is powering. Thus, an inverter generator can save fuel and operate more quiet than conventional generators. Another consideration in the purchase of a generator is the size of the generator that is required to power the appliances that you plan to operate.
For instance, if you only require power for small appliances (lights, phones, etc.), you can use a small recreational generator. However, if you plan to start larger appliances, such as a sump pump, then you will require either a midsize or large portable generator. You cannot simply add up the wattage of the appliances that you want to power; the wattage labels on appliances only indicate their running watts, not their startup surge watts.
Furthermore, you must ensure that the generator can provide for the power demands of the appliance that require the most power. Fuel management is another critical element in the running of a generator. The generator’s fuel management will determine how long it will run.
If you set the generator to run at one hundred percent capacity, it will use fuel at a rapid rate and the engine will wear out more quick. However, if you run the generator at approximately fifty percent capacity, it will provide a buffer for the generator in case additional power is required, and the generator will run for a longer amount of time. Furthermore, if you find that the generator does not contain enough wattage for your appliances, you can use a generator parallel kit to connect two inverter generators.
This will double the power output of the generators, making it easier then moving a very heavy commercial generator. Safety is the most important consideration when you operate a generator. You must never operate a generator within a garage or within the house.
The generator emits carbon monoxide, a deadly gas that can seep into the house even if the garage door is open. Therefore, you must operate the generator at least twenty feet away from your home. Furthermore, the extension cords that you use to connect the appliances to the generator must be heavy duty gauge extension cords.
If you use thin extension cords, the cords may overheat and start a fire. Additionally, the voltage to the appliances may drop to the point where the appliances will not function correct. Another decision that you must make prior to a power outage is which appliances you will power and which you will not.
Once you understand the difference between startup surge watts and running watts, you can use addition to calculate the total power requirements for the appliances. Furthermore, if you calculate the total power requirements correctly, you will know how much electricity your generator will be able to provide for your appliances during the power outage.
