Wattage Estimation Guide
Home
Tip: Don't just add up the total wattage for everything you want
to power. See our section on
power management to learn how to use a smaller generator to power more.
More help on determining
your power needs
Home Applications
|
|
Approximate Starting Wattage
(what is this?)
|
Approximate Running Wattage
(what is this?)
|
240V required?
|
|
Refrigerator or Freezer (Energy Star)
|
1200
|
132-192
|
|
|
Microwave Oven
|
|
650 watts
|
1000
|
1000
|
|
|
800 watts
|
1300
|
1300
|
|
|
1000 watts
|
1500
|
1500
|
|
|
Incandescent Lights
|
as indicated on bulb (i.e. 60W)
|
as indicated on bulb (i.e 60W)
|
|
|
Furnace Fan, gas or fuel oil
|
|
|
1/8 Horsepower
|
500
|
300
|
Y
|
|
1/6 Horsepower
|
750
|
500
|
Y
|
|
1/4 Horsepower
|
1000
|
600
|
Y
|
|
1/3 Horsepower
|
1400
|
700
|
Y
|
|
1/2 Horsepower
|
2350
|
875
|
Y
|
|
Television
|
|
|
|
|
Tube type
|
300
|
300
|
|
|
Flat Screen (20”)
|
120
|
120
|
|
|
Flat Screen (46")
|
190
|
190
|
|
|
Coffee Maker (4 cup)
|
600
|
600
|
|
|
Dishwasher (Cool Dry)
|
540
|
216
|
|
|
Electric Fry Pan
|
1500
|
1500
|
|
|
Electric Range (8-inch element)
|
2100
|
2100
|
Y
|
|
Automatic Washer
|
1200
|
1200
|
|
|
Clothes Dryer (Electric)
|
6750
|
5400
|
Y
|
|
Radio
|
50 to 200
|
50 to 200
|
|
|
Sump Pump
|
|
|
1/3 Horsepower
|
1300
|
800
|
Y
|
|
1/2 Horsepower
|
2150
|
1050
|
Y
|
|
Window Air Conditioner (10,000 BTU)
|
2200
|
1500
|
|
|
Computer
|
|
Laptop
|
200-250
|
200-250
|
|
|
Desktop
|
600-800
|
600-800
|
|
|
Monitor (LCD style)
|
30
|
30
|
|
|
Printer
|
400-600
|
400-600
|
|
|
Hot Water Heater
|
4500
|
4500
|
Y
|
|
Garage Door Opener
|
1420
|
720
|
|
Recreational
Tip: Don't just add up the total wattage for everything you want
to power. See our section on
power management to learn how to use a smaller generator to power more.
More help on determining
your power needs
Recreational Applications
|
|
Approximate Starting Wattage
(what is this?)
|
Approximate Running Wattage
(what is this?)
|
240V required?
|
|
Television
|
|
|
|
|
Tube type
|
300
|
300
|
|
|
Flat Screen
|
120
|
120
|
|
|
RV Air Conditioner
|
|
|
|
|
11000 BTU
|
1600
|
1010
|
|
|
13500 BTU
|
2800
|
1800
|
|
|
15000 BTU
|
3300
|
2000
|
|
|
RV Refrigerator
|
600
|
180
|
|
|
Blender
|
850
|
400
|
|
|
Electric Grill (tabletop)
|
1650
|
1650
|
|
|
Slow Cooker
|
170-270
|
170-270
|
|
|
Hair Dryer (1600 watts)
|
1900
|
1800
|
|
|
Microwave Oven (650 watts)
|
1000
|
1000
|
|
|
Coffee Maker
|
600
|
600
|
|
|
Radiant Heater
|
1300
|
1300
|
|
|
Laptop computer
|
200-250
|
200-250
|
|
|
Satelite Receiver
|
250
|
250
|
|
|
Radio
|
50 to 200
|
50 to 200
|
|
|
Two-Way Radio
|
|
|
|
|
12A
|
360W
|
360W
|
|
|
23A
|
840W
|
840W
|
|
|
35A
|
960W
|
960W
|
|
|
Fan (portable)
|
120
|
40
|
|
|
DVD Player
|
350
|
350
|
|
Construction/Industrial
See the chart below to estimate your power needs.
Tip: Don't just add up the total wattage for everything you want
to power. See our section on
power management to learn how to use a smaller generator to power more.
More help on determining
your power needs
Contractor Applications
|
|
Approximate Starting Wattage
(what is this?)
|
Approximate Running Wattage
(what is this?)
|
|
Air Compressor
|
|
1/2 hp
|
1600
|
975
|
|
1 hp
|
4500
|
1600
|
|
Bench Grinder (8 in.)
|
2500
|
1400
|
|
Circular Saw (Heavy Duty, 7 1/4 in.)
|
2300
|
1400
|
|
Concrete Vibrator
|
|
1/2 hp
|
840 (avg)
|
840 (avg)
|
|
1 hp
|
1080 (avg)
|
1080 (avg)
|
|
2 hp
|
1560 (avg)
|
1560 (avg)
|
|
3 hp
|
2400 (avg)
|
2400 (avg)
|
|
Demolition hammer
|
1260 (avg.)
|
1260 (avg.)
|
|
Drain cleaner
|
250 (avg.)
|
250 (avg.)
|
|
Drills
|
|
3/8 inch, 4 amps
|
600
|
440
|
|
1/2 inch, 5.4 amps
|
900
|
600
|
|
Electric Chain Saw (14 inches, 2 hp)
|
1100
|
1100
|
|
Hand Drill (1/2 in.)
|
900
|
600
|
|
High-pressure Washer (1 hp)
|
3600
|
1200
|
|
Rotary hammer
|
1200 (avg.)
|
1200 (avg.)
|
|
Table Saw (10 in.)
|
4500
|
1800
|
|
|
|
|
|
Industrial Motors
|
|
|
|
Split Phase
|
|
1/8 Horsepower
|
1200
|
275
|
|
1/4 Horsepower
|
1700
|
400
|
|
1/3 Horsepower
|
1950
|
450
|
|
1/2 Horsepower
|
2600
|
600
|
|
Capacitor Start Induction Run
|
|
1/8 Horsepower
|
850
|
275
|
|
¼ Horsepower
|
1050
|
400
|
|
1/3 Horsepower
|
1350
|
450
|
|
½ Horsepower
|
1800
|
600
|
|
¾ Horsepower
|
2600
|
850
|
|
1 Horsepower
|
3000
|
1000
|
|
1 ½ Horsepower
|
4200
|
1600
|
|
2 Horsepower
|
5100
|
2000
|
|
3 Horsepower
|
6800
|
3000
|
|
4 Horsepower
|
9800
|
4800
|
|
Capacitor Start Capacitor Run
|
|
1/8 Horsepower
|
600
|
275
|
|
¼ Horsepower
|
850
|
400
|
|
1/3 Horsepower
|
975
|
450
|
|
½ Horsepower
|
1300
|
600
|
|
¾ Horsepower
|
1900
|
850
|
|
1 Horsepower
|
2300
|
1000
|
|
1-½ Horsepower
|
3200
|
1600
|
|
2 Horsepower
|
3900
|
2000
|
|
3 Horsepower
|
5200
|
3000
|
|
4 Horsepower
|
7500
|
4800
|
|
Fan Duty
|
|
1/4 Horsepower
|
1200
|
650
|
Farm Equipment
See the chart below to estimate your power needs.
Tip: Don't just add up the total wattage for everything you want
to power. See our section on
power management to learn how to use a smaller generator to power more.
More help on determining
your power needs
|
|
Approximate Starting Wattage
(what is this?)
|
Approximate Running Wattage
(what is this?)
|
|
Electric Fence, 25 miles
|
250
|
250
|
|
Milk Cooler
|
1800
|
1100
|
|
Milker (vacuum pump, 2hp)
|
2300
|
1000
|
|
Portable Heater (kerosene, diesel fuel)
|
|
50,000 BTU
|
600
|
400
|
|
90,000 BTU
|
725
|
500
|
|
150,000 BTU
|
1000
|
625
|
|
Battery Charger
|
|
15 amp
|
380
|
380
|
|
60 amp with 250-amp boost
|
1500/5750
|
1500/5750
|
