Welcome to the guide on selecting the right portable generator size for your needs. When the power goes out, emergency, or just simply enjoy the outdoors, having a portable generator can be your loyal helper. But so many types of generators with different power, that it’s really hard for a beginner to select the right size generator. As we know, most generators are a little expensive, once we choose the wrong type, it will cause our money loss and will affect our experience of using the generators. This article will talk about all the problems you faced when choosing the generators, ensuring you make the right decision that meets your requirements for the generator.
Understanding Your Power Requirements
When we start to choose a generator, the size is very important. Generally speaking, big size means bigger power for you, but how can we decide what size is right for us? It all starts with your understanding of your power needs. Think about what you really need when facing power outages or go out for camping. Is it just used for a few lights or a small TV, or do you have a plan to purchase a heavy-duty generator for your whole house appliances?
Appliances and Their Power Consumption
We all know that different appliances have different power consumption levels. For example, a small LED light may be 5 or 10 watts, and a TV can use 100 watts to 400 watts when it’s running. Among the home appliances, microwave ovens are considered to be one of the most electricity-consuming devices, they can reach over 1000 watts. So, if you have a plan to power your house multiple appliances with your portable generator, you should know clearly about every appliance that needs how much power.
Calculating Running and Starting Wattage
If you want to get the right size generator, you also need to calculate both the running wattages and starting wattages of the devices you want to power. The running watts are the generator’s continuous running power, and the starting watts are the peak watts when you’re starting a generator, so that’s why a generator has two kinds of power, one is rated power, another is max power which means peak power, because some house appliances like refrigerators or air conditioners have an extra power requirement when we start them.
Different Sizes of Portable Generators
Small Type – Under 1000 Watts
Those portable generators under 1000 watts are generally very small and portable, pretty suitable for some basic use.
Use Cases for Small Generators
Because of their small power, they’re perfect for some special areas. For example, they can provide necessary electrical support in emergencies such as disaster relief and power outages. They are also suitable for powering a few small lights, charging your phone or laptop, or running a small fan for camping and outdoor activities.
Medium Type – 1000 – 3000 Watts
Unlike small types of portable generators, medium-model generators with 1000 watts to 3000 watts range have more use range.
The Application of Medium Generators
Due to their power, they have the ability to power most of our home appliances, such as TVs, refrigerators, and microwaves.
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