Power Load Planning & Management (cont’d)
| Running |
| Running |
Device | Watts | Device | Watts |
Furnace fan (1/3 HP) | 1200 (a) | Submersible pump | 2800 (a) |
Freezer | 800 (b) | Submersible pump (1 HP) | 2000 (a) |
Hair dryer | 1200 | Submersible pump (1/2 HP) | 1500 (a) |
Hand drill (1”) | 1100 | Sump pump | 600 (a) |
Hand drill (1/2”) | 875 | Table saw | 2000 (a) |
Hand drill (3/8”) | 500 | Television | 500 |
Hand drill (1/4”) | 250 | Toaster | 1000 |
Hedge trimmer | 450 | Vacuum cleaner | 250 |
Home computer | 150 | VCR | 70 |
Impact wrench | 500 | Water Heater | 3000 |
|
| Weed trimmer | 500 |
(a)
(b)For extremely hard to start loads such as air conditioners and air compressors, consult the equipment dealer to determine maximum wattage
To calculate the running and starting wattage requirements for the devices you will be powering, follow these steps:
1.Make a list of all electrical devices you will be powering at the same time with the generator.
2.List the greater of the running or starting wattage next to each device as obtained from the devices’ nameplate or Table 1. If only the running wattage for a device with an electric motor is known, the starting wattage can be estimated to be at least 3 times the running wattage.
3.Add the wattages for all devices on your list. This total must be lower than the continuous output rating of your generator.
Example:
| Greater of |
Device to be Powered | Starting/Running Wattage |
Light Bulb | 75 W |
Refrigerator – 18 Cu. Ft. | 1600 W |
Microwave | 700 W |
Window AC | 1800 W |
Sump pump (1/3 hp) | 2100 W |
Total | 6275W |
In this example, the generator must have a continuous output of at least 6275 W in order to power all of the devices simultaneously.
STAGGERING LOADS
You can increase the number of devices your generator can power by staggering the load on the generator. For example, you could alternately power your refrigerator and air conditioner for limited periods of time
12
