Calculate generator backup power needs
How to calculate your backup power needs
This guide to diesel engine generators and backup power generator sizing will help you decide what the minimal
and/or maximal power needs are for your individual situation. You will need to choose if you want full,
uniterrupted operation of all electrical appliances with some power to spare. This will mean a large emergency
generator. Or you can choose the slightly less convenient, but much more economical option: An emergy operating
modus where you will switch off some appliances and power users when running on generator power. This online info
for sizing your needs should help to decide which diesel engine and backup power generator is best suited.
The indicated values are for your guidance only, some appliances may have a higher or lower power consuption,
check the individual operating instructions or labels on the appliance to calculate the exact power consumed.
If you don't need an automatic power back-up that switches over immediately when mains power is lost, you can
significantly reduce the size of your generator, by first switching off the appliances that consume a lot of power
at start-up, then starting the emergency generator, and after it runs smoothly, adding one appliance after the
other, leaving enough time between starting them, so that the power consumption for the newly switched on appliance
is at the nominal running value.
Appliance |
Run Wattage |
Start Wattage |
Minimal Emergency Requirements for a Basic Home: |
Refrigerator |
700 |
2800 |
Chest Freezer |
500 |
2500 |
Lights 10 at 100 Watts |
1000 |
1000 |
Microwave 1500W |
1500 |
1500 |
Radio |
100 |
100 |
Television |
800 |
800 |
Gas Furnace Fan 1/2 hp |
500 |
1250 |
Total Basic Power Needs
in watts (KW=1000 watts): |
4850 |
9700 |
|
Additional power users: |
Light Bulb 40 W |
40 |
40 |
Light Bulb 60 W |
60 |
60 |
Light Bulb 100 W |
100 |
100 |
Light Bulb 150 W |
150 |
150 |
Frying Pan, small |
150 |
150 |
Frying Pan, large |
500 |
500 |
Stove Electric (per Element) |
1500 |
1500 |
Electric Oven |
6500 |
6500 |
Coffee Maker |
1100 |
1100 |
Mixer / Blender |
500 |
500 |
Toaster |
200 |
200 |
Dishwasher |
1500 |
3750 |
Freezer |
500 |
2500 |
Laundry Dryer Gas |
500 |
1000 |
Laundry Dryer Electric |
5500 |
6000 |
Hair Dryer |
1500 |
1500 |
Stereo |
120 |
120 |
TV, large |
800 |
800 |
TV, small |
100 |
100 |
VCR |
150 |
150 |
Vacuum Cleaner |
250 |
250 |
El. Water Heater |
4500 |
4500 |
Sump Pump 0,5 hp |
500 |
1250 |
Well Pump 1 hp |
1000 |
2500 |
Well Pump 2 hp |
2000 |
5000 |
Well Pump 3 hp |
3000 |
7500 |
Air Conditioner 12000 BTU |
2800 |
7000 |
Air Conditioner 24000 BTU |
4200 |
10500 |
Air Conditioner 32000 BTU |
5000 |
12500 |
Heat Pump or Electric Heat |
10000 |
10000 |
El. Space Heater |
1500 |
1500 |
Window Fan |
250 |
250 |
Drill Motor, small |
500 |
500 |
El. Motor 0,5 hp |
500 |
1250 |
Electric Motor 1 hp |
1000 |
2500 |
Electric Motor 2 hp |
2000 |
5000 |
If you are calculation your power needs for a permanent generator set up, allow for generous additional
capacity. Power needs usually increase over time, and to have your generator run at about 60 to 70% of nominal
maximal output will let it run more economically and with less stress on all parts.
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