What Size Generator Do I Need For a Power Outage?


What Size Generator Do I Need For a Power Outage

Undoubtedly, electricity is the need of the hour. A sudden power blackout can cease all of your crucial tasks instantly. A standby generator is essential to keep your home running in power outages. But you must use the correct size generator to deal with power outages.

The size of the generator will depend on your needs during a power outage. A 3.5 – 5 kW generator is enough for air conditioning, stove, and other minor electric appliances. You can increase the generator size for your extended requirements.  

In this blog post, I’ll walk you through the factors to consider, power management, and everything you need to know. So, without further ado, let’s get straight into it.

Factors To Consider When Choosing A Generator Size

What Size Generator Do I Need For a Power Outage?

When I was roaming to find a perfect size generator for me, there were a few factors that were on my mind. I prefer you to always look for these factors whenever finding a suitable generator for your home. 

Here you go.   

Power Output

The first thing that I have considered is the power output of a generator. The number of watts will tell you how many devices will be powered. For instance, if you purchase a generator with higher wattage, you can run more electric appliances during a power outage. 

You can also calculate the wattage of your equipment and get the generator accordingly. 

Noise

The most irritating factor I found in the generator is noise. A few generators are extra loud that can cause disturbance in your official works. If you’ve worked the whole night, you’ll expect a peaceful sleep the next morning. 

So, you should always purchase a generator with a minimal voice to avoid disturbance. 

Fuel Type

I was shocked to see that generators run on various types of fuels according to their type. These fuels include gasoline, diesel, or propane. You should do a bit of consultation and go for the most easily available fuel option. 

You must remember that choosing an inexpensive fuel generator will decrease your backup expenses. 

Budget

I have already made my budget before going to purchase the generator. It helps me to find a suitable generator within my range without wasting my time. So, I’ll recommend you make a budget and compare a few generators to find the right one. 

Brand

The last and the most crucial factor to consider is its brand. You should always purchase the generator from a well-reputed company to get the best quality. If you purchase your generator from a local brand, you might need to replace it with a new one soon. 

Why Is It Important To Get The Right Size Of Generator?

What Size Generator Do I Need For a Power Outage?

While searching for the right size, a query popped up in my mind: why would I need a correct size generator for my house? Many of you must be thinking the same. 

I have fetched a few reasons which prove that it is essential to purchase a suitable generator. These include;

  • It will ensure that your electricity requirements will be accomplished during a power outage. 
  • A right-size generator ensures safety. 
  • A correct size generator will be long-lasting, so your investment will pay off. 
  • It will also protect your pricey electric appliances from damage. 
  • A suitable generator will prevent electrocution.

Calculating The Right Size Generator

As you have understood the importance of choosing the right size generator, let’s move along and I’ll teach you how to calculate the right size generator. In my opinion, a 1-3 kW generator is enough for small camping, meanwhile, a whole house backup will require a 5-7.5 kW generator. 

If you want a power backup during an electricity outage for your home, you should estimate your power needs. You can calculate your energy requirements in the following ways. 

Select The Appliances

First of all, you have to enlist the crucial appliances that you must want to run during a power outage. I would have chosen a refrigerator and the lighting circuits. Moreover, you can also go for the AC and other electric appliances. 

Sum Up The Total Wattage

When you have decided on the equipment to use, you should calculate the total wattage of all the appliances. While adding the wattage, you must have to notice two things, starting watts and running watts. 

A starting watt is the amount of energy required to start the appliance. In contrast, A running watt is the energy needed to run electric gadgets after the initial startup.  

Finalize A Generator Bigger Than Your Needs 

I have seen various people purchase a generator with the exact wattage of their needs. That’s not right. You should buy a generator with some extra watts to avoid overloading. Let me make it more understandable for you. 

If your power requirement is 5kW, you purchase a generator with 6kW. You’ll be amazed to know that an additional wattage generator than your needs will reduce unwanted noise.

Related: How To Connect a Generator To Your House?

Generator Maintenance Tips 

You have gone through the factors and importance to purchase a right size generator for power outage. Now, if you have decided to purchase a generator, I’ll tell you a few generator maintenance tips that will increase your generators’ life. 

Here you go. 

Skim The Manual 

You might not know but every generator contains a manufacturer’s manual in it. The manual will help you to use and maintain the generator properly. So, I’ll recommend you to skim the manual carefully and then operate. 

Changing & Cleaning Of Oils

Changing the oil and filter on the recommended time by the manual is mandatory. Many of you may have a habit of refueling your generator without cleaning. It’s a big disaster. 

I always clean my generator before changing the oils and filters for the better working of my generator. 

Check  Battery Percentage

Battery percentage plays a vital role in the maintenance of your generator. If your generator is supported by a battery, you should charge and inspect the battery regularly to avoid overloading of the generator. 

Related: What Size Generator For House?

Final Verdict 

In conclusion, I would like to say that choosing the right size generator during a power outage is mandatory. You can select the suitable generator by calculating the power outage and considering the crucial factors explained above in the writing. 

You can also maintain your generator by the best tips and tricks given in this blog post.

Shahzad

Hi, Welcome to Generatorrookie.com; My name is Shahzad, and I know about generators because I grew up in a country where power outage is very common. I share Tips, How-To, News, and Reviews for the best generators or anything related to generators.

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