Common Household Appliances
1000 Watt = 1 kW

THIS CHART SHOULD BE USED AS A GUIDE ONLY. JUST SELECT APPLIANCES TO BE USED. ADD UP TOTAL WATTS AND SELECT THE GENERATOR BASED ON THIS WATTAGE VALUE.

APPLIANCES AND MACHINERY WITH ELECTRIC MOTORS PRESENT A SPECIAL PROBLEM. ALL ELECTRIC MOTORS REQUIRE THREE (3) TIMES TO TEN (10) TIMES ITS NORMAL RUNNING WATTS JUST TO START THEM AND THE GENERATOR MUST BE SIZED TO THESE STARTING WATTS.
(WATTS = MOTOR AMPS X  MOTOR VOLTS.)

CODE G MOTORS ARE THE EASIEST ELECTRIC MOTORS TO START. STARTING AMPS ARE USUALLY THREE (3) TIMES MOTOR NAME PLATE AMPS.
TYPICAL EXAMPLES: FURNACE OR FAN BLOWER MOTORS, REFRIGERATORS AND FREEZERS, ABOVE GROUND JET TYPE WATER PUMPS.

CODE L, M, N MOTORS ARE EXTREMELY HARD TO START AND STARTING AMPS ARE USUALLY SIX (6) TO TEN (10) TIMES MOTOR NAME PLATE RATING, TYPICAL EXAMPLES: AIR COMPRESSOR, AIR CONDITIONER, SUBMERSIBLE UNDERGROUND WATER PUMPS.

SAFE DETERMINATION OF SIZING MOTOR LOADS

1. DETERMINE CODE LETTER FOUND ON MOTOR NAME PLATE.

2. DETERMINE HORSEPOWER OF ELECTRIC MOTOR.

3. GENERATOR KW SIZE IS FOUND AT INTERSECTING POINT ON CHART.
   
                              Motor HP         KW SIZE OF REQUIRED GENERATOR