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What Size Generator Should I Get?

Choosing the right size generator for your home is determined by how many total watts you need. The way to figure out watts is amps x volts = watts.

Author: Andy Electrician

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Choosing the right size generator for your home is determined by how many total watts you need. The way to figure out watts is amps x volts = watts. For example, you will need a twenty-five hundred watt generator if you run twenty-five 100-watt bulbs because each 120-watt bulb operating at 120 volts will equal one amp. However, to operate refrigerators and other motors, you have to calculate things differently. If the tag of your appliance says three amps, you will want to add an additional nine amps to your calculations. You will want to run at full power if your generator must run for a long period.

There are some things to consider when buying a generator for your home. The cost, the addition of a transfer switch, and somewhere to house the generator are things to consider when deciding on a generator. You will want to look at your total watts used on a monthly basis to determine the size of the generator you need to run your home without electrical power. You can do this by looking at your total watts used on your electricity bill and divide by the number of days in that month. This calculation will only give you a rough estimate of how many watts you use per day. However, this is the best place to start.

An electrician can give better advice on determining the size of the generator. You should have the generator installed by a professional electrician so that everything is done correctly. You need to have the generator set to activate and run as soon as the system detects no power to the home. You also want the generator to have a switch to turn the system off if you personally kill the power in the home to do any electrical work. A professional and licensed electrician can do the installation and explain how the generator works.

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