| 4736 Marsh Road Okemos, MI 48864 Phone 517.349.9141 Fax 517.349.1789 Email cwalter@ capitolcitygroup.com |
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To determine the size of the generator needed, total the rated watts of the appliances and fixtures you'll want to operate during an outage. Some loads are easy to determine -- a 100-watt light bulb, for example, uses 100 watts. Then 10 bulbs would require 1000 watts, or 1 kW. The power requirements for appliances are often provided in the operating manual. These specifications are also stamped on the "face plate" along with the serial and model numbers. While the power needs of individual appliances vary, those that produce heat or use large motors tend to require higher wattage. An average 14 cubic-foot refrigerator with automatic defrosting, for example, requires about 615 watts while an electric range at 12,220 watts needs nearly 20 times as much power. Electric space heaters and water pumps are usually rated at 1000 to 1800 watts (1-1.8 kW) and electric water heaters require 2500 to 4400 watts (2.5-4.5 kW). As you can see, a household's power requirements can quickly add up. Wattage Reference Guide
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