9
WATTAGE CALCULATING INSTRUCTIONS
Never exceed the rated capacity of your generator. Serious damage to the generator or appliance could result
from an overload.
1. Starting and running wattage requirements should always be calculated when matching a generators
wattage capacity to the appliance or tool.
2. There are two types of electrical applicances that can be powered by your generator:
A. Items such as radios, light bulbs, television sets, and mircowaves have a "resistive load". Starting
wattage and running wattage are the same.
B. Items such as refrigerators, air compressors, washer, dryer, and hand tools that use an electrical
motor have an "inductive load". Inductive load appliances and tools require approximately 2 to 4 times
the listed wattage for
starting
the equipment. This initial load only last for a few seconds on start-up
but is very important when figuring your total wattage to be used.
C.
Always start your largest electric motor first, and then plug in other items, one at a time.
IMPORTANT
DETERMINING WATTAGE REQUIREMENTS
Before operating this generator list all of the applicances and/or tools that are going to operate at the same time. Then
determine the starting wattage requirements and the running wattage requirements as follows:
1. First total the running wattage of all applicances and/or tools that will be operated at the same time.
Running Watts
Starting Watts
Example 1:
Lights
=
100 Watts
0
Television
=
300 Watts
0
Slow Cooker
=
250 Watts
0
TOTAL
=
650 Watts
0
2. Next the starting wattages of any appliances and/or tools that will start and stop during operation.
Running Watts
Starting Watts
Example 2:
Small Refrigerator
500 Watts
2000 Watts
TOTAL
=
500 Watts
2000 Watts
3. The running wattage of examples 1 & 2 totals 1150 watts. The starting wattage of the small refrigerator is 2000 watts
which is 1500 watts more than the running watts. Take this difference of 1500 starting watts from the refrigerator and
add to the total running watts of 1150.
Example 3:
1500 Starting Watts
1150 Running Watts
TOTAL
=
2650 Total Watts
Generator must have a maximum capacity of at least 2650 watts.
