What size of residential standby generator do I need?
Determining which generator to buy for your household can be daunting because it involves terms people are not familiar with and math. Electrical generators are rated in output watts, and they usually have two ratings: “surge watts” and “running Watts.” These ratings, compared with the total wattage you need, determine which generator to buy.How Many Watts Will I Need?The wattage needed depends upon the size of the house, the type of devices to be powered, and the number of electrical devices power will be delivered to. For example, powering one light bulb and one refrigerator will use fewer watts simultaneously than powering several light bulbs, a refrigerator, a portable heater and a hot plate. Each electrical device that operates using household electrical current has a plate, sticker or marking showing how many watts that device uses. In many cases, this power rating is given in the form of operating voltage and maximum current ratings. If the device doesn’t identify its watt usage
