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| Generator photo from GE Home Generators' website. |
But what size generator do you need for your home? This is a very common question among any homeowner considering a home generator.
In deciding generator size, you basically need to consider two important things:
- What is the square footage of your home?
- What are the power requirements for your central air conditioning system?
Finding out these two things are a great start to determining how much power your home will need in the event of a power outage.
In order to figure out the amount of power your air conditioner uses, all you need to do is find the nameplate on the unit. That nameplate should have the BTU rating. That BTU rating will help you determine the tonnage needed for the air conditioning unit. 12,000 BTU is equal to one ton of cooling power. Now just add up the BTUs to figure out the cooling tonnage.
Once you have these two pieces of information it would be helpful to find a generator sizing guide to help you find the best generator for your needs. There are several generator sizing guides out there, feel free to try any of these:
- GE Home Generators Generator Sizing Guide
- Home Depot's Sizing Guide
- Generac's Sizing Guide
- Honda's Sizing Guide
- Yamaha's Sizing Guide
You can also contact a licensed electrician and he will be able to give you an accurate understanding of what you need.
Thanks for posting the sizing guides. I've been looking at home generators but it's hard to tell how large of a generator you need. I really appreciate the post.
ReplyDeleteHi Tarah! Thanks for your reply and I'm glad you liked the post!
DeleteAlso, Tarah, if you liked this, you should check out my other generator review blog!
ReplyDeleteGood Information on Generac Sizing.
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Thanks for sharing! I just got a generator rental and I am so happy I did! My friend and I are taking a trip up to his cabin next month and I wanted to have some power.
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these are a must have if you live in an area with a lot of power outages or you like to throw a lot of outdoor events, it can save such headaches! It can really help to know where the best Generator Rental place is
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ReplyDeleteWhat a rubberhead!
ReplyDeleteThe tonnage of the a/c and the square footage of the house have nothing to do with power requirements.
The "boilerplate" on your outside unit (condenser) tells you the power requirements for that. Condensers typically run on 220/240 volts at 30 amps.
And don't forget you need to determine the voltage and amp draw of the blower fan unit in your furnace. That will get added to wattage requirement of your condenser.
I'm no pro but I know that much!
Stick to lawnmowers Romeo before you give advice that gets you into trouble!
These generac home generators and they look like they should be just right for the job. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteI love reading articles like yours. I solved all my back up generator problems in thirty seconds reading about how to calculate BTU's. It is sometimes embarrassing that I don't understand these things so quickly. But at least I understand more about my back up generator needs.
ReplyDeletebryanflake1984| http://www.hipowersystems.com/Backup-Power-Generation/2/backup_generators_for_standby_power_solutions/24
I've been talking with my wife about getting a home generator for emergencies. We're working on getting everything else ready as well, such as emergency food and water storage and having a generator will help with the preparedness. I'll have to talk with someone about what size I'll need for my house, though, because I have no idea what I need. http://www.ppipowersystems.com
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Great to find this page.
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