What Can a 10000-Watt Generator Run? – [Tested Results]
This article is all about answering your burning queries about “What Can a 10000 Watt Generator Run?” How many appliances can be operated simultaneously and will it fill my needs?
A 10,000-watt generator is capable of running everything in a house, RV, or job site including the Air conditioner, Microwave, Refrigerator/Deep freezer, Central Vacuum, Circular saws, Electric drills, Welders, Sum pumps, Air compressors, etc.
What Can a 10000-Watt Generator Run?
Below is the list of appliances I have Tested with my DuroMax XP10000EH.
Generator Wattages
Every generator comes with two wattage ratings, one for starting and the other for running. Make sure to pay attention to both ratings to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your generator.
Starting watts: The number of watts a machine could produce for a short time to ignite a power-hungry motorized appliance. Motorized equipment/appliance needs initial inertia that can’t be possible without the help of starting watts.
Furthermore, the starting watts will always be higher compared to the running watts.
Running watts: The number of wattages a machine could produce continuously for a longer time to keep an appliance in stable condition. Running watts will always be lower compared to the starting watts.
Can a 10KW Generator Power a House?
Yes, a 10kw machine is more than enough for even a big house with a central air condition, Microwave, Space heater, electric water heater, central vacuum, Deep Freezer/refrigerator, etc., however, I must do wattage calculation of my house before making any buying decision. This will not only saves my initial cost but also ongoing and maintenance cost as well.
What Appliances Will a 10KW Machine Run? – [List of Tested Appliances]
| Appliance | Running Wattage | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Central AC 10,000 BTU | 1500 | 2400 |
| Dishwasher | 1300 | 1800 |
| Sump Pump 1/3 HP | 800 | 1300 |
| Window AC 5,000 BTU | 600 | 900 |
| Deep Freezer | 500 | 1500 |
| Light Bulb 60 W | 60 | 0 |
| Electric Grill 1.6 kW | 1600 | 0 |
| RV Air Conditioner 13,500 BTU | 1600 | 2500 |
| Sump Pump 1/2 HP | 1050 | 2200 |
| Coffee Maker | 1000 | 0 |
| Furnace Fan 1/2 HP | 800 | 2350 |
| Electric Water Heater 4 kW | 4000 | 0 |
| Microwave Oven 1000 W | 1000 | 0 |
| Box Fan 20″ | 200 | 350 |
| Curling Iron | 1500 | 0 |
| Light Bulb 75 W | 75 | 0 |
| Toaster Oven | 1200 | 0 |
| Central AC 25,000 BTU | 5500 – 6000 | 8500 |
| Humidifier 13 gal. | 175 | 0 |
| Iron (Waffles) | 1200 | 0 |
| Vacuum Cleaner 12 Amps | 1440 | 2500 |
| Furnace Fan 1/3 HP | 700 | 1400 |
| Electric Stove 2kW | 2000 | 0 |
| Garade Door Opener 1/2 HP | 900 | 2400 |
| Window AC 15,000 BTU | 1900 | 2900 |
| RV Air Conditioner 7,000 BTU | 900 | 1700 |
| Iron (Clothes) | 1500 | 0 |
| Security System | 500 | 0 |
| Window AC 12,000 BTU | 1500 | 2300 |
| Toaster | 900 | 0 |
| Food Processor | 400 | 0 |
| Ceiling Fan | 100 | 300 |
| RV Air Conditioner 10,000 BTU | 1200 | 2000 |
| Microwave Oven 600 W | 600 | 0 |
| Washing Machine | 1200 | 2300 |
| Refrigerator/Freezer (Jumbo Sized) | 700 | 2200 |
| Hair Dryer 1.5 kW | 1500 | 0 |
| Aquarium | 200 | 250 |
Recommended Guide: What appliances can a 9,000 watt generator run?
What Can I Run Simultaneously?
It depends if you are going to run 5 appliances/equipment of 1,800 watts you don’t have room to plug in another one, however with the mixture of normal and high power-hungry appliances you can easily run 10 – 15.
The bottom line is you don’t have to overload the machine, however, within the limit of 0 – 10,000 watts you can run any of the appliances you want.
NOTE: We suggest keeping a margin of 10 – 20% of the load so that the generator could run more efficiently. Also, the small margin will make sure that the inner components should be stress-free and as a result, your maintenance and repair costs will be minimized.
How to Determine the Power Needs:
- List the appliances, and their starting and running wattages in a separate column, you can find the wattage ratings from the energy labeling of the specific appliance. If you found them in amperes, convert them into wattages with the help of ohm’s law
Ohm’s Law: W (watts X Kilo Watts) = V (volts) X Amps (Amperes)
E.g. An appliance needs 25 running and 28 starting watts at the voltage of 240V
W (watts X Kilo Watts) = V (volts) X Amps (Amperes)
Running watts = 25 X 240 = 6,000 watts
Starting watts = 28 X 240 = 6720 watts
- Sum up the starting and running watts, keep them in a separate column, and compare the calculated power rating with the power rating of the generator you are going to purchase.
Practical Example:
| Appliances | Starting Watts | Running Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 1200 Watts | 200 Watts |
| Dishwasher | 1500 Watts | 1500 Watts |
| Deep Freezer | 1300 Watts | 700 Watts |
| Washing Machine | 0 Watts | 1200 Watts |
| Vacuum Cleaner 12 Amps | 2500 | 1440 |
| Microwave | 0 Watts | 800 Watts |
| Table Saw 10 inch | 2800 Watts | 2000 Watts |
| Toaster | 0 Watts | 900 |
| TOTAL | 9,300 Watts | 8,740 Watts |
From the above calculation, we got 9,300 starting and 8,740 running watts, hence a brandable powerful generator would be enough for this quotation.
NOTE: We have to keep a margin of 10 – 20% load for more efficient running make sure to choose the size accordingly.
Recommended Read: What Can a 12000-Watt Generator Run?
How Many Amps Will a 10000-Watt Generator Run?
Below are the amperage ratings of the 10kw generator at different voltages
| Voltage | Amps |
|---|---|
| 120V | 83.3 |
| 220V | 45.45 |
| 240V | 41.6 |
How Long Will a 10000 Watt Generator (10KVA) Run on a Tank of Gas?
It depends on the load, tank size, and efficiency of the generator, however on average, a solid brandable 10,000-watt machine (i.e DuroMax XP10000EH) could provide you 10 hours of runtime with a single tank of gasoline at 25% load.
What Size Breaker Do I Need for a 10000 Watt Generator?
50 amp breakers would be ideal for a 10kw machine; however, below 9kw you can also use 30 amp breakers.
Will a 10,000 Watt Generator Run Central Air?
Yes, even a 25,000 BTUs central air conditioner wouldn’t be a big problem for a 10kw machine, however, if you have an old school or higher BTUs air conditioner with non–inverter technology you may have to consider a bigger generator.
Read this guide from energy sage about the energy consumption of an air conditioner.
Verdict
Though a 10kw generator is considered an ideal machine for a whole, RV or job site, still power calculation should be done properly, so that you will have a proper sketch of what appliance you have to run and what generator should be enough for them.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Will a 10000-Watt Generator Run On 5 Gallons of Gas?
It depends on the load and efficiency of the generator, normally an efficient generator should provide at least 5 hours of runtime at 25 – 40% load.
How Much Gas Does a 10000-Watt Generator Use per Hour?
It also depends on the load and efficiency of the generator, generally, a solid generator needs at least 1 gallon of gas to provide an hour of runtime at 25% – 40% of the load.
Kashif has been a valuable asset to the electric generator industry for over 5 years. Now, As a skilled energy engineer, he’s been on the front lines of diagnosing problems, fixing broken parts, and performing routine maintenance tasks to keep generators running smoothly.