What Can a 6000-Watt Generator Run?-Discovering The Ability
This article aims to answer your queries about “What Can a 6,000-watt Generator Run?” How many appliances it can handle simultaneously and will it fulfill my needs?
Read on to unleash the actual potential of a 6,000–watt machine.
A 6,000–watt generator can run almost every essential of households, RVs, or Worksite including window/RV air conditioners, Refrigerator/Freezers, electric kettles, air compressors, sump pumps, microwaves, dishwashers, space heaters, coffee makers, etc.
What Can a 6000-Watt Generator Run?
During our test conducted with the WEN 6000-Watt, the following appliances performed smoothly.
Starting and Running Watts
Running/Rated Watts: The number of wattages/power a generator can produce continuously to power a device/appliance.
Running watts will be always fewer compared to the starting or peak wattages
Starting/Surge/Peak Watts: The number of wattages a generator can produce for a small time to fire up the power-hungry motorized appliances/equipment.
Motorized appliances like the sump pump, air conditioner, etc. need initial inertia that can’t be possible to generate without having sufficient starting watts.
Starting watts will always be higher compared to the rated/running watts.
List of Typical Household Appliances with Their Starting and Running Watts
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee Maker | 1000 | 0 |
| Cell Phone Battery Charger | 25 | 0 |
| Ceiling Fan | 60 | 70 |
| Deep Freezer | 500 | 1500 |
| Clock Radio | 50-200 | 0 |
| Central AC (10,000 BTU) | 1500 | 4500 |
| Dishwasher | 1500 | 1500 |
| Copy Machine | 1600 | 0 |
| Electric Can Opener | 170 | 0 |
| Electric Mower | 1500 | 0 |
| Common Light Bulb | 75 | 0 |
| Electric Kettle | 1200 | 3000 |
| Electric Strimmer | 300 | 500 |
| Electric Water Heater | 4000 | 0 |
| Electric Stove (8″ Element) | 2100 | 0 |
| Fax | 60-80 | 0 |
| Furnace Fan Blower (1/2 HP) | 800 | 2350 |
| Food Dehydrator | 800 | 0 |
| Garage Door Opener (1/2 HP) | 875 | 2350 |
| Furnace Fan Blower (1/3 HP) | 700 | 1400 |
| Outdoor Light String | 250 | 0 |
| Fryer | 1000 | 0 |
| Paper Shredder | 200 | 220 |
| Heat Pump | 4700 | 4500 |
| Microwave | 1000 | 0 |
| Printer | 400-600 | 0 |
| Humidifier (13 Gal.) | 175 | 0 |
| Pressure Cooker | 700 | 0 |
| Projector | 220 | 270 |
| Space Heater | 1800 | 0 |
| Refrigerator / Freezer | 700 | 2200 |
| Scanner | 10 | 18 |
| Sump Pump (1/2 HP) | 1050 | 2150 |
| Rice Cooker | 200 | 500 |
| Security System | 500 | 0 |
| Sump Pump (1/3 HP) | 800 | 1300 |
| Toaster | 850 | 0 |
| Treadmill | 280 | 900 |
| Well Water Pump (1/2 HP) | 1000 | 2100 |
| Home Internet Router | 5 | 15 |
| Window AC (10,000 BTU) | 1200 | 3600 |
| Home Phone | 3 | 5 |
| Clothes Dryer (Gas) | 700 | 1800 |
| Laptop | 300 | 0 |
| Curling Iron | 1500 | 0 |
Recommended Guide: What appliances can a 5000-watt generator run?
Is 6000 Watts Enough to Run a House?
Typically a 6,000-watt machine is more than enough for a house that wants to run almost everything in including the lighting, TVs, microwaves, refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, etc. However, if you are going to operate multiple high-wattage appliances including central ACs, Air compressors, and sump/well pumps simultaneously, you may have to consider a bigger machine of 10 – 15kw.
The bottom line is if a 6kw machine fills your needs opt for it, otherwise, there are a lot of bigger options available in the market.
For calculating the wattage requirements in the early stage make sure to read this section of this article so that you will have the desired machine.
Recommended Read: What Can a 7000-Watt Generator Run?
What Can a 6000-Watt Generator Run at the Same Time?
It depends, if you are re going to operate a high-wattage machine like a welder, electric water heater, central air conditioner, etc. you can only run one or two of them at a time, however, if you are going to operate the normal wattage appliances like lights, LCD TVs, microwaves, Refrigerators, etc. you can run even 10 of them.
The bottom line is you don’t have to overload the generator, however, within the limits you can operate anything you want.
Below is the guide to determine the power needs before making any buying decision.
How to Determine The Wattage/Power Needs?
- Write down the appliances and their starting and running wattages by reading the energy labeling from the back of the appliance/device to get accurate wattage/power ratings. If you have the power ratings in amperes, make sure to convert them into watts with the help of Ohm’s law.
Ohm’s Law = W (Watts/Kilo Watts) = Amps X Volts
E.g. An appliance consumes about 20 starting and 16 running amps at a voltage of 220V.
From the Ohm’s Law
Watts = Amps X volts
Starting watts = 20 X 220 = 4400 watts
Running watts = 16 X 220 = 3520 watts
- Sum up the wattages of the appliance, make sure to keep starting and running wattages in a separate column.
- Now compare the requirements with the generator you are going to purchase.
Practical Example:
| Appliances | Starting Watts | Running Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 1200 Watts | 200 Watts |
| Dishwasher | 1500 Watts | 1500 Watts |
| Sump Pump (1/3 HP) | 1300 Watts | 800 Watts |
| Washing Machine | 0 Watts | 1200 Watts |
| Microwave | 0 Watts | 800 Watts |
| Furnace Fan Blower (1/3 HP) | 1400 Watts | 700 Watts |
| Laptop | 0 Watts | 60 Watts |
| TOTAL | 5400 Watts | 5360 Watts |
From the above data, we got 5,400 starting and 5360 running watts, a solid 6,000-watt machine will run them smoothly.
Note: We recommend keeping a margin of 10% – 20% load; don’t operate the machine to its 100% capacity.
That tiny margin will save your appliances from voltage fluctuations and keep your gen–set away from costly repairs down the road.
How Much Does a 5000-Watt Generator Cost?
A 6kw machine would cost you around $600 – $2,500 depending on the brand, quality, and features of the generator.
How Many Amps Does a 6000 Generator Provide?
A 6kw unit provides about 27.27 amps at 220V; however, at 120V you will get 50 amps.
Will a 6000-watt generator Run Central Air?
As per our experiments, a central air conditioner of 10,000 – 12,000 BTU wouldn’t be a big task for a 6,000-watt machine, however, if you have a bigger unit you should consider a bigger machine. Read this guide if you want to know more about the power consumption of central air conditioners.
Will a 6000 Watt Generator Run a Furnace?
It depends a standard household furnace would consume about 1,000 – 1,500 watts which isn’t a big deal for a 6kw machine, however, some furnaces may need 15kw – 20kw which isn’t practically possible for a 6kw unit.
Will a 6000 Watt Generator Run a Refrigerator?
Yes, even a 6kw unit has the potential to run 3 jumbo-sized refrigerators/freezers simultaneously.
- Recommended Read: What Size Generator Do I Need To Run A Refrigerator?
Verdict
A 6,000–watt generator would be more than enough for small–medium households; however, if you need to run multiple appliances of higher wattages make sure to determine your power needs and choose accordingly.
Thanks for reading out this guide!
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Will a 6000 Watt Generator Run a Sump Pump?
It depends, a normal 1/2hp – 2hp wouldn’t be a problem for a 6,000-watt unit, however, heavy sump pumps may require a giant machine.
Will a 6000 Watt Generator Run an Air Compressor?
Yes, A normal – medium power air compressor wouldn’t be a hurdle for a 6kw machine, however, if you have a massive old-school air compressor, you should consider a higher wattage unit.
How Many Appliances Can I Run With a 6000-Watt Generator?
It depends on the wattage of the appliances you are going to use.
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.