What Can a 7000-Watt Generator Run – Will It Fill My Needs?
In this article, we are going to answer your burning queries about “what can a 7000-watt generator run? What appliances can I run simultaneously and will a 7kw unit fill my needs?
Read on to unleash the actual potential of a 7kw-watt machine.
A 7,000-watt machine could run almost everything in your household, RV, or job site including microwaves, refrigerators/freezers, RV/Window/Central Air conditioners, Different saws, Drills, coffee makers, etc.
What Can a 7000-Watt Generator Run?
As per our test, the following appliances performed well with a 7kw.
Note: We have run them one by one or a few lower power wattage appliances at a time by keeping the generator’s limit in mind.
Don’t ever try to operate all of the above appliances at once even a 20kw machine would be able to run all of them at once.
Starting and Running Watts
Starting/peak watts: Number of wattages a machine could produce for a small time to power up motorized appliances like sump pumps, air conditioners, well pumps, etc.
Stating watts will always be higher compared to running watts.
Running/Rated watts: Number of wattages a machine could provide for a longer time to run an appliance/equipment steadily for a longer time.
Running watts will always be lesser compared to surge/peak watts.
List of Most Common Appliances with Their Starting and Running Wattage
| Appliances | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Electric Water Heater 4 kW | 4000 | 0 |
| Microwave Oven 1000 W | 1000 | 0 |
| Deep Freezer | 500 | 1500 |
| Circular Saw 7 1/4 inch | 1400 | 2300 |
| Light Bulb 60 W | 60 | 0 |
| Furnace Fan 1/2 HP | 800 | 2350 |
| Electric Grill 1.6 kW | 1600 | 0 |
| Curling Iron | 1500 | 0 |
| Ceiling Fan | 100 | 300 |
| Dishwasher | 1300 | 1800 |
| Iron (Clothes) | 1500 | 0 |
| Window AC 12.000 BTU | 1500 | 2300 |
| Clothes Dryer – Electric | 5000 | 7000 |
| Light LED Bulb 10 W | 10 | 0 |
| Toaster | 900 | 0 |
| Box Fan 20″ | 200 | 350 |
| RV Air Conditioner 13.500 BTU | 1600 | 2500 |
| Furnace Fan 1/3 HP | 700 | 1400 |
| Washing Machine | 1200 | 2300 |
| Coffee Maker | 1000 | 0 |
| Window AC 5,000 BTU | 600 | 900 |
| Security System | 500 | 0 |
| Well Pump 1/2 HP | 1000 | 2100 |
| Toaster Oven | 1200 | 0 |
| Humidifier 13 gal. | 175 | 0 |
| Vacuum Cleaner 12 Amps | 1440 | 2500 |
| RV Air Conditioner 10.000 BTU | 1200 | 2000 |
| Garade Door Opener 1/2 HP | 900 | 2400 |
| Sump Pump 1/3 HP | 800 | 1300 |
| Iron (Waffles) | 1200 | 0 |
| Window AC 15.000 BTU | 1900 | 2900 |
| Central AC 10.000 BTU | 1500 | 2400 |
| Sump Pump 1/2 HP | 1050 | 2200 |
| Hair Dryer 1.5 kW | 1500 | 0 |
| Aquarium | 200 | 250 |
| Electric Stove 2kW | 2000 | 0 |
| RV Air Conditioner 7.000 BTU | 900 | 1700 |
| Light Bulb 75 W | 75 | 0 |
| Food Processor | 400 | 0 |
| Refrigerator/Freezer | 700 | 220 |
Recommended Guide: What appliances can a 6,000 watt generator run?
What Can a 7000–Watt Generator Run Simultaneously?
It depends on your needs, If you are going to operate 2 -3kw appliances at the same time you can only run 2 or 3 of them.
On the other hand, 10 – 15 normal-wattage appliances like refrigerators, TVs, protectors, vacuums, microwaves, etc. could be run easily with a 7,000-watt unit.
The bottom line is you don’t have to overload the generator, however, within the limit, you can run any appliance/device/equipment you want.
How to Determine Your Power Needs?
Below is the Process I personally do and recommend to my friends and family before making a buying decision.
- List down the all appliances you are going to use, also write down their starting and running wattages as well. You will find the wattage ratings from the energy labeling of the specific appliance.
- If you found the power ratings in amps make sure to convert it with the help of ohm’s law.
Ohm’s Law = W (Watts or Kilo Watts) = Amps X Volts
E.g. An equipment/appliance is consuming about 20 starting and 17 running amps at the voltage of 220v.
W (Watts or Kilo Watts) = Amps X Volts
Running watts = 17 X 220 = 3740 watts
Starting watts = 20 X 220 = 4400 watts
- Keep the appliances, starting watts, and running watts in a separate column
- Sum up the starting and running watts of each appliance and compare them with the machine 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 |
| Deep Freezer | 1300 Watts | 700 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 | 6,700 Watts | 6,060 Watts |
From the above chart, we got 6,700 starting and 6,060 wattages, hence a solid 7,000-watt machine could easily handle them.
Recommended Read: What Can a 7500-Watt Generator Run?
Note: Make sure to leave a margin of 10 – 20% load; don’t ever force the gen – set to its 100% capacity. That small margin will keep your appliances safe from voltage or frequency fluctuation and also drag the costly repair down the road.
What Can’t Be Run With a 7000 Watt Generator?
Though a 7kw generator runs almost anything you want, still some of the higher BTUs Central air conditioners, power-hungry welders, old school heavy-duty sump/well pumps, etc. may need a bigger machine of 8,000 – 15,000 watts.
Recommended Guide: What Can an 8000-Watt Generator Run?
Few Tips to Run Multiple Appliances with a 7,000-Watt Generator
Can I Run the AC with 7,000 Watt Generator?
Yes, a 7,000-watt unit has the potential to run the RV/window or even a central Air conditioner of 10,000 – 12,000 BTUs.
Will a 7000 Watt Generator Run a Well Pump?
Yes, a well pump consumes about 1,000 – 1,200 watts on average which isn’t a big deal for a 7kw generator.
Will a 7000 Watt Generator Run a Welder?
Yes, a standard welder consumes about 4,000 – 5,000 watts, however, a normal 7,000-watt generator has the potential to provide about 6,800 – 7,000 watts depending on the mode and brand.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Will a 7000 Watt Generator Run a Hot Water Heater?
Yes, a normal electric water heater consumes about 5,000 – 6,000 wattages which isn’t a big deal for a 7kw machine.
Can a 7000 Watt Generator Run a House?
Yes, a 7,000-watt generator would be more than enough for a small–medium household with lots of appliances like microwaves, refrigerators/freezers, air conditioners, TVs, home theater systems, etc.
However, if you want to run multiple power-hungry appliances simultaneously, you may have to consider another one.
How Long Will a 7000-Watt Generator Run?
On average a 7,000-watt machine provides 7 – 8 hours of runtime at 25% – 30% load, however, the runtime is solely dependent on the fuel tank size, brand, and efficiency of the generator. read this guide to explore more about the generator’s runtime.
What Can I Power With a 7,000 Watt Generator?
A 7,000-watt machine has the potential to power most of the essential appliances/equipment including central/window/RV air conditioners, Sump/well pumps, Electric water heaters, air compressors, etc.
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.