What Will a 15000 Watt Generator Run? – [Will It Run My AC?]
This article is all about answering your burning question about “What Will a 15000 Watt Generator Run?” How many appliances can be run simultaneously and will it run my air conditioner, well pump, heat pump, and other power-hungry appliances?
A 15000-watt generator is a perfect machine for powering heavy-duty appliances of households, RVs, or Job sites including the central air conditioner, dryer, electric water heater, heat pump, welder, sump pump, air compressor, etc.
Understanding Generator’s Wattages
Like other tools/appliances, the generator comes with two wattage ratings one is starting and the other is running.
Starting/surge watts: Maximum wattages a generator can produce for a short time to power up the motorized/compressor-based tools/appliances.
The purpose of surge watts is to provide initial push/inertia to the appliance, the rest of the work will be handled by the running/rated watts. Starting watts will always be higher compared to running watts.
Running/rated watts: Maximum wattages a machine can produce for a longer time to run the appliances in stable conditions.
Running watts is as important as starting watts; however, you will find them a bit lower compared to the starting watts.
What Appliances Can a 15000 Watt Generator Run?
| Appliance | Running Wattage | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Deep Freezer | 500 | 1500 |
| Food Processor | 400 | 0 |
| Curling Iron | 1500 | 0 |
| Central AC 40.000 BTU | 6000 | 7500 |
| Electric Drill 1/2 inch 5.4 Amps | 600 | 900 |
| Ceiling Fan | 100 | 300 |
| Furnace Fan 1/3 HP | 700 | 1400 |
| Table Saw 10 inch | 2000 | 2800 |
| Electric Water Heater 4 kW | 4000 | 0 |
| Airless Sprayer | 600 | 1200 |
| Dishwasher | 1300 | 1800 |
| Window AC 12.000 BTU | 1500 | 2300 |
| Miter Saw 10 inch | 1800 | 2500 |
| Belt Sander | 1200 | 2400 |
| Toaster Oven | 1200 | 0 |
| Garade Door Opener 1/2 HP | 900 | 2400 |
| Iron (Clothes) | 1500 | 0 |
| Sump Pump 1/3 HP | 800 | 1300 |
| Electric Stove 2kW | 2000 | 0 |
| Light LED Bulb 10 W | 10 | 0 |
| Window AC 5.000 BTU | 600 | 900 |
| Planer/Jointer 6 inch | 1800 | 2500 |
| Toaster | 900 | 0 |
| Electric Grill 1.6 kW | 1600 | 0 |
| Iron (Waffles) | 1200 | 0 |
| Security System | 500 | 0 |
| Sump Pump 1/2 HP | 1050 | 2200 |
| Halogen Work Light 300 W | 300 | 0 |
| Window AC 15.000 BTU | 1900 | 2900 |
| Vacuum Cleaner 12 Amps | 1440 | 2500 |
| RV Air Conditioner 10.000 BTU | 1200 | 2000 |
| Refrigerator/Freezer | 700 | 2200 |
| Coffee Maker | 1000 | 0 |
| Humidifier 13 gal. | 175 | 0 |
| Microwave Oven 600 W | 600 | 0 |
| Box Fan 20″ | 200 | 350 |
| Air Compressor 1 HP | 1600 | 4500 |
| RV Air Conditioner 7.000 BTU | 900 | 1700 |
| Clothes Dryer – Electric | 5000 | 7000 |
| RV Air Conditioner 13.500 BTU | 1600 | 2500 |
| Well Pump 1/2 HP | 1000 | 2100 |
Recommended Read: What will a 12000-watt generator run?
Will a 15000 Watt Generator Run a Whole House?
Yes, a 15kw machine is not only enough to run the standard appliance of 100 – 2000 watts but also draws enough power to even run most of the power-hungry appliances like central air conditioners, electric water heaters, heavy-duty welders, dryers, etc. Even you can run two or three of them simultaneously.
The bottom line is a 15000w generator is more than enough for even a medium to large household, however, if you want to run a bunch of heavy-duty tools/appliances at the same time, you should have to determine your power needs first before making a buying decision. Follow this section of the article to calculate your power requirements in instant.
How Many Appliance I Can Simultaneously With a 15KW Machine?
Though a 15000w machine is capable of running most of the standard appliances simultaneously, still if you are going to run some of the heavy-duty tools/appliances at the same time make sure to read their power ratings first.
E.g. If you have plugged 5 appliances of 2.8 – 2.9kw you will not have access to plug another one,
The bottom line is you don’t have to overload the machine, however, within the limit of 0 – 15000 watts, you can plug as many appliances/tools as you want.
NOTE:
- We encourage our readers to keep a margin of 10 – 15% load so that the machine can run more breathily. Pulling 100% load from the machine will not only increases the fuel cost but also maintenance and repair cost down the road.
- Always select a unit with 200 – 300 extra wattages so that the line losses should be easily tackled, also you will have a decent room even after leaving the margin of 10 – 15% load.
Determining the Power Requirements:
- List the appliances with their starting and running wattages, you can find the power rating from the energy labeling. If you found the power rating in amps make sure to convert them in the wattages with the help of Ohm’s law.
Ohm’s Law: W (watts or kilowatts) = Amps (amperes) X Volts (V)
E.g. an appliance consumes 24 running and 28 starting watts at the voltage of 240V
W (watts or kilowatts) = Amps (amperes) X Volts (V)
Running watts: 24 X 240 = 5760 watts
Starting watts: 28 X 240 = 6720
NOTE: If you can comfortably do the calculations in amps then you don’t have to do conversions.
- Sum up the starting and running wattages of the appliances and keep them in a separate column.
- Compare the calculated running and starting watts with the machine you are going to own.
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 |
| Belt Sander | 2400 | 1200 |
| Table Saw 10 inch | 2800 Watts | 2000 Watts |
| Toaster | 0 Watts | 900 |
| Air Compressor 1 HP | 1600 | 4500 |
| TOTAL | 13300 Watts | 14440 Watts |
From the above calculations, we got 14440 running and 13300 starting watts, hence a premium 15kw generator could be more than enough for the above quotation.
Will a 15000 Watt Generator Run a Well Pump?
It depends on the Horsepower of the well pump you own below are some of the well pumps that can be easily run with a 15kw generator.
| Sump Pump Sizes | Starting Watts | Running Watts |
|---|---|---|
| 0.33 HP | 1,500 – 2,400 watts | 750 – 800 watts |
| 0.5 HP | 1,800 – 3,150 watts | 900 – 1,050 watts |
| 0.75 HP | 3,000 – 5,400 watts | 1,500 – 1,800 watts |
| 1 HP | 4,000 – 7,200 watts | 2,000 – 2,400 watts |
| 1.5 HP | 5,000 – 8,400 watts | 2,500 – 2,800 watts |
| 2 HP | 7,500 – 12,000 watts | 3,750 – 4,000 watts |
Will a 15000 Watt Generator Run a Heat Pump?
It depends on the SEER and BTUs of the heat pump you own. Below are some of the heat pumps that can be easily handled by a 15kw machine.
| Heat Pump Size | BTUs | Wattage (14 SEER) | Wattage (16 SEER) | Wattage (18 SEER) | Wattage (20 SEER) | Wattage (22 SEER) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ton | 12,000 BTU | 1,020 – 1050 W | 950 – 1000 W | 840 – 900 W | 820 – 880 W | 800 – 820 W |
| 1.5 ton | 18,000 BTU | 1,530 – 1550 W | 1,400 – 1450 W | 1,300 – 1350W | 1,250 – 1280 W | 1,200 – 1250 W |
| 2 ton | 24,000 BTU | 2,040 – 2100 W | 1,850 – 1900 W | 1,750 – 1800 W | 1,650 – 1700 W | 1,600 – 1650 W |
| 2.5 ton | 30,000 BTU | 2,550 – 2600 W | 2,350 – 2400 W | 2,190 – 2200 W | 2,050 – 2100 W | 2,000 – 2050 W |
| 3 ton | 36,000 BTU | 3,050 – 3100 W | 2,800 – 2900 W | 2,650 – 2700 W | 2,500 – 2550 W | 2,400 – 2450 W |
| 3.5 ton | 42,000 BTU | 3,600 – 3700 W | 3,300 – 3350 W | 3,050 – 3100 W | 2,900 – 2950 W | 2,800 – 2850 W |
Will a 15000-watt generator Run a Welder?
Yes, a standard welder needs about 4000 – 7000 of wattage which isn’t a big deal for a 15kw machine.
- Here is the detailed guide about What Size Generator to Run a Welder.
Will a 15000W Generator Run My AC?
Yes, a 15000-watt machine is powerful enough to even fire up your central air conditioner with more than 3,0000 BTUs.
How Many Amps Will a 15000-Watt Generator Run?
As per Ohm’s law, we got the following readings from my friend’s Westinghouse 15000-watt Home Backup Portable Generator.
| Voltages | Amperes |
|---|---|
| 120V | 125A |
| 220V | 68.18A |
| 240V | 62.5A |
Will a 15000 Watt Generator Run a 50 Amp RV?
Yes, a 15kw machine is more than enough to run all of the appliances of a 50 amp RV including the central air conditioner, dryers, electric water heater, etc.
Recommended Read: What size generator should I select to run my 50 amp RV?
Recommended 15000 Watt Generators
Verdict
A 15kw generator is considered an ideal choice for even a big house, class “C” RV, or even a job site where you have to run some of the power-hungry tools like welders, Circular Saws, pressure washers, Air compressors, etc.
We recommend choosing a machine as per your wattage needs, don’t ever select a machine with higher wattages this will not only increase the initial cost but also the ongoing cost of fuel and maintenance.
Furthermore, you have to bear high noise levels and minimum portability. The bottom line is you should do the wattage calculation before making any buying decision.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
What Size Breaker Do I Need for a 15000 Watt Generator?
As per the general thumb rule we have to use the 50 amp breakers if we have a generator between 8500 – 15000W, however, below 8.5kw we can use 30amp.
Will a Watt Generator Run a 3-ton AC Unit?
Yes, a 15kw generator is more than enough for even a 3-ton air conditioner with the lowest SEER
Note: SEER is a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio developed by the industries experts.
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.