If you are unaware of the potential of your 12000-wattage generator, this guide is all about unleashing the actual power of a 12kw gen set.
A 12,000-watt generator could run almost every appliance or power equipment of a household, RV, or job site including the ACs, Refrigerator/freezers, microwaves, Washing machines, electric dryers, heating systems, welders, Electric Drills, Saws, etc.
Understanding The Generator Wattages
Rated/Running Watts: Number of wattages a machine can supply continuously to run the appliances/equipment in a stable condition.
Starting/Surge Watts: Number of wattages a machine can produce for a short time to provide initial push or inertia to the motorized appliances.
Surge wattages can’t be ignored at any cost as they have the responsibility to run heavy-duty appliances like air conditioners, sump pumps, heat pumps, etc.
You can skim the user manual or specification section of the generator to know the exact Starting watts/amps of the generator.
What Will a 12000 Watt Generator Run?
Below is the table of the appliances that can be easily run by the 12kw generator
| Appliance | Running Wattage | Starting Watts |
| Electric Water Heater 4 kW | 4000 | 0 |
| Microwave Oven 600 W | 600 | 0 |
| Deep Freezer | 500 | 1500 |
| Furnace Fan 1/3 HP | 700 | 1400 |
| Electric Drill 1/2 inch 5.4 Amps | 600 | 900 |
| Box Fan 20″ | 200 | 350 |
| Planer/Jointer 6-inch | 600 | 900 |
| Food Processor | 400 | 0 |
| Iron (Clothes) | 1500 | 0 |
| Toaster Oven | 1200 | 0 |
| Iron (Waffles) | 1200 | 0 |
| Airless Sprayer | 600 | 1200 |
| Toaster | 900 | 0 |
| Sump Pump 1/2 HP | 1050 | 2100 |
| Humidifier 13 gal. | 175 | 0 |
| Electric Grill 1.6 kW | 1600 | 0 |
| Central AC 40.000 BTU | 6000 | 7300 |
| Coffee Maker | 1000 | 0 |
| Light LED Bulb 10 W | 10 | 0 |
| Ceiling Fan | 100 | 300 |
| RV Air Conditioner 7.000 BTU | 900 | 1600 |
| Curling Iron | 1500 | 0 |
| Vacuum Cleaner 12 Amps | 1440 | 2400 |
| Electric Stove 2kW | 2000 | 0 |
| Refrigerator/Freezer | 700 | 2200 |
| RV Air Conditioner 10.000 BTU | 1200 | 2000 |
| Halogen Work Light 300 W | 300 | 0 |
| Sump Pump 1/3 HP | 800 | 1300 |
| Window AC 12.000 BTU | 1500 | 2300 |
| Security System | 500 | 0 |
| Belt Sander | 1200 | 2400 |
| Dishwasher | 1300 | 1800 |
| Planer/Jointer 6 inch | 1800 | 2500 |
| Air Compressor 1 HP | 1600 | 4500 |
| RV Air Conditioner 13.500 BTU | 1600 | 2500 |
| Window AC 15.000 BTU | 1900 | 2900 |
| Table Saw 10 inch | 2000 | 2600 |
| Garage Door Opener 1/2 HP | 900 | 2600 |
| Well Pump 1/2 HP | 1000 | 2000 |
| Curling Iron | 1500 | 0 |
How Many Appliances Can I Run Simultaneously?
It depends, 10 to 12 normal-wattage appliances will not be a problem for a 12000-watt machine, however, if you are going to operate some of the super power-hungry appliances like Air conditioners, dryers, sump pumps, etc. you may have to go for the bigger units.
We recommend doing the wattage calculation to know the actual capacity.
How to calculate wattage Needs Precisely:
- Write down the running and starting wattages of the appliances you are going to run, make sure to keep them in a tabular form. Also, write the starting and running watts in a separate column.
- If you have found the wattage ratings in amps and you are not comfortable with the calculation make sure to convert them with the help of ohms law. Below is a practical example to do that.