What Will A 2000 Watt Generator Run? – A Guide To Efficient Use

A generator can save you in plenty of situations where you need a second power source.

That may be for a home’s backup system, a courtyard party, campaigning trips, beach fun, or street fun.

Now the question is, what size of the generator do you want, and what is the physics of watts; how many watts are enough for specific appliances?

Also, why a 2000-watt generator is a nice choice, and what will a generator 2000-watt run in general? 

After ample research, I concluded that a generator should be affordable or at least cost-effective, dependable, not so loud, and efficient in powering to be sufficient for almost any use.

Considering these factors, the best answer is a 2000-watt generator as it is the best for most routine tasks. 

Before digging deep into the science of a generator’s functionality, it is crucial to understand the concept of watts.

Understanding watts can help you evaluate any appliance, in general, to estimate  2000 watt generator will it run. Here’s the deal! 

Starting Or Surge, Watts

Starting watts are the peak wattage that a generator can generate for a limited time or we should rather say for a few moments only. These starting watts are the maximum surge that is generated by the generator and required to start an electric device. The starting wattage is the additional watts then the running watts that are required for initiating the power flow to an electric device. For this reason, this wattage is termed starting or surge wattage. It is also known as the peak wattage because it represents the maximum wattage that a device can sustain and generate.

Running Or Continuous Watts

The generator wattage notation that almost every one of our readers here must have across as the 2000 watts, 3000 watts, 6500 watts, etc. is the general indication of the running wattage of the generator. Running wattage is the continuous power supply generated by the generator and delivered as watts to the devices connected to it.

In simple words, the minimum wattage necessary to keep the device powered is the running wattage. Since this wattage is maintained at a steady or continuous rate, it is also known by the name continuous wattage.  You can find the information about the running watts of electric appliances at their product description leaflets to have an idea about the required wattage.

Determining Your Wattage Requirements

Now that you are clear of the terms running and surge wattage, you must be curious about how much wattage your electric devices need. The straightforward answer to this depends upon the specific device and the number of devices you want to use. There are many basic home appliances that do not need much power such as your phone and laptop chargers and lights etc. but there are also many power-hungry electric appliances that need an average of 7 to 8 KW power to keep them running. So which generator wattage is the right for you depends on what type of devices you want it to power.To know how much wattage you need your generator to deliver you would have to follow the given steps:

• Step 1: Make a list of the electric devices you want to power with your generator.
• Step 2: Write down the specific running and surge wattage of each device (that you have enlisted in step 1) before it.
• Step 3: Total the estimated wattage of the devices you have enlisted to get the desired wattage of your generator.

Note: The rule of thumb is to go with the generator with a slightly higher wattage than the estimated wattage you have obtained by totaling your devices.

Estimated Wattages Of Some Common Home Appliances

If you don’t know specifically about the wattage of each device then you can follow the given table to have an overview of the common home appliances.

Electric Appliances	Estimated Wattage
Refrigerator/ Freezer	700 Watts
Laptop	50 Watts
Toaster	850 Watts
Lamp (2 LED Bulbs)	150 W
Window AC (10,000 BTU)	1200 Running watts: 3600 Surge watts
Total	2950 Running Watts: 6550 Surge watts

According to this table, it is evident that you would have to buy a 3000 watts generator to run a toaster and refrigerator free, etc. together with your basic appliances at home such as a lamp, laptop, etc. but to run an AC of 10,000 BTU you would need a 3.5 KW generator at least. But this doesn’t mean you cannot run these appliances with a 2000 watts generator.

All of the above-mentioned home appliances can be powered by a 2000 running watts generator provided it has sufficient surge watts. You can take turns powering the devices. For instance, run your toaster for a while and then power the TV, lights, and refrigerator all at once.

What Can I Run On A 2000-Watt Generator? 

Two thousand-watt generators are usually a mid-way solution to power almost any personal or in-house devices, from electronic stoves to deep freezers and light bulbs.

Generally, a 2000-watt portable generator is good enough to provide power for even a deep freezer or a microwave and a few lights.

Some general categories of appliances where a 2000-watt generator can work are explained below. 

Home Appliances:

A 2000-watt generator has the power to supply a wide range of home supplies that need a starting watt in under or less 2000 range.

In simpler words, a 2000-watt generator can provide you the backup in case of any electricity shortage and let you run a few home appliances.

This is why these generators are also sometimes referred to as home generators.

These generators, in general, can supply microwaves (1000-2000), Toasters (800-1500), Chest Freezer (600), Coffee Makers (600-1200), Fridges (500-750), Laptops/Computers (20-75), TV (240), and some Speakers (200).  

Camping Trips:

If you love camping and need support for your camping activities, a 2000-watt generator can provide enough supplies to be safe on the road.

You can charge your car batteries and use kettles, air-conditioners, washing machines, microwaves, and blow dryers.

You need to check the product manuals before running specific appliances on a 2000-watt generator, though.

In general, you can run Electric Skillet (1000-1500), Heater (750-1500), Hair Dryer (1000-1875), Washing Machine (500-1000), Laptop (20-75), Phone Charger (10), and your iPad or Tablets (10-20). 

A Tip: Though you can use plenty of devices on a 2000-watt generator, calculate and check if the generator can support the collective wattage if running several machines simultaneously to avoid any shortage.

RV Or Caravan Appliances:

For your RV or caravanning lover, a 2000-watt generator is the best affordable choice as it can support most of your appliances in the RV.

RVs usually contain larger appliances like freezers or air conditioners that might use around 600-650 running watts with a surge of 1000 starting watts.

Again, you should consider the collective wattage your caravan or RV needs if you want to run several appliances at once.

Overall, this sized generator can serve you for a small RV AC (900-1700), Heater (750-1500), Pump (800-1300), Microwave (1000), Laptop/Computer (20-75), Phone Charger (10), and iPad/Tablet (10-20). 

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using A 2000-Watt Generator:

A 2000-watt generator is enough to provide for all the necessities inside or outside the home.

This is why it offers great advantages over some of its disadvantages or limitations. Some of the major advantages of opting for a 2000w generator are: 

• Quite portable and efficient 
• Economical generator for essential running 
• Very efficient in using fuel
• Affordable operations in initial outlay
• Easy to transport and carry through 

There are some limitations in using these 2000w generators, too.

For example, if you have big-size appliances, the generator can fail to surge the power. In general, some major disadvantages associated with using a 2000w generator are; 

• Operations are limited to some appliances 
• Cannot handle the surge of simultaneous use 
• More prone to shut down if the starting watt is higher  

What Can I Not Run On A 2000-Watt Generator? 

Though the details for the appliances that a 2000-watt generator can support are provided, the list of appliances can be extensive.

The 2000-watt generator can power almost anything on the shelf, with a few exceptions.

You can understand the exceptions simply by understanding the concepts of starting watts, running watts, collective watts, and the maximum surge your devices require. 

In general, either in your home, RV Caravan, or any other area of need, devices exceeding 2000 watts for their starting watts cannot be operated using a 2000-watt generator.

For example, you cannot run Electronics (0-3000), Electric Dryer (2000-5400), Table Saw (4500-1800), and Electric Water Heater (0-4500). 

Usually, an appliance or a generator is described in relevance to its starting or running watts.

The starting watts explain the amount of surge an appliance needs to start, whereas running watts explain the watts required for the smooth operation of the device.

Most of the time, the mentioned watts on a device are its starting watts as it’s the maximum an appliance needs to start functioning.

The running watts are usually mentioned in the specs chart somewhere, either on the device or in the booklet. 

Understanding both starting and running watts is important to avoid circuit breaks.

The concept may seem confusing but let me put this; consider all the appliances you will run, add the numbers, and add up the highest starting watts.

The resulting figure is the maximum value for starting watt coming under your specific generator’s specs and functionality.   

Other important considerations in this regard are how many people are using the same circuit, how many devices you will start up at once, or whether any device has a surged starting watt requirement.

The maximum the watts and lower the gap between generator watts and required starting watts, the better!

So, now as you know how to understand the relation between the watts of a generator and the appliances meant to be used, here is the answer to your question; what can I run with a 2000-watt generator?

Read, Understand and Absorb!

FAQs

1.   Which 2000 Watt Generator Is The Quietest?

There are many latest generators that come with noise-reducing technologies and built-in mufflers to reduce the sound produced by the generator, particularly its exhaust. According to our findings, Westinghouse iGen2500 Camo is the quietest generator offering 2500 running watts with a portable and lightweight body. Another great portable unit at par with the noise reduction technology of Westinghouse is the Yamaha EF2400iSHC, which is another portable outdoor generator great for camping.

2.   What Is The Best 2000 Watt Generator With An Electronic Start?

Most 2000 to 2500 watts generators are featuring electric start as they are more inclined towards outdoor applications. But not all outdoor generators are built with the same quality. The best 2000 watts generator with an electric start is undoubtedly the Lifan Energy Storm ESI2000iER. This lightweight and portable unit is offering 2200 surge watts and 2000 running watts with a quiet and long-running operation.

3.   What Is The Best 2000 Watt Inverter Generator?

Westinghouse iGen2500 Camo together with the Lifan Energy Storm ESI2500iER-EFI makes the best inverter generator in the 2000 watts category. The Westinghouse model is featuring 2200 running watts and 2500 running watts while the Lifan variant is designed to deliver 2400 running watts with 2500 surge watts.

Conclusion :

See More Articles:

What Will A 22000 Watt Generator Run?
What Will A 5500 Watt Generator Run?

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