What Can You Run on a 5000 Watt Generator?
In this article, we are going to settle the ongoing debate about What Can You Run on a 5000 5000-watt generator? With some real-life examples of RV, House, and workshop owners.
We have also listed the appliances you can run on a 5k generator smoothly.
Without further wasting time let’s dive in;
A Brief Overview of Wattage (starting/running watts)
Well, the generator has two wattage ratings one is starting/surge watts and the other is running/rating watts.
Starting/Surge Watts: The amount of maximum power the generator can put initially for a few seconds.
Since every motor appliance needs more power to start, after startup it will consume normal power. Some of the high power appliances like the sump pump, and water pump need twice starting watts as running watts. That is why the manufacturer has added the starting watt functionality in the generators
Running/Rating Watts: The amount of power a generator can produce constantly for hours, you will find fewer running watts on every generator as compared to the starting watts. Most of the appliance needs more push initially after that they run contentiously on running watts.
NOTE: Always estimate your demand below starting and running watts.
E.g. I am going to purchase a generator that can produce 4000 running watts and 5000 starting watts, I will choose a unit with 4500 running watts and 5300 – 5500 starting watts. Always operate at a lower than mentioned to get a smooth run without overloading the engine.
Quick Answer
If you have a generator with 5000 running and 5500 starting watts you can operate any appliance or sum of appliances below 4500 running and 5000 starting watts. We can’t reach the total capacity to overload the engine.
What Can You Run on a 5000-Watt Generator? (Detailed Answer)
Well, a 5000 watts generator is pretty powerful you can run almost any equipment including Air conditioning, heaters, ovens, etc. Let’s scroll down to explore the detailed explanation.
Which Of The Home Appliances You Can Run With A 5000 Watts Generator?
We mostly purchase 5000-watt generators to get a decent capacity to run some of our power-hungry appliances during the extended power outage. Also, we want to get a decent backup to spend our long nights smoothly, below is the list of all home and kitchen appliances that you can run with your 5000-watt generator.
General home essentials:
The following home essentials will run smoothly on a 5KW generator
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Window air conditioner | 1,200 | 1,800 |
| Electric blanket | 200 | 200 |
| Dehumidifier | 240 | 240 |
| Space heater | 600 to 1,500 | 600 to 1,500 |
| Vacuum | 300 | 500 – 600 |
| Home theater | 300 | 400 – 500 |
| Sump pump | 800 | 1,500 to 3,000 |
| Well pump | 1,000 | 2,000 to 4,000 |
Kitchen Appliances:
The following home essentials will run smoothly on a 5Kw generator.
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee maker | 800 – 1000 | 1000 – 1200 |
| Air fryer 1500w – 1500 starting watts. | 1500 | 1500 |
| Electric pressure cooker | 1000 | 1000 |
| Toaster | 850 | 900 – 1000 |
| Dishwasher | 350 | 400 – 500 |
| Electric stove | 1,500 | No surge requirement |
| Electric kettle | 1500 | 3000 |
| Lawnmower | 1000 | 1500 |
Check out our guide about Can a Generator Damage a Refrigerator?
Home And Kitchen Essential You Will Not Able To Run On a 5kw Generator
The following home essentials you will not able to run on a 5Kw generator. Instead, you can purchase a 1000 watts generator.
| Appliance | Running Watts |
|---|---|
| 4-ton central air condition system | 14000 |
| Electric Tankless water heater. | 6000 – 7000 |
| Power shower | 7500 |
Important tips:
- Please don’t put too much load on the generator to use high-wattage equipment I didn’t exceed my generator’s load from 70%, I suggest you be in the safe range of 70 – 80% load.
- If your generator is parallel-ready. You can connect two machines to get more wattage if you want.
Which Of The RV Appliances You Can Run With A 5000 Watts Generator?
Being a user I must say a 5kw generator is more than enough to operate the whole appliances of my RV I am currently using Champion Power Equipment 6250, even if I am using 3, 4, or 5 appliances simultaneously depending on the running and starting watts.
Here is the list of Rv appliances I am using with my 5000 watts generator;
| Appliance | Running Watts |
|---|---|
| 10000 Btu’s air condition | 1500 |
| Refrigerator | 600 |
| Microwave | 1000 |
| Heater | 1500 – 2000 |
| Vacuum | 500 |
| All lights, Televisions, charging equipment, etc. | 1200 – 1800 |
Note: A 5000-watt generator is a bit overpowered for you if you are a normal consumer, though I am operating multiple appliances simultaneously and still didn’t cross 70% load. For normal consumers, I recommend going for 2000-watt generators.
Which Of The Tools You Can Run With A 5000 Watts Generator?
Since I am a moderate handyman I have consulted with lots of garage owners, contractors, etc. to get a better understanding of what can a 5000 Watt Generator run on a working site? Surprisingly almost all handymen have a 5000-watt generator except one who owns a 10kw generator, they were pretty satisfied with the performance and capacity since all heavy tools are between 500 to 3000 running watts and 1000 to 5000 starting watts. They are using their tools safely without overloading the generator.
Below is a table of tools you can use with a 5kw generator.
| Equipment | Running Watts | Starting watts |
|---|---|---|
| Disc Sander | 1200 | 1200 |
| Bench grinder 8 inches | 1400 | 2500 |
| Circular saw | 1,200 -1800 | 2400 |
| Table saw | 1,800 – 2000 | 2000 |
| Airless Paint Sprayer (1 /3 HP) | 600 | 1200 |
| Air compressor 1-Hp | 2,000 | 3600 |
| Belt sander | 1200 | 2400 |
| Electric drill | 500 | 1200 |
| Miter saw | 1800 | 3300 |
| Chainsaw | 1,500 | 2300 |
Does 5000 Watts Generator Full Fill Your Needs?
It depends, if you are a normal consumer and can fill your needs within 5000 watts of power, a 5kw generator will work like a charm for you.
If you want to operate only lights, television and other types of low-power equipment 5kw should not be your choice instead go for a 3000 or 2000-watt machine. 3kw or 2kw machine will not only provide you portability but also save your fuel cost and produce less noise.
If you want to operate a central air conditioning electric water heater and other heavy appliances you should go for even higher wattage generators like 9000 or 10000 watts.
The bottom line is you have to choose the one which fulfills your needs.
FAQS –Frequently Asked Questions
Will a 5000-watt generator run a whole house?
It depends on users’ needs if you want multiple appliances and the network load will be more than 5000 watts then, a 5kw generator is not enough for you, however, a 5000 watts generator is more than enough for a normal household.
Can a 5000-watt generator run a refrigerator and freezer?
Yes, it will, an average refrigerator or freezer is not more than 1000 watts.
Will a 5000-watt generator run a window air conditioner?
Yes, it will operate, an average of 15000btu air conditioners can consume 1500 – 2000 watts it is a pretty easy task to run it smoothly on a 5kw generator.
How long will a 5000-watt generator run?
It varies from model to model and brand to brand some efficient generators provide a decent run time of 10 – 12 hours on gasoline, however, some provide very little, make sure to check out our guide about how long does a generator lasts. to get a better idea.
u003cstrongu003eWhat size breaker do I need for a 5000-watt generator?u003c/strongu003e
30 amp receptacle breakers are enough for a 5kw generator.
How much gas does a 5000-watt generator use?
Again it varies from model to model some models provide 12 – 14 hours of run time on 4 gallons of gas while others provide 10 – 11 hours, the bottom line is you have to read the user and expert’s review to figure out how much a certain unit consumes gas.
Josh is a highly skilled electrician with specialized expertise in the field of generators. With years of experience under his belt, he has established himself as an expert in all aspects of generators, ranging from installation and maintenance to troubleshooting and repairs. Josh’s in-depth knowledge of electrical systems and his commitment to staying updated with the latest industry advancements make him a reliable and sought-after professional.