GENERATOR USAGE DISCUSSION.

[Boar]

My and LPS were talking about generator usage last night, I'm opting for for a new generator of the larger capcity, but after talking ato LPS we had figured out that instead of buying a new 3000 watt, Id piggy back another Honda 2000 for 4000 watt less money and more watts. but how dose one determine how many watts per device. last winter I had LED lighting going which is very little watt usage, furnace, coffee pot, tv, sat. receiver, and made a breakfast sandwhich in the microwave. no problem.  then later that night my daughter, with all the same stuff running, pop some popcorn in the microwave and the wave didn't have enough power to pop. and a breaker went. LPS thought the longevity of the MW heated the breaker enough to pop. while a short 45 second run of the MW was just under the pop level. Dose anyone have any great info on how to test a generator to see if its producing the proper power. AND, how about educating us on how to determine appliance watts to calculate usage persize of generator. LPS says. it volts X amps equals watts, or watts devided by volts equals amps. dew, I figured youd have some insite. anyone else??

[glenn57]

Maybe if you locked it in the trunk that would help!

[dew2]

 Pretty simple just remember (watts divided by voltage equals Amps)

 To reverse it and convert Amps to watts its (Amps multiplied by voltage equals Watts)
 
 In the USA voltage is always 120V,
 Next on every appliance there is a tag mostly on the back of the appliance an sometimes on the bottom It states the Wattage it runs on.(Below are 4 appliance pics of tags) Look at all appliances get the watts stated on the tag add em all together for total Watts divide that number by 120 standard USA Voltage that sum is what you need as generator output.
Below is 1600Watts plus 55Watts plus 40 Watts plus 1500 Watts for a total of 3195 watts divided by 120 equals 26.62 amps needed to run those appliances if they all run at the same time.
 Hope that helps an you can understand my explanation.


 TOASTER AT 1600 watts

AC?DC TV AT 55Watts

 Satilite reception box at 40 Watts

 Microwave at 1.5 KW KILOWATTS OR 1500Watts

[dew2]

As far as the circut breaker poppin It may have been the coffee pot it uses high amp draw to heat water then drops of to low amps for the warmer plate.If you have that kind a pot. Is yer furnace elec ignition?? BUT IT may have been what LPS said a prolonged micro run when you were hitting max output of the gen. To test gen output use a elect multimeter on each circut. Does that honda 2000 have one or two breakers on it? 2000watts off yer gen divided by 120 volts is 16.6 amp output.Just 1.6 amp more than a standard 15A home circut breaker. That 2000 watt is that surge power or standard output?? Most gen ratings show surge power but cant make that much output for a prelonged time,BUT can handle it for short periods when another appliance starts and needs a surge in power to start then drops off once running.Good example is a freezer or fridge it takes lots a amps to get the compressor running once running they use 1/2 or less amperage but to start they need that surge in power.WHEW!! Nap time

My and LPS were talking about generator usage last night, I'm opting for for a new generator of the larger capcity, but after talking ato LPS we had figured out that instead of buying a new 3000 watt, Id piggy back another Honda 2000 for 4000 watt less money and more watts. but how dose one determine how many watts per device. last winter I had LED lighting going which is very little watt usage, furnace, coffee pot, tv, sat. receiver, and made a breakfast sandwhich in the microwave. no problem.  then later that night my daughter, with all the same stuff running, pop some popcorn in the microwave and the wave didn't have enough power to pop. and a breaker went. LPS thought the longevity of the MW heated the breaker enough to pop. while a short 45 second run of the MW was just under the pop level. Dose anyone have any great info on how to test a generator to see if its producing the proper power. AND, how about educating us on how to determine appliance watts to calculate usage persize of generator. LPS says. it volts X amps equals watts, or watts devided by volts equals amps. dew, I figured youd have some insite. anyone else??

[Boar]

thanks dew. ill have to putthat info to good use. thanks!!

[glenn57]

thanks dew. ill have to putthat info to good use. thanks!!

you'd just lick it in the trunk anyway;

[Boar]

lick it huh.. yeah good one. ya really licked urself on that one.Lol!!!

[glenn57]

It's boaranze!

[Boar]

no thats glenn-galoid!

[dew2]

 You fellers should contact the Discovery channel and see if you can start a reality show!! It could be called How Not to >>>Whatever ya do!!

[glenn57]

You fellers should contact the Discovery channel and see if you can start a reality show!! It could be called How Not to >>>Whatever ya do!!

and just think.....you get to see it live.....right here..........free!!!!!!!!!!

[dew2]

You fellers should contact the Discovery channel and see if you can start a reality show!! It could be called How Not to >>>Whatever ya do!!

and just think.....you get to see it live.....right here..........free!!!!!!!!!!

Hehehe on the tube it could be called Glenn an boar go to White Castle EH?

[The General]

Good one Dew

Another possibility, Glen and Boar up in smoke.

[Boar]

 Hed lock all the weed in the trunk......

[glenn57]

Hed lock all the weed in the trunk......

probably cause you had had enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Moon Lake Refuge]

A lot of microwaves can be used on high medium or low.  Ours is usually low or medium but I think if you hit the popcorn setting on it, it defaults to high.  Could be that you were drawing less wattage using it earlier.

[Boar]

MAYBE, Ill have to look, usually we just set a time limit and start, could be tho, good point.