What Size Generator To Run An Air Conditioner? 3 Best Types!

Brownouts usually happen, and you will need a generator to run your air conditioners; what size generator to run an air conditioner? There are things to consider upon knowing, and we have several sizes for different types of air conditioners listed below.

Air conditioners ranges in size, brands, and types. Therefore each of them is considered to be unique.

what size generator to run an air conditioner

This way, you will know that air conditioners can be both high maintenance and low maintenance.

It usually depends on the wattage it has to match it with the generator you will need. Many factors need to be considered to decide what size of generator you should use.

And as we go along with this article, you will be able to learn a lot. So in that way, you can use these learnings for future use.

 

Different Sizes Of Generators To Run An Air Conditioner

What size generator to run an air conditioner? Unfortunately, it is tough to determine the size of a generator for your air conditioner.

Usually, it is based on Kilowatt. They have to be able to know if what generator is excellent for your air conditioner.

Instead of giving you the sizes you will need in running an air conditioner. Instead, we will provide you with the amount of Kilowatt of a generator as your basis.

 

Type #1. 3 – ton (30 – Amp, 36 000 BTUs)

The first air conditioner we have is the 36 000 BTUs air conditioner. It is not that big or a lot to sustain. You can consider this as something that you can use in your average size household. It can also depend on the air conditioner model and type to be sustained by a generator.

But then, for this, you will need a generator that is at least about 14 Kilowatts (KW). That 14 Kilowatt is reasonable enough to make your 36 000 BTUs air conditioner work if you have no power. It is safe to assume that this generator might be small, and you can consider it to be a tiny one.

 

Type #2. 4 – ton (40 – Amp, 48, 000 BTUs)

So for our type 2 air conditioner that has 48 000 BTUs, we will need, of course, a generator with a higher kilowatt count.

As we go along, you would notice that the numbers of BTUs are going up, and Kilowatt needed to sustain it.

When one goes up, the other reflects on it and does the same thing. So, moving forward, we will need a generator that has 17 kilowatts to make this type of air conditioner work for you.

Here is a trick, for every, added 12 000 BTUs on your air conditioner, the kilowatts would add three counts. That is why from 14, we have 17 kilowatts now. That can be reason enough for you. Bigger BTUs or Amp can mean a higher kilowatt needed for your air conditioners.

This generator could be a mid-sized one since it contains a reasonable amount of KW. It is also our type 2 out of 3. So, we can say that these three represent small, medium, and large.

 

Type #3. 5 – ton (50 – Amp, 60 000 BTUs)

This one is the third and probably the last type that we will be discussing. It is the 5 – ton air conditioner. It has 60 000 BTUs, which means we are to add an amount of Kilowatt to our generator.

It would help if you guessed because we already gave you an idea about it. And that’s about 3 Kilowatts added every 12 000 BTUs.

And for 60 000 BTUs air conditioner, you will need a generator that is about 20 Kilowatts. This type can be considered the large-sized generator you can use for your air conditioners to work.

 

About BTUs

So that you know, BTUs are commonly used in air conditioners. Here’s why. It is an acronym that represents the British Thermal Unit. It is a measurement used in measuring energy.

That refers to the energy amount needed to increase water temperature by 1 degree Fahrenheit by the pound.

Commonly used when tackling air and heat conditioning units. You can use this as the basis for identifying what air conditioner would work best for your room.

 

Kilowatt

To give you a bit of information about kilowatts, here are some essential things you have to know.

Kilowatt is equivalent to 1000 watts, a unit of measure usually used for the measurement of power. It is famous globally for its use when measuring electricity for identifying the amount of electricity used.

Sometimes it can also be seen in technologies such as the generator we are mentioning above. You can use this in so many ways, so you better check out and research for more information.

 

Conclusion

What size generator to run an air conditioner? This question is a must to be answered.

Buying generators are essential, especially when you have portable air conditioners. That can also be very useful in times where electricity is not able to sustain your appliances.

It would help if you considered the appliances inside the house when buying an air conditioner.

But if your goal is to sustain only the air conditioner, you can use the three types we discussed earlier. To learn more about air conditioner, read this article.

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