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What Can You Run on a 2000 Watt Generator?

The reason we buy a generator is to power appliances and recharge various electronics. The next question comes up - what can you run on a 2000 watt generator? What can a generator of that size power at the same time?

Note that starting watts tends to be higher than continuous (running) watts for many appliances. Electric water heaters, hot plates, water pumps, deep freezers, clocks, light bulbs and electric stoves don’t experience a power surge at startup before dropping to a lower running load.

Many power tools like circular saws and miter saws use the same power at startup as when they are running, though reciprocating saws have a 10% or so higher starting wattage and electric drills see a 50% spike at start up.

2000 Watt Generator

The worst offender is the air compressor; while a 1 horsepower air compressor uses 1500 watts of continuous power, the average unit uses close to 3000 watts at startup.

Some Essential Home Appliances That Can Be Powered By a 2000 Watt Generator

Powering Smaller Appliances With a 2000 Watt Generator

Powering a Deep Freezer, Microwave, Electric Grill or Electric Stove

Let’s look at what you could run in the average RV, cabin or home if you only look at appliances that don’t have an initial spike of starting watts. A 2000 watt generator could power a 500 watt deep freezer and one element of the electric stove. Or you could run the freezer, cook with a 650 watt microwave (using 1000 watts) and a few lights. The typical electric range with 8” elements will use all 2000 watts if you use it while connected to the generator. Even better is using a slow cooker (300 watts), whereas an electric grill will use 1700 watts of the generator’s power.

Check Out The Top 2000 Watt Generators Here

The challenges arise when the power goes out and you need to start up critical appliances using the generator.

Powering Larger Appliances With a 2000 Watt Generator

Powering a Sump Pump or Well Pump

Sump pumps have 1200 starting (surge) watts and draw 800 watts while running. A 2000 watt generator could start up the sump pump and then keep it running during a storm, and once running and drawing 800 watts, you could use the same generator to power the 1000 watt water well pump. A 2000 watt generator won’t be able to power your hot water heater.

Powering an Air Conditioner

A 2000 watt handle the load of a 15000 BTU RV air conditioner with a higher starting wattage capacity could let you run a 10,000 BTU window air conditioner during a summer blackout. The typical such unit has 2200 starting watts but only needs 1500 watts of continuous power. Once the AC is running, you could use the remaining capacity to run a few lights or charge a laptop or cell phone. A 2000watt generator can’t handle the load of a 15000 BTU RV air conditioner starting up, but it could carry the load once it was running.

Powering a Refrigerator

A mid-sized energy star rated refrigerator uses about 1200 starting watts when the compressor kicks in before dropping down to 200 running watts. If there’s nothing else plugged into the 2000 watt generator, you could start up the refrigerator. Once it is running, you have roughly 1800 watts left to work with. You could start up a one third horsepower sump pump before its load drops down to 800 watts, then use the remaining power from the generator to run a desktop computer or run a laptop computer while charging your cell phone.

Powering a Furnace Fan or a Radiant Heater

If the power goes out due to a snowstorm, a 2000 watt generator has the capacity to run the average 1300 watt radiant heater after you’ve let it handle the starting surge of refrigerator’s load. If you have an oil or natural gas furnace, the generator has enough power to run a third of a horsepower furnace fan. The surge wattage is 1400 watts while running load is 700 watts. However, a half horsepower furnace fan needs nearly 2400 watts to startup – more than the 2000 watt generator could provide unless it is one of the few inverter generators with a starting load that high. Conversely, a 2000 watt generator could run a radiant heater, multiple lights and a couple of fans to distribute the heat.

Powering a Washing Machine

It can’t run your clothes dryer, but it could run an automatic washer assuming there is almost no other load barring lights and maybe a TV running.

Check Out The Top 2000 Watt Generators Here
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Comments

  1. Karen says

    June 18, 2018 at 3:58 pm

    Can I run a 7500 BTU on a 2000 watt tool shed generator

    Reply
  2. Fred says

    August 27, 2018 at 3:37 am

    Yes you can, at least with the Honda 2000

    Reply
    • Victor Valdez says

      July 25, 2019 at 1:07 am

      Can u run a 1600 psi pressure washer with this generator

      Reply
      • SAM WARR says

        September 5, 2019 at 3:39 pm

        No. The average 1600psi pressure washer is rated at 1560 watts with a current draw of 13 amps. The generator probably produces less than 2000 watts on a continuous basis. This will overload the generator and you will have problems. Get at least a 4000 watt generator and you will be OK.

        Reply
  3. Ant says

    September 13, 2018 at 9:16 pm

    I have 2000 watt Yamaha invert 1600 running will it run a LG refigerator

    Reply
    • Kevin Mcintosh says

      October 8, 2019 at 6:55 pm

      Thank you I was getting nervous when I looked at the box they are selling like hot cakes today pge wants to shut off power

      Reply
  4. Rio says

    March 6, 2019 at 12:17 am

    I was curious if anyone ran their Honda 2000 you are OK for 10,000 hours because I have approximated my use and it seems that I am about there

    Reply
    • Darren says

      July 22, 2019 at 5:21 am

      How do I prep a portable 2000w generator…what makes it work?

      Reply
      • Chris says

        November 18, 2019 at 5:42 am

        To prep a gas powered generator you need non ethanol fuel for best results and if new nothing else.
        Most generators are run off of a small combustion engine like what you would have on a lawn mower and attached to the shaft is the head which while spinning will give you your electricity.
        In a nutshell

        Reply
  5. Tenzin says

    June 18, 2019 at 10:32 pm

    I have a predator 2000 watt gen/ inverter I’m going to try and run my 13500 btu rv a/c with a easy start. Think it will work. My a/c also has hard start capacitor. I don’t want to use the parallel kit every time I need a/c.

    Reply
    • Edward Mulvaney says

      August 13, 2019 at 8:33 pm

      did this work?

      Reply
    • SAM WARR says

      September 5, 2019 at 3:47 pm

      A 13500 BTU AIR CONDITIONER DRAWS ANYWHERE FROM 2700 TO 2900 WATTS AT START-UP. yOU’RE 2000 WATT MAX HONDA GENERATOR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE AMPS NOR WATTS REQUIRED.

      Reply
      • patricia alexander says

        August 3, 2020 at 3:43 pm

        My 2000 watt wont handle 13500 ac. I have a 3800 gen for that. The 2000 watt will run everything without air conditioner.

        Reply
  6. Dan says

    July 14, 2019 at 12:42 am

    My Ryobi 2300 in inverter generator will run my 10,000 BTU window AC. It will run my Porter Cable circ saw, but not pancake compressor.

    Reply
  7. Beverly says

    July 23, 2019 at 6:30 pm

    What size gen do I need to fun a slush machine

    Reply
  8. Pamela Rummel says

    August 8, 2019 at 6:24 pm

    Can I use a deep fryer on my 2000 gas generator

    Reply
  9. Jim hill says

    September 16, 2019 at 9:47 pm

    Will these top 10, 2000w generators run my mikado 16, draws 14.5 amps corded chainsaw?

    Reply
  10. Kit says

    September 17, 2019 at 10:37 am

    Can a 1200 watts powers 10 units of computer with household lights?

    Reply
  11. Charlie says

    October 12, 2019 at 5:50 am

    I have a question. Im new to all of this and dont know the first thing about it. Im looking for some help. Im looking to run a 300 watt appliance for as long as i can. Would a 2000 watt generator help? And how long would it run for? And is there like a cool down period to wait before using it again?

    Reply
    • John Chevalier says

      March 29, 2020 at 11:11 pm

      I’m a little late in seeing this BUT; First, we’d need to know the appliance that you want to run. 300watts is nothing for a 2000watt generator to run but some appliances use more power at start up than they do for continuous operation. But let’s say your appliance doesnt use more than 300watts starting or running. If that’s the case then a 2000 watt generator will run the appliance for as long as you can keep the generator in good repair, gassed up, and running. You wouldnt need a cool down period at as all except maybe to stop the generator on occassion to check its oil level. On the other hand, if your appliance requires more than 2000 watts to start up before settling into running at 300 watts, then you’ll need a more powerful generator. So you’ve got some research to do on your appliance.

      Reply
  12. Lisa says

    June 24, 2020 at 1:48 pm

    Will my 2200 craftsman inventor generator run my 6500 BTU Frigidaire AC

    Reply
  13. Brian says

    September 11, 2020 at 11:47 am

    What is a parallel kit?

    Reply

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