How many watts does a central air conditioner use?
However, generally speaking, a central air conditioner will consume between 3000 and 3500 watts per hour. While window units use between 900 and 1440 watts per hour, portable units consume between 2900 and 4100.
Extremely small central ACs use roughly 1,500 watts, and mid-sized ones might use roughly 2,200. If you have a very large central AC, expect it to use between 3,000 and 4,000 watts.
| Room size | Example | Approx. capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Small (up to 20m2) | Bedroom, study, small kitchen | 2–2.5kW |
| Medium (20–40m2) | Bedroom with ensuite, small lounge | 2.5–5kW |
| Large (40–60m2) | Large bedroom, mid-sized lounge, large kitchen | 5–9kW |
| Extra large (60+m2) | Open-plan areas, large lounges | 6–10kW |
If the label on the AC system shows the SEER rating and BTUs, calculating watts is a bit more straightforward. Divide the number of BTUs by the SEER rating, and the result is the number of watts.
Simply multiply your unit's tonnage by 3,500 (1 ton = 3,500 watts). So, on a 3.5 ton AC, the wattage would be 12,250 (2.5 x 3,500 = 12,250). Note: This method calculates your unit's starting wattage (also called “surge wattage”), which refers to how many watts an appliance requires just at start-up.
To get uninterrupted HVAC service during a power outage, you'll need to rewire your system, install an extra outlet at your circuit breaker, and install an automatic transfer switch. Plug in your generator, which can reside indoors or outside.
Once you know the AC's tonnage, you can calculate its wattage. 1 ton = 3,500 watts, so if you have a 2 ton unit, the wattage is 7,000 (2 x 3,500 = 7,000). This calculation measures the starting watts of your AC unit, which is the number of watts your AC unit needs to start up (always more than running watts).
Central air conditioners use 1,000 watts per one ton of cooling capacity. For a 2,000 square foot home with standard-height ceilings, you'll need about 3.5 tons of cooling power. This capacity of air conditioner will use about 3,500 watts per hour.
If your air conditioner is not big enough to cool your home, it will keep running to attempt to reach the temperature you've chosen on your thermostat. No matter how long it runs or how hard it tries, it won't get there or can't stay there for long. That also means your air conditioning unit never turns off.
By reducing your home's temperature to 68 degrees Fahrenheit and under during winter and about 78 degrees Fahrenheit during summer, you can conserve energy and cut down your energy bills for good.
How many watts does a TV use?
Generally, TVs use between 50 to 200 watts (W) of electricity, depending on the model. Most TVs use less than one amp and connect to a 120-volt outlet. Older TVs that use technology such as Plasma and CRT are much less efficient compared to newer LED and LCD TVs.
A home refrigerator's power consumption is typically between 300 to 800 watts of electricity, or between 3 and 6 amps and about 120 volts. Importantly, refrigerators generally have a much lower "running" wattage than their stated average wattage – this is because they cycle on and off throughout the day.
The average window unit uses between 500 and 1,440 watts of electricity in order to run, whereas a central air conditioner in the average-sized home uses around 3,500 watts.
Therefore, you would need a generator with a minimum capacity of 5,300 watts to run a 4-ton AC unit. A 12,000 watt generator should provide enough power to run the AC unit and other appliances simultaneously.
9500 Running Watts and 50A of pure power!
Now when power goes out during the next Hurricane I'll just roll this guy out of the garage, under the covered area I made for it. Flip all the appropriate circuit breaker, plug it in, start it up and it runs the whole house with the a/c.
If you've ever wondered if your 2000 watt generator will run an air conditioner, the answer is yes, but only a portable or window air conditioning unit. You can power most small home appliances with a 2000 watt generator very smoothly but your central air system will not run efficiently.
If you have a 3-ton (30-Amp, 36,000 BTUs) air conditioner, you need at least a 14 KW generator. If you have a 4-ton (40-Amp, 48,000 BTUs) air conditioner, you need at least a 17 KW generator. If you have a 5-ton (50-Amp, 60,000 BTUs) air conditioner, you need at least a 20 KW generator.
What size portable generator do you need for central air? Here are the detailed wattage recommendations: 3-ton (36,000 BTU) central AC: 6,500-8,500 watts. A 7500-watt generator is ideal.
A generator that can provide between 5,000 and 8,000 watts would be enough to power a typical house. With this generator size, homeowners can expect to power essential appliances such as the air conditioner, sump pump, refrigerator, laptop, TV, and light bulbs.
If your 2 ton AC, is rated for 2 kW, and it was on for a period of 10 hours daily, means for a month of 30 days, total consumption will be 2 ×10 ×30 =600 kwh, it means it will be 600 units for a month.
How many watts does a 3.5 ton AC use?
A typical 2,000-square-foot house has a 3.5-ton air conditioner. This size of AC unit uses about 3,500 watts per hour when it's in cooling mode. When a central air conditioner is running in the fan-only mode, it uses approximately 750 watts per hour.
Watts = Amps x Volts
Examples: 10 Amps x 120 Volts = 1200 Watts. 5 Amps x 240 Volts = 1200 Watts.
If your air conditioner has a startup power requirement of 3,000 watts and your refrigerator has a startup power requirement of 1,000 watts, you'll need to purchase a generator that produces at least 4,000 watts.
A frequent question that arises is “Do older AC units use more electricity?”. The answer is: usually, yes. An air conditioner older than five years is likely designed for less efficiency and uses less effective components.
When it comes to residential applications, a 12,000-watt generator can power essential household appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, furnaces, and water heaters. Additionally, it can keep lights, televisions, computers, and smaller kitchen appliances running smoothly.
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