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WireWorks
Total running load plus a safety margin, since generators need headroom for the startup surge of motor-driven appliances.
Motors (refrigerators, well pumps, AC units) draw a large surge of power for a fraction of a second at startup — often 2-3× their running wattage. A generator sized only for running watts can stall or shut down when a motor-driven appliance kicks on.
For a portable backup generator, it's often cheaper and just as practical to plan on staggering appliance use (running the fridge and a few lights, but not the AC and the dryer simultaneously) rather than sizing a generator for every possible load running at the same time.
Recommended generator size
6,000 W
Add up the running watts of everything you'd power at once, and remember that motors (fridges, AC units, pumps) have a higher startup surge than their running wattage.
What you entered
Add a 20% safety margin for startup surges
5000 × 1.20= 6000 WResult
Recommended generator size: 6,000 W
A 5000 W total load with a 20% safety margin calls for a generator rated at least 6000 W.