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What Size Generator Do You Need?

Built by Kevin Glover · @gloverbuilds · Verified formula

Calculate generator wattage needed based on the appliances you want to power during an outage.

📅 Updated April 2026 ✅ Formula verified 📖 4 min read 🆓 Free · No sign-up

In this article

Generator Sizing
Generator Types

Dimensionnement

Additionnez watts de fonctionnement + le plus grand pic de démarrage. Réfrigérateur : 700W (démarrage 2 200W). Chauffage : 700W (2 350W). Éclairage : 300-600W. Total essentiel typique : 3 500-5 000W fonctionnement. Un groupe de 5 000-7 500W couvre les besoins de base.

Types

Inverter portable (2 000-4 000W) : silencieux, 500-1 500 €. Conventionnel (3 500-10 000W) : plus bruyant, 400-1 200 €. Stationnaire (7 500-22 000W) : installation permanente, démarrage auto, 3 000-15 000 €.

⚡ CalcWolf Insight

The most dangerous generator mistake: running it indoors or in an attached garage. Carbon monoxide from generators kills 70+ people per year in the US. Run generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from any door or window, with the exhaust pointing away from the house. Buy a CO detector for inside the house — they cost $20 and save lives.

Frequently asked questions

Quelle puissance ?▾

Essentiels (frigo+chauffage+lumière) : 3 500-5 000W. Majorité de la maison : 7 500-10 000W.

Portable ou stationnaire ?▾

Coupures occasionnelles : portable. Fréquentes ou besoins médicaux : stationnaire.

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Kevin Glover · @gloverbuilds

Founder, CalcWolf · GLVTS · Blickr

All formulas sourced from primary references — IRS publications, peer-reviewed research, and official standards. Results are tested against independent reference calculators before publishing. Rates and brackets updated when official sources change. Editorial policy →