Boat, Camping, RV and Household Appliances Wattage Charts

When powering home appliances using power generators and power stations, it is of utmost importance to know how much power our appliances require in order to operate properly and to avoid issues of overloading the power generators and power stations.

Our appliances chart includes the most common appliances, tools, gadgets used at homes, RVs, on the boats/yachts, during camping, etc.

Published: May 13, 2020.

Before listing how much watts appliances actually need, it is important to explain few things first:

- Running Watts vs. Starting Watts: every power generator (usually powered by gas, diesel, propane, or natural gas) features both running watts and starting watts. Running watts are watts that the power generator is able to provide continuously, while starting watts is the power that the power generator is able to provide for short periods of time, preventing power issues when spikes occur. Starting watts are very important when powering appliances and tools with electric motors - when starting, electric motors require more power than during normal operation.

- Power Generators vs. Power Stations: power generators feature internal combustion engines which burn fuel (gas, diesel, propane, natural gas, etc.), converting chemical energy into the mechanical energy and then using alternators ('electric generators'), they convert mechanical energy into electric energy, which is then filtered/converted using onboard electronics into the actual electricity with stable voltage and as less distortions as possible (THD preferably less than 3%).

On the other hand, power stations use onboard batteries (mostly lightweight but powerful lithium-ion batteries) and electronics to convert chemical energy in the batteries into the electric energy.

- Outdoor vs Indoor Power Generators: There is no such thing as 'indoor power generator'. End of discussion. In order to generate energy, power generators use oxygen from the air and burn fuel, creating fumes rich in carbon dioxide, but fumes that contain other gases, including very dangerous carbon monoxide (no smell, no taste, no color ...).

Some power generators feature an option of connecting their mufflers with longer exhaust tubes for extracting fumes directly outside, but if there is any issue with such systems, exhaust fumes can quickly fill the room and harm (and kill) everybody inside. This is a serious warning!

If you need a power generator during really bad weather, take your power generator outside and protect it from the elements like rain, snow, wind, and similar. And if the indoor power source is absolutely required, use lithium-powered power stations as indoor power sources.

 Appliances Wattage Charts

Here is the list of most common household appliances, tools, and gadgets, often being powered by home, RV, camping, boat, etc. power generators.

Note: for actual power requirements of your devices, the best practice is to check the device itself - power requirements are usually written using 'small' letters on the back or at the bottom, usually in the form 'Running Watts/Starting Watts' (both values given in watts), or just 'Running Watts' (given in watts).

Note: power requirements change over time - some appliances/tools/devices get stronger, while others become more efficient. Again, it is the best practice to check the power requirements labeled directly on the appliance/tool/device.

When trying to calculate what appliances and tools your power generator may run, always use the worst-case scenario, just in case.

Power generators feature many safety systems, including overload protection, but abusing overload protection system may result in damaged or even destroyed power generator - not to mention possible issues due to the lack of electric power for the most important appliances that satisfy essential human needs, especially during power outbreaks, natural disasters and similar.