What size generator to run an electric water heater?
Electric water heater draws about 4,500W while running, and being a resistive load it has no startup surge. Allowing 20% headroom, size for at least 5,400W of starting capacity.
Resistive and enormous. Most backup plans simply do without hot water.
Units that cover it
- Pulsar PGX60BiSRCO
6,000W starting · 33% headroom · $1,299
Comfortable headroom without overpaying for capacity, has a CO shutoff sensor, runs on propane as well as gasoline.
Check price - DuroMax XP7000iH
7,000W starting · 56% headroom · $1,699
Comfortable headroom without overpaying for capacity, has a CO shutoff sensor, runs on propane as well as gasoline.
Check price - Briggs & Stratton Q6500 Inverter Generator
6,500W starting · 44% headroom
Comfortable headroom without overpaying for capacity, has a CO shutoff sensor.
Check price
Running more than one thing
Most people are not powering one appliance. Add everything you need at once and the calculator works out the real peak — your total running load plus the single largest surge, not the sum of every surge.
Size the whole load