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Are you looking for a large enough generator to keep your appliances running in the event of a power backup?
Or, do you have an AC in your camper with a high initial power startup of about 3,500 watts and need a large generator to power it?
Depending on power backup needs – the combined power consumption of your appliances, what appliances you need to run (simultaneously), a good quality 4,000 watt inverter generator may be what you need.
This post looks at what a 4,000 watt inverter generator can be used for, and how many hours it can run.
What is a 4,000 watt Inverter Generator Good For?
How much power it can supply?
A 4,000 watt inverter generator is usually able to supply a starting power of about 4,000 watts and a continuous power of up to 3,500 watts. It can be used to power:
- an RV with a 30A, 120V service,
- provide power to a home in the event of an outage or
- running power tools at a remote off-grid site.
Make sure you do not exceed the power limits of the generator.
Typical examples of appliances you can run off a generator are: a fridge ~ 280 watts, microwave ~ 1800 watts, coffee maker ~ 1,500 watts, AC ~ 1,200 watts running. Starting watts for an AC can be as high as 3,500 watts unless you use an AC soft start.
Check your AC’s specification guide.
Make a note of the power consumption (watts) of the various appliances you plan to connect to the generator. Confirm that their combined power draw is within the capabilities of the generator.
You may also be interested in: What you can power using a 2,000 watt inverter generator
What Appliances Can it Run at the Same time?
You’ll likely only be able to run up to 1-2 large appliances at any one time and no other.
For example, a coffee maker at 1,500 watts and a microwave at 1,800 watts for a combined power draw of 3,300 watts, use up about 94% of the available 3,500 watt capacity of the generator.
To use the inverter generator:
- Start it and wait for it to stabilize.
- Connect the appliance with the largest power consumption and surge power rating first.
- Wait for the generator to stabilize before connecting the next largest appliance.
Will it run a 4,000 BTU AC or 8,000 BTU AC?
Yes , a 4,000 watt generator can run a 4,000 or 8,000 BTU AC comfortably. Some models are able to run a 15,000 BTU air conditioner comfortably provided no additional large appliance is connected to the generator at the same time.
How Long a 4,000 watt Inverter Generator Runs for?
Some models are able to run for up to 17 hours non-stop depending on the power consumption of the connected appliance.
Ultimately how much runtime you get with your generator depends on the combined power consumption of the connected appliances and how much gas there is in the generator.
Final Word
A 4,000 watt generator can be used to provide backup power for a home or run appliances in an RV. Usually the generator can supply up to
4,000 watts of surge power and a continuous power rating of 3,500 watts.
Examples of appliances you can run off the generator are ACs of selected power ratings (watts), microwaves, coffee makers, fridges, and low-power electronics such as laptops, and TVs provided the power limits of the generator are not exceeded.
