Some generators list their surge rating in big numbers on the side of the generator, when the actual continuous output is much less. You can expect this size unit to be adequate for a room up to 150 square feet, and we recommend closing the supply register (vent) and taping over any return air register in the room you chose, to prevent loss of cool air through the central a/c ducts. If you need to get a window air conditioner that will put the absolute minimum load on your generator, one good option is the Frigidaire 5,000 BTU model FFRA051151-1, which is rated at 450 watts, 11.1 EER, and has a “Low Voltage Startup” feature that reduces surge requirement at startup. Since volts times amps equals watts, multiply the amps shown times volts (either 120 volts, or 240 volts for units over about 14,000 BTU) to get the wattage rating. It is sometimes called “maximum output” and can only be sustained briefly by a generator.Ī rule-of-thumb is that window air conditioners require about 1 watt for every 10 BTU, but the exact rating is listed on the data plate on the side of the cabinet. You just can’t plug in additional loads that, when added to the requirements of the air conditioner, will exceed the generator’s surge rating. But, because the compressor component needs a 50% to 100% additional surge of power to overcome inertia at start-up, a small window a/c needs about 900 to 1200 watts briefly each time the compressor kicks in to start a cooling cycle.Įven a 1,000 watt rated output generator will be adequate. The watt as a unit of power should not be confused with its energy counterpart, the watt-hour (and all its multiples/submultiples).ītu (IT)/hour to Watt Conversion Table Btu (IT)/hour ġ5 Btu/h = 15 × 0.2930710702 W = 4.Most portable generators can handle at least a 6,000 BTU air conditioner, which needs between 500 and 600 watts. The absolute watt was adopted as the SI unit of power in 1960.Ĭurrent use: As the SI derived unit of power, the watt in all its multiples and submultiples is used in many applications worldwide from radio transmission to use in the electric power industry. 1 absolute watt is equal to 1.00019 international watts. These were used until 1948 when the General Conference on Weights and Measures re-defined the watt to absolute units, using only mass, time, and length. In 1908, the "international" definitions were defined, with Siemens' definition being adopted as the international watt. It was first proposed in 1882 by William Siemens who defined it as "the power conveyed by a current of an Ampere through the difference of potential of a Volt." This was the definition used at the time within the existing system of units. History/origin: The watt is named after James Watt, a Scottish inventor. It is defined as 1 joule per second and is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. Wattĭefinition: A watt (Symbol: W) is the SI (International System of Units) derived unit of power. Multiples of the watt hour, often the kilowatt hour, are more frequently used than Btu/h, even in the United States. It has a number of different definitions all of which equate to approximately 1,055 joules.Ĭurrent use: The British thermal unit per hour is not a widely used unit. The BTU is specifically defined as the amount of heat required to increase the temperature of one pound of water by one ☏. History/origin: The British thermal unit per hour is based on the British thermal unit (symbol: Btu or BTU), a traditional United States customary unit of heat, where heat is a type of energy transfer in which energy moves from a hotter to a colder substance. One watt, the International System of Units derived unit of power, is equal to approximately 3.41214 Btu/h. This unit is often abbreviated as simply "Btu," which is the same abbreviation used for British thermal units, a measurement of heat. Definition: The British thermal unit per hour (symbol: Btu/h) is a United States customary system unit of power.
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