5000 BTU Air Conditioner Watts: What Generator Do I Need?
No matter what appliance of the RV you are looking at, it is all about the power to run it. If your generator is too small, then your RV time may be a bit uncomfortable. If it is too large, you may be wasting power. Finding the right power source is all about finding the one that is just right.
A minimum of 2000 watt generator is needed. There are two aspects of an appliance you need to cover with the generator. The generator has to be powerful enough to produce enough electricity for start-up and then consistent enough to handle the running time of the appliance.
To learn more about this topic and what size of generator you will need to have on hand, just continue to read our article. It has the information you need to find the right model to power your 5000 BTU air conditioner.
5000 BTU AC Wattage 101
How Many Amps does a 5000 BTU air Conditioner use?
In a simplified explanation, you are looking at using only 5 amps for this size of air conditioner. This is, of course, the average window model will use. The actual rating is between 3.62 and 5.43. That is a rough estimate.
Sometimes, a portable a.c. unit will draw more than 5 amps and it will depend on the make, model, and design of the unit how many amps it will use at one time. The equation you can use to find out your amp usage is watts divided by volts = amps.
To find the number of watts, just reverse the equation and go volts x amps = watts. The math may seem complicated by in reality it is not hard to figure out once you get the numbers for all of the components in the equation.
One thing to keep in mind is that the higher the energy rating on the 5000 BTU a.c. unit the fewer amps it will use up. That makes that energy rating very important when you are on a power budget and are not sure if your generator can handle the power draw.
5000 BTU Air Conditioner Watts
There are two figures you need to keep in mind when trying to match your a.c. unit with a generator. There is the start-up wattage and the running time watts that need to be considered. You can’t get away with leaving one of those numbers out.
For an average 5000 BTU air conditioner, you are looking at between 1200 and 1500 watts just for the start-up portion of the operation. For the running time portion, those figures will lower to approx. 900 to 1000 watts.
But, like any other appliance, it will depend on who makes the air conditioner and what energy efficiency rating it has. Some models can be run and started with a small 500-watt generator. Others will need at least a 1000 or 2000 watt unit because their power draw is greater than 500 watts.
You will have to know your current air conditioner wattage requirements before you can find the right generator. Since every model is different, you may need to go larger just in case.
Also, it pays to have a larger generator so you can run other appliances at the same time. Your energy needs will influence your generator’s size.
Will a 2000 Watt Generator Run a 5000 BTU air Conditioner?
A 2000 watt generator should not be a problem for you. Even the most energy inefficient 5000 BTU air conditioners should be comfortable with that size of a generator. In the previous section, we quoted high as some a.c. units require a lot of start-up power.
But even those only reach that 2000 watt level unless one is really badly made by the manufacturer. With the more energy-efficient AC models being produced that 2000 watt generator may have lots of power leftover to run other appliances at the same time. Not very much but enough for one or two more.
To get your indication of how much power you will need in a generator, just read the energy efficiency ratio on the yellow tag. It provides you with the key data you will need. The higher this number is, the lower amount of power you will need.
The minimum number the EER should be is 10, which is the standard for most air conditioners of this size. If you can get one that is rated higher, the better it is for you. If you only see ones rated lower, then it is best to move on and keep looking for a better air conditioner.
How big of a Generator do I Need to Run a 5000 BTU Air Conditioner?
Again, this will depend on the make and model of your a.c. unit but generally, you will need at least a 500-watt generator to power a 5000 BTU air conditioner. That is if your a.c. unit has an EER number of 10.
If it has an 8, then you will need at least a 625-watt generator. Then if the a.c. unit is rated at 12.5 you can then go down to a 400-watt generator. But, remember, if you are using this generator out in your RV and do not have any shore power to help you, you may not be able to run more than the air conditioner on this size of generator.
To run different RV appliances at the same time depends on having the right power. That means you may have to invest in a larger generator to maintain the comfort of life you are used to when you are at home.
It will depend on your RV situation as to which size of generator you will need, but in this case, you cannot add wattage to your generator if it is too small. You can use less on a larger model when you do not need a lot of power.
Then when you need more, the power is already there waiting to be used.
How many Watts Does a 6000 BTU Air Conditioner use?
For good energy-rated air conditioners this size, you can expect to use less than 700 watts and more than 450 during running time. Generally, the usage is between 462 and 667 depending on your make, model, and maker.
Remember the equation watts = volts x amps so if you know the numbers for the latter two parts of the equation, then you will get the total number of watts your unit will use.
Then, if you have a 2000 watt generator you can handle any AC unit that uses up to 1500 watts in both start-up and running time. That size of generator gives you some more cooling options. You can pick the AC model you want without any worry.
The size of the generator will depend solely on your purpose for it and the number of duties you give it. Smaller generators are easier to store when you are on the road, but they may not be the best option for all your appliances.
Generally, 5000 BTU air conditioners are window-mounted units only. There are supposed to be some rooftop options but they may not be found so easily.
How Many Watts Does a 4000 BTU Air Conditioner Use?
Most charts we have seen so far only deal with 5000 BTUs and higher. That is because those 4000 BTU models are not that large and do not cool a large space. they work best in very small rooms like an RV bedroom.
They may also be portable units that can float from room to room. The best figure we can give you is an estimate taken from a 5000 BTU air conditioning unit. For the latter size, you are looking at using between 385 to 556 watts.
The 4000 BTU air conditioner should use a lot less than that and have an even smaller start-up power requirement. But you can use the equation here to figure out your own specific totals.
If the unit uses 120 volts and 2.5 amps, then your total watts would be 300. A small 400 to 500-watt generator would handle that task very easily. Once you know the total watts your a.c. unit uses, you can pair it up very quickly to the right generator.
Some final words
In most states, AC power is not needed unless the region is going through a heatwave. It is when you get to those more humid states where an air conditioner comes in very handy.
Being prepared is always a smart strategy so make sure you have the right generator that will handle all your power needs. There is a thing of going too small and you do not want to be caught in a heatwave with a small wattage generator.
