What Can a 4000-Watt Generator Run?

What Is a 4000-Watt Generator?

A 4000-watt generator can produce 4,000 running watts, typically providing 33.3 amps at 120 volts or 16.6 amps at 240 volts. It can power multiple household and RV/camping devices, such as televisions, microwave ovens, and coffee makers.

If you are planning to buy a 4000-watt generator for your personal and professional needs, the first step is for you to understand that there are different types of 4000-watt generators currently available in the market, like :

4000-watt Portable Generator : A portable generator is compact and can easily be transported in an RV. A 4000-watt portable generator is ideal for outdoor activities, off-road adventures, campaigns, and emergency home backups during long blackouts.

4000-watt Inverter Generator : A 4000-watt generator produces clean and stable power, perfect for quiet operations. These generators are known for fuel efficiency, which makes them ideal for RVing, camping, and even tailgating.

4000-watt Solar Generator : A 4000-watt solar generator is the one where it utilizes solar panels to harness the energy directly from the sun. The stored energy is later converted into DC electricity that can charge household and off-grid appliances. A 4000-watt solar generator provides a sustainable renewable energy backup solution.

If this is your first time exploring the information about the size of generator you need for your household and off-road adventures, it is recommended to get yourself acquainted with the following terminologies :

Starting Watts : Starting watts are the extra power an appliance needs when initially starting it up. This is often called surge watts, as it is important to ensure that the generator can handle the initial surge of power required by the appliances it will be powering.

Running Watts : Running watts indicate the continuous power appliances would draw when they are operating. This is often called rated watts, and along with starting watts, it ensures that the generator can handle the appliance's requirements.

Surge Wattage : Surge wattage refers to the peak power a generator can supply for a brief moment just to power up certain devices, like air conditioners, refrigerators, water motors, etc. Typically, the surge wattage of Jackery Solar Generator is double its rated wattage, which ensures a reliable and efficient performance during startup.

Watt-Hour : A watt-hour indicates how much power a device uses over time. For instance, a 15000-watt generator can sustain appliances for longer durations than a 10,000-watt generator.

What Size Generator Do I Need?

If you are wondering what size generator you need and wish to accurately determine the size of the generator that would meet your power requirements, then follow the below-mentioned steps :

Step 1 : Identify Appliances

Always start by listing all the appliances that you intend to simultaneously power with your generator during an emergency or off-grid activity. Note down both the starting and running wattages of all the appliances.

Calculate wattage using the Watt formula :

Watts = Amps x Volts.

For instance, a refrigerator has a running wattage of 800 W and a starting wattage of 1600 W. Similarly, the microwave's running wattage is 1000 W, and it's starting wattage is 2000 W. Light's running wattage is 30 W, and the television's running wattage is 50 W.

Step 2 : Calculate Total Power Requirements

The second step is to sum up all the running wattage of the appliances to determine the total running requirements. Always start by identifying the appliances with the highest starting wattage.

Step 3 : Account for Surge Wattage

Now combine the total running wattage with the highest starting wattage to calculate the surge wattage that you would need from your generator.

Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus

If you live in an area that experiences frequent and prolonged power outages, then the Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus appears to be a reliable home battery backup solution. This essential home backup solution can easily run heavy-load appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, sump pumps, microwaves, and even small HVAC units. With its multiple output ports, it can power multiple devices simultaneously and support your home office, kitchen, or even a workshop. 

Who Should Buy This

If you want a reliable, large-capacity home backup solution for both essential and high-wattage appliances, and need consistent power during extended outages or off-grid living, the Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus is a reliable option.

Customer Review 

“The Jackery 5000 Plus alongside the Smart Transfer Switch is a really great combination. Everything just works. Having automatic power switching from the grid to backup power is very nice.” — Thomas Rowe.

How Many Amps Does a 4000-Watt Generator Put Out?

At 240 V, a 4000-watt generator would produce 16.66 amps, and at 120 V, it would produce 33.33 amps. In order to understand the amp-hour of a Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station, let's calculate it with the following formula :

Amp-hour = Watt-hour / Volts = 2042.8 Wh / 44.8 V = 45.6 Ah

What is the Quietest 4000 W Generator?

Solar generators are the quietest 4000-watt generators, compared to the fuel generators, which are the loudest and also exceed fumes, which is unhealthy for the people and surroundings. Solar generators typically produce 30 - 45 dB during normal operations, comparable to the ideal indoor noise level.

Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station is one of the quietest portable power stations, emitting less than 30 dB when charging household appliances. When plugged alongside an additional Jackery Battery Back 2000 Plus, a Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station can be expanded to 24 kWh, which makes it ideal for powering up household and outdoor appliances.

How Long Does a 4000-Watt Generator Last?

The running time of a 4000-watt generator will depend on multiple factors, including its age, number of concurrent appliances, etc. The higher the number of appliances you will power up with a 4000-watt generator, the less running time you will get.

For instance, let's calculate the running time of the Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus, which has a power capacity of 5040Wh. Consider a scenario where you are powering multiple devices with this solar generator, like a refrigerator (300W), heater (1500W), and TV (150W).

You can calculate the working hours by visiting the product page and scrolling down to find the Running Time Calculator. Simply add the total wattage of the appliances being powered and click on Enter to get an estimated runtime. In this case, the Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus will power appliances (1950W) for 2.1 hours.

Conclusion

A 4000-watt generator is a great addition for those who want to power up their household and outdoor appliances during power outages or emergencies. It can power up most household appliances, such as window ACs, televisions, mini refrigerators, etc. However, the cost of maintaining a 4000-watt generator is on the upper end.

If you are unsure which portable solar generator you want and are looking for a 4000-watt generator alternative, then Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station might be an ideal choice. This portable power station can easily be carried around in the house or during the RV trip. Alternatively, you can consider the Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus that can support most appliances during power outages and off-grid adventures.