Which Appliances Can an Inverter Power?

The 2000 watt inverter is a convenient device which converts your panels’ DC electricity (Direct current power) into AC electricity (Alternating current power) to power your household appliances. So, what exactly can you run using a 2k watt inverter?

If you are unsure what size inverter your solar panels in San Diego, CA require, reach out to expert solar installers for information and advice about your system. If you already own a 2000W inverter and plan to go off-the-grid, you may be wondering if it would be enough to power the appliances in your home. Continue reading to learn more.

Running and starting watts

In order to determine whether a 2k watt inverter will be able to power your appliances, be aware of the starting and running wattage of each appliance. The starting watts represent the surge of power needed to start the appliance. The running watts are the power the appliance needs to keep running. Appliances typically need more power to start than they need to run, meaning that the starting watts are usually higher than the running watts.

Some appliances, such as light bulbs, microwaves, toasters, and other heat or light producing devices usually don’t need additional starting watts. However, appliances that run on motors such as hair dryers will usually need extra power to kick off.

Determining Your Watt Requirements

So, how is this useful? You can add up the starting and running watts of your appliances once they are determined. This number will represent the minimum watt requirements for your San Diego solar inverter and help you determine if a 2k watt option would be sufficient for your home.

Appliances Powered by a 2k Inverter

A 2000W inverter can power a wide range of household appliances. Naturally, you may not be able to use all of these devices simultaneously, but use their running and starting wattage to determine which devices you can run at the same time. A 2k watt inverter can run:

  • Microwave (1000W)
  • Coffee maker (1000W)
  • Refrigerator (1200 W)
  • Toaster (1200W)
  • Computers (150W)
  • TV (250W)
  • Stereo (300W)
  • Ceiling fans (140W)
  • Electric heaters (1200W)

Will a 2000 watt Inverter Run a Refrigerator?

Considering a refrigerator is an essential device, it’s common to wonder if it can be powered by a 2k watt inverter with your San Diego solar energy system. The short answer is you can run a mid-sized fridge as long as it uses up to 1200 watts of starting power and is rated by ENERGY STAR.

However, a fridge is a unique device because it continually starts and stops while operating. So, the starting watts are not just an initial requirement. This is why it’s important to consider the overall wattage requirements of your fridge before deciding to run it on a 2k inverter.

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