Power Requirements

The power output you require from your generator depends on the power and number of appliances you plan to run with it. Electrical appliances usually have information regarding their power consumption. For appliances form light bulbs to power tools, their listed wattage is the power they require to run. Some appliances, such as fridges, freezers and washing machines, list a running wattage and a much larger start up wattage generally associated with the power required for their start up motors. You will be able to calculate the size for generator you need simply by adding up the running wattage requirements of you appliances and ensuring that you have enough spare capacity to allow for the start up requirements of individual items.

What is the difference between kVA and kW?

All generators have a unique power factor. The power factor relates to the efficiency of the generator and varies from generator to generator. The power factor is rarely stated by the manufacturer but a typical value for the power factor is around 0.85.
  kW = kVA * Power Factor
  kVA = kW / Power Factor
A generator's kVA value is always higher than its kW value.