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Avatar for Wighton's Electric Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning
Wighton's Electric Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning
4.5(
127
)
Fixed Generator - InstallFixed Generator - RepairGenerator - Install - For Business+3 more

Serving Morro Bay, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 1981

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"We had a very old heater in our mobile home that finally died. Called Wighton's and Patrick came out and gave us lots of information and a quote on a new unit. He was very personable and helpful. We then had Ivan install our unit. He was very professional, polite, and informative. From beginning to end, this was a very positive experience. Even felt the price was good!"
Home Repipe
Home Repipe
Water Heater
Water Heater
AC System Installation

+1

Response time4 days
8 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by91%of homeowners
Avatar for Hurley Electric
Hurley Electric
5.0(
5
)
Fixed Generator - InstallFixed Generator - RepairGenerator - Install - For Business+1 more

Serving Morro Bay, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2007

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"I purchased a tiny home off of Facebook Marketplace at a great price, but unfortunately the electrical work was very subpar, and even had the potential to start a fire. Colin and his son came out and managed to come up with solutions to the multiple issues and had all the work completed within a few hours. If you need electrical work, I would definitely recommend Hurley's Electric!"
Hurley Electric
3 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by20%of homeowners
Avatar for Link Electrix
Link Electrix
4.7(
61
)
Fixed Generator - InstallPortable Generator - Install

Serving Morro Bay, CA and surrounding areas

In business since 2018

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"I echo the thoughts of so many others and that of Sydney, in that you would think Link Electric wrote this review. Marcus is incredibly polite, attentive, easy-going, upbeat demeanor, professional and most of all, knowledgeable. When he told me he had finished installing the outside breakers, I was taken back because it he did it so quickly. I have another project to be done and Marcus will be the person I hire! He is truly exceptional like so many other have written."
Response time2 days
Recommended by96%of homeowners
Avatar for 5 Star Electrical Services Inc
5 Star Electrical Services Inc
4.9(
90
)
Fixed Generator - InstallFixed Generator - RepairGenerator - Install+4 more

Serving Morro Bay, CA and surrounding areas

In business since 2012

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Bruce spent 2.5 hours searching for the cause of the problem because it wasn't readily apparent. It perplexed him but he persevered in spite of my leading him astray (insisting the plug in back of a cabinet wasn't a GFI breaker [it was]). Along the way he gave me an excellent education in how electricity works, fixed a couple of other plugs with loose wires and discussed all the options in a professional, friendly manner. I felt comfortable with him and trusted he was giving me the absolute best advice. 5 Star will be coming back to install some new LED fixtures in the garage, which he did not insist on selling to me but let me order exactly what I wanted myself."
Recommended by97%of homeowners
Showing 1-10 of 28
Generator Install questions, answered by experts

Sizing a generator is a careful process that requires calculating the electrical load of your entire house. You have to take into account every device you want to use and their wattage requirements, plus the wattage needed to start them, and look for a generator that can safely run all that at around 80% capacity.

In more practical terms, a small home can run on a 10,000-watt generator (and if you only want to power a few key appliances, much less than that). A mid-sized home may need something between 15,000 and 22,000 watts. Larger homes require 25,000 watts or more. 

To power a central air system during a power outage, the whole-house generator will need to be at least 5,000 watts, and this number will significantly increase for larger units. Check the specific wattage requirements of your AC unit to choose the right generator size. Consider consulting a generator installer to ensure your whole-house generator meets your electrical load needs.

To determine the right size generator for your house, you should calculate the total wattage of the appliances and devices you want to power during an outage. List all essential items, note their start-up wattages, and add them together.

Here are some typical wattage requirements for common appliances:

  • Refrigerator: 600 watts

  • Large dehumidifier: 700 watts

  • Large window air conditioner: 1,400 watts

  • Water heater: 3,000 to 4,500 watts

  • Electric furnace: 5,000 to 25,000 watts

A 7,500-watt generator might be sufficient for essentials like a refrigerator, freezer, well pump, and lighting circuits. However, for high-demand items like a water heater or furnace, a whole-home generator is a better choice. A portable generator may be enough if you only need to power a few critical items.

While home square footage can offer a rough estimate, it is not always a reliable indicator. For reference, here are some typical generator sizes based on square footage:

  • 1,000 sq ft: 6–9 kW

  • 1,500 sq ft: 7–10 kW

  • 2,000 sq ft: 10–14 kW

  • 2,500 sq ft: 12–16 kW

  • 3,000 sq ft: 16–20 kW+

For the most accurate sizing, consult a professional who can calculate your home's peak and average power consumption and recommend the optimal generator.

The amount of time a standby generator can run continuously is around 3,000 hours on average. However, standby generators can generally run indefinitely as long as they have a continuous fuel supply. Generators hooked up to a home’s natural gas supply are the best option for extended usage, as these won’t rely on a finite fuel supply based on how much you have in storage. Generators running on liquid propane or diesel won’t last as long, as these require fuel storage and regular refueling to stay running.

As a safety measure, you should always turn off the main breaker while operating your generator’s backup breaker. In addition, you should also switch off all appliance breakers so you don't have a power surge when the main breaker turns back on. And finally, turning off the main breaker prevents back-feeding, which endangers utility workers with the risk of electrocution. Back-feeding could also destroy the electrical circuits of your neighbors if they use the same power network.

The Morro Bay, CA homeowners’ guide to generator installs

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.