What size generator to run an oxygen concentrator?
Oxygen concentrator sizing at a glance: it draws 350 running watts, surging to 700W at startup.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Running watts | 350W |
| Starting (surge) watts | 700W |
| Recommended class (this load + margin) | 1000W |
Why the startup surge matters
Because an oxygen concentrator has a motor, it surges to about 700W at startup — roughly 2× its running draw. If you size a generator only for the running watts, it can stall the instant the oxygen concentrator switches on. Always size for the surge.
Sizing the whole system
The number above covers the oxygen concentrator on its own with a safety margin. In a real outage you'll run other things too — and the right method is your total running load plus the single largest surge among everything, not the sum of every surge. Use the full calculator to size your actual setup:
Common questions
How many watts does an oxygen concentrator use?
A typical oxygen concentrator draws about 350 running watts, but needs roughly 700 watts at startup due to motor surge.
What size generator runs an oxygen concentrator?
For the oxygen concentrator alone plus a safety margin, a 1000W (≈1.0kW) class generator is appropriate. Add your other essential loads to size the full system.