Most generators are sized for the wrong number. The surge.
When a well pump or AC compressor starts, it pulls two to three times its running watts for a split second. Size for the steady load alone and your generator stalls at the worst moment.
From your actual appliances to the right unit
No square-footage guesswork. You tell us what you need to keep running; we calculate the true simultaneous peak — including the one surge that matters — and recommend what to buy.
List your loads
Choose the appliances you need during an outage. Each carries real running and starting watts from a sourced dataset.
We find the true peak
We add your running load to the single largest startup surge — the correct method — and flag the dominant load.
Get matched to a unit
A recommended wattage class, three real options from budget to premium, and a fuel-type call.
Pick the tool for your situation
Size a generator or battery from your exact appliance list, surge included.
Find the true startup surge for motors, compressors, and pumps.
Gas, propane, dual-fuel, inverter, or battery — side by side.
Which fits your outage frequency, budget, and loads.
How many hours a tank or battery lasts under your load.
NEC-based switch amperage and wire gauge for your generator.
NEC service-load calc — optional (220.82) and standard methods, surge-accurate.
How much real output your generator loses to elevation and heat.
Charge a Tesla or F-150 Lightning alongside your home — with the battery reality.
Flip appliances on a live breaker-box gauge and watch for the overload.
Upload an Emporia Vue or Sense CSV and size from your home's real measured demand.
Live countdown of your backup hours as you toggle appliances and fuel.
The safe cord gauge to run an appliance a given distance — and the max length for a cord you own.
The exact NEMA plug, inlet, and safe connection path — never a DIY suicide cord.
What a gas generator really costs over 5 years — purchase, fuel, and upkeep.
Get matched with local installers for a whole-home system.