WEN 56551 5500 Watt - Manual (Page 23)

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USING THE GENERATOR
WARNING:
When this generator is used to supply a building wiring system:
Generator must be installed by a qualified electrician and connected to a transfer switch
as a separately derived system in accordance with the National Electrical Code, NFPA 70.
The generator shall be connected to a transfer switch that switches all conductors other than the
equipment grounding conductor. The frame of the generator shall be connected to an approved
grounding electrode.
For power outages, permanently installed stationary generators are better suited for providing
backup power to the home. Even a properly connected portable generator can become overloaded.
This may result in overheating or stressing the generator components, possibly leading to a
generator failure.
Before connecting electrical devices, allow the generator to run for a few minutes to stabilize the
speed and voltage output.
CAUTION: Become familiar with the markings on the panel before connecting electrical devices.
AC Usage
Connect electrical devices running on AC current according to their wattage requirements. The
chart in figure 15 shows the rated and surge wattage of your generator.
NOTE: Although the overall rated wattage of the machine is 5000 Watts, it is not recommended
that you attempt to draw more than 2400 Watts (20 A) from any ONE of the 120 Volt receptacles.
The rated wattage corresponds to the maximum wattage the generator can output on a continuous
basis.
The surge wattage corresponds to the maximum amount of power the generator can output for a
short period of time. Many electrical devices such as refrigerators require short bursts of extra
power, in addition to the rated wattage listed by the device, to stop and start their motors. The
surge wattage ability of the generator covers this extra power requirement.
Model Number Rated(Running) Wattage Surge Wattage
5500 5000 5500
Figure 15- generator wattage by model number.
The total running wattage requirement of the electrical devices connected to the generator should
not exceed the rated wattage of the generator itself. To calculate the total wattage requirement of
the electrical devices you wish to connect, find the rated (or running) wattage of each device. This
number should be listed somewhere on the device or in its instruction manual. If you cannot find
this wattage, you may calculate it by multiplying the Voltage requirement by the Amperage drawn:
Watts= Volts x Amperes
If these specifications are not available, you may estimate the Watts required by your device using
the chart in figure 16.
When the rated wattage requirement of each electrical device has been determined, add these
numbers to find the total rated wattage needed. If this number exceeds the rated wattage of the