Who doesn’t love using air conditioner these days, right? It reduces our room temperature in a matter of minutes and keep us away from the scorching summer heat.
That being said, while purchasing an air conditioner you might be wondering how many watts a 3 ton ac unit uses.
You might also want to know the process to determine the wattage of an air conditioner. Let’s find the answers to all your questions regarding this matter.
How many watts does a 3 ton air conditioner use?
A 3 ton air conditioner normally uses 3500 watts or 3.5 kW per hour. So, basically, a 3 ton central air conditioning unit needs 3.5 kilowatts of electricity to operate. However, the power consumption can vary depending on the type of the air conditioner and the technology that is being used in it.
Not every 3 ton air conditioner consumes the same amount of power. It varies from unit to unit. It mainly varies depending on the air conditioner type, brand, technology, and a few other factors.
The inverter air conditioner unit uses wattage somewhat lower than the other type of unit.
That being said, on average and generally, a 3 ton air conditioner uses 3500 watts of power to work. The electricity is measured in watts, which is the unit of power. As a result, a 3 ton air conditioner needs 3500 watts of electricity to function properly.
A 3 ton air conditioner is a massive unit. It can cool about 1800 square feet area, which can even be the size of a whole apartment. So, the high wattage consumption of the 3 ton air conditioner is reasonably normal.
Let’s take a look at how many watts a couple of different 3 ton air conditioner uses.
3 ton central air conditioner:
A 3 ton central air conditioner required 3500 watts of electric power to operate. That means, this unit consumes 3500 watts of electricity when it operates for an hour.
The high power usage of the 3 ton central air conditioner is justified as it is used to cool down a large space.
3 ton HVAC system:
A 3 ton HVAC system also uses 3500 watts power per hour. A HVAC system is a combination of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. The 3 ton HVAC system consumes the same amount of electricity as a 3 ton air conditioning unit.
How many starting watts does a 3 ton air conditioner use?
To start operating, a 3 ton air conditioner will need about 3500 watts. This works as a general reference point for this air conditioner. And we will be able to run the air conditioner with this wattage per hour.
However, there are some 3 ton air conditioners that will draw about 4 Kwatts per hour. This depends on the individual features and functionalities of air conditioners. It also depends on the manufacturer and brand.
Otherwise, on average, 3 kilo watts is needed for starting an average 3 ton air conditioner.
This size is considered to be a mid-sized air conditioner and it will enable you to cool your house, especially a mid-sized house, greatly within a short time.
Will a 10000 watt generator run central air?
Yes, a 10,000 watt generator will definitely be able to run central air. This size of generator is considered to be pretty large. You will be able to run a centralized air conditioner with it pretty swiftly, without any worry.
And if you opt for a generator smaller than this, then you will have to run smaller appliances with it.
You can operate lights and fans with it. But you will not be able to run the central air conditioner with a generator that is smaller than 10,000 watts.
It is very important that you have the right-sized generator in your home. The well-being of your appliances, large or small, depends on the type of generator that you are using when there is a power cut.
If you use a smaller generator to run the bigger appliances, it will strain the appliances as well as the generator.
What size generator do I need to run a 3 ton AC unit?
In order to run a 3 ton air conditioner perfectly, you will have to use a generator of 14 kilo watts. This would be the ideal size for your air conditioner.
While it is possible to run this air conditioner with a generator as small as 10-kilo watt, the combination might not be a good choice.
It might strain the air conditioner as the generator will not be able to provide the right wattage and power that the air conditioner needs. It might hamper the well-being of the air conditioner in the long run.
So you should always be careful when choosing the right air conditioner for you home. Make sure that it is compatible with the appliances that you are trying to operate with the generator.
If you want to operate a 4 ton air conditioner, you should use a generator of 17 kilo watt. And if it is a 5 ton air conditioner, a generator of 20 kilo watt will suffice.
3 factors that determine ac wattage usage
Let’s now take a look at the factors that determine the ac wattage usage. Read ahead to learn more about it:
Capacity of the air conditioner:
The capacity of the air conditioner is one of the primary factors that determine ac wattage usage. That is to say, the bigger your air conditioner unit is, the more wattage it will draw. And in turn, it will consume more energy as well.
To measure the capacity of an air conditioner, we use British Thermal Units as the standard.
And the standard measure is that, on average, we will need about 20 British Thermal Units to cover each square footage with the air conditioner.
The temperature in your area:
This is another very important factor of consideration in this case. The temperature in your region will definitely influence the wattage usage of the air conditioner.
That is to say, if you’re operating the air conditioner in an area that is too warm, the air conditioner will draw more power and wattage.
It generally needs more power to cool a room that is too warm. On the other hand, it will need relatively much less power and wattage if the room is already pretty cool.
Type of unit:
The type of air conditioner that you are using is a very important factor that determines the air conditioner wattage usage. There are several types of air conditioner units in the market.
Generally, the ducted air conditioner will use more wattage and power than the split air conditioners. So the type of unit, its brand, and manufacturing features have a great influence on the wattage usage of the air conditioner.
How do I determine the wattage of my air conditioner?
Let’s now take a look at the step-by-step guide that will help us understand how to determine the wattage of your air conditioner. Read ahead to learn more:
Check the specification sheet for BTU:
Firstly, you should check the specification sheet that came along with the air conditioner to see how much BTU it features. That is to say, you will need to identify the British Thermal Unit for the particular air conditioner.
This will help you calculate how much power your air conditioner will be using. But in order to do that, you will also need to find out the EER rating of the air conditioner. Then you can simply divide the BTU by the EER rating.
So if you’re using an air conditioner of 5000 BTU and 10 EER, the air conditioner will be using a wattage of 500 watts.
Calculate with ampere and voltage:
You can also look for the amperage and voltage of the air conditioner in the specification sheet. Make sure that you get the numbers right.
Once you have found both the amperage and voltage, you can simply multiply the numbers to find the wattage.
So if you are using an air conditioner that has an amperage of 10 amperes and a voltage of 12 volt, it will be drawing 1200 wattage per hour.
Final Thoughts
A 3 ton air conditioner will need about 3500 watts or 3.5 kilo watt in order to operate smoothly. But this number is not set it stone. The wattage usage may vary depending on the features and technology of the air conditioner, its brand and the type of the parts that it’s using.