Prioritize your needs. Use the lowest wattage light bulbs that provide a safe level of light, reserving power for additional lighting elsewhere or a small appliance. Remember that the greater the load on your generator, the more fuel it will use. Never run cords under rugs or carpets where heat might build up or damage to a cord may go unnoticed. Extension cords must be properly sized to carry the electric load.
Overloaded cords can overheat and cause fires or damage to equipment.
Choosing the Size of a Standby Generator Generators and Alternators usually have their capacity rated in Watts or kiloWatts. Additionally, add up the number and size of electric motors that must operate in your operation. Nameplate information on motors or appliances can be used to determine the Horsepower or kiloWatt rating of that motor. Generators often have the ability to deal with some of this extra demand for short periods of time. Please note that a typical dairy operation may require a generator that produces 50-60 kW in order to meet the demands of feeding systems, etc.