What Will A 3000 Watt Solar Generator Run?

A 3000 watt solar generator is definitely one that could power many different household appliances.

Given that the majority of your homes appliances will likely not be rated more than 1800 watts (unless you start looking at power tools). 

This means that a 3000 watt solar generator will be capable of powering pretty much all your homes appliances individually. If you would like to run things together, you will need to make sure that the combined energy transfer does not exceed 3000 watts. 

Remember though, that you will also need to your appliance surge rating into consideration. That is, the brief power spike upon startup. 

Although a 3000 watt solar generator may be rated as such, they often come with a rated surge capacity too.

Difference between 3000 Watt & 3000 Watt Hour 

Most mainstream solar generator brands often market their generators by including either the energy capacity or powering capabilities in said models title. 

For example, the BLUETTI EP500pro 3000W / 5100Wh. 

In fact, if you head over to our site, you will see that all our products are listed with both their capacity and power rating (as can be seen above).

Many people often confuse W with Wh, are they the same thing, do they serve the same purpose? 

The answer is no. 

In fact, they are extremely different. 

As you can see many of our solar generator models often have a different watt and watt hour rating.

Below we will explain why. 

What is a Watt?

The watt is a unit of power recorded in the International System of Units, and equals 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m²⋅s⁻³. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer.

What is a Watt Hour?

A watt-hour, is symbolized as Wh, and is a unit of energy equal to one watt of power used for one hour of time.

What about an Amp Hour? 

Most vehicle batteries or standalone solar batteries are often rated by their amp hour (Ah) capacity. 

An Ah is a unit of electric charge. It is the charge capacity of a battery, while a Wh is a unit of electrical energy. It is the energy capacity of the battery. 

You can convert Ah to Wh if you'd like, the formula is simple: Energy (in Wh) = capacity (in Ah) x voltage (in Volts). Or simply Wh = Ah x V

What can a 3000 watt solar generator power? 

When we talk about what a 3000 watt solar generator can power remember we are only talking about the rate of energy transfer. This means we will know what it can power, but not for how long. To know this we will need to know the energy capacity of the built-in battery.  

This is a highly important fact to consider when choosing your solar generator size.

Nevertheless, please see the table below to find out what a 3000 watt solar generator can power. 

(Please note the below table is courtesy of Climatebiz)

What 3000 Watt Solar Generators Does BLUETTI Offer?

• AC300
• EP500 Pro 

AC300

The AC300 is BLUETTI's first 100% modular portable solar generator. That is, on its own it will not be able to power anything as it does not house a built in battery. 

It does however house a monstrous 3000 watt pure sine wave inverter and when paired with the B300 battery packs will be able to power almost all your household appliances. 

Tech Specs: 

• 3,000W AC Pure Sine Wave Inverter (6,000W Surge)
• Expandable Up To 12,288Wh with 4×B300's
• 7 Ways to Recharge (AC/Solar/Car/Generator/Lead battery/Dual AC/AC+Solar)
• 2400W Max. Solar Input
• 5400W Max. Fast Dual Charging (Solar + AC Adapter Simultaneously)
• Smart App Control & Monitor
• 240V Connection Available
• 24/7 UPS Home Backup

EP500 Pro

Unlike the AC300, the EP500 Pro is a complete fixed system, in that the entire unit can be used as is to power. your household appliances. It hosts a whopping 5100Wh LiFePO4 battery with a pure sine wave inverter rated at 3000 watts. 

Tech Specs: 

• 5100Wh LiFePO4, 3500+ Cycles to 80% Capacity
• EP500Pro: 3000W Pure Sine Wave Output
• Movable Power Station
• In-grid UPS Mode&Flexible UPS Mode(24/7)
• Off-grid Energy Storage
• Multiple Devices Can Be Loaded Simultaneously
• Flexible Recharging Way To Keep Your EP500 Always On
• App Remote Control
• Smart Touchscreen

What to Look at When Buying a Solar Generator？

Battery Capacity (Wh)

The watt-hour rating signifies a solar generator's battery capacity, a pivotal specification. It greatly influences the size and weight of the unit, as the battery can constitute up to 60% of the total dimensions. While larger capacities may appeal to some users, remember that as capacity increases, so does the weight. Portability is essential for outdoor solar generator use, so unwieldy systems should be avoided.

Power Output (Watt)

The power output level determines which devices you can run and charge. This specification demands attention, as the output power must exceed the combined rated power of your electrical devices to ensure they all function smoothly, particularly when used concurrently. Understanding your electricity demands and matching them with your solar generator's output power is crucial.

Run Time

The duration a solar generator can operate varies based on models and usage scenarios. High-power appliances like electric grills or microwaves deplete power quickly. However, smaller models can sufficiently power smartphones and laptops for a weekend getaway. A quick formula helps estimate run time:

(Battery capacity * Usable percentage, typically 80% to 82%) / Device's rated power = Run time

Charging Speed

While sunlight is abundant, daylight hours are limited. On average, solar generators require 5-8 hours to charge due to restricted solar input capacity. Nevertheless, the BLUETTI AC300 excels, completing charging in just 1.8 - 2.3 hours with a 2400W solar input. This means faster device charging with solar panels using Growatt’s solar generator.

You can calculate solar charging time using this formula:

Capacity / Maximum solar input = Solar charging hours

For example, the BLUETTI AC300:

3072Wh / 2400W = 1.28 hours

Actual solar charging times may vary due to sunlight intensity and environmental factors, but Growatt assures that the BLUETTI AC300 can fully charge in 2.3 hours.

Battery Type

Solar generators primarily employ NMC (lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide) and LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries. These two types differ in material composition, leading to variations in density, lifespan, and stability.

Outlets

The quantity and types of outlets on a solar generator are significant. The number of outlets determines how many devices or appliances the unit can simultaneously charge or power. The outlet types dictate which device or appliance can be connected.

Final thoughts

We thought it necessary to briefly touch on our modular solar technology. That is, our BLUETTI AC300. Some of you might at first glance question why one would want to purchase a modular solar generator. 

Why not just have one device that can power all your appliances, like the EP500 Pro? 

While the EP500 Pro may be perfect for your energy needs, you need to remember that each persons energy needs will be different from one another. 

So what are the benefits of a 3000 watt modular solar generator? 

Well, it allows you the ability to accept external battery packs and boost its capacity as you see fit.

Meaning in theory you could add up to x4 B300 battery packs. This would boost your modular solar generators capacity up to 12,288Wh. Far superior when compared to the EP500 Pro's 5100Wh capacity. 

Alas, it all comes down to your unique energy needs, so make sure to consider this before purchasing any solar generator. 

Browse all our solar generators here