High wattage means more power is consumed. First, though, let’s take a glance at the difference between high wattage and low wattage. In just a moment, we’ll look at the reasons why knowing this formula is very helpful in RV and marine applications. However, as long as you can remember watts = amps x volts, you’ll be good to go for DC circuits. This is a more formal or technical version of the equation, which you might see in a textbook. You’ll also sometimes see this equation written as Power = Amps x Volts (or P = I * V). So, if the current is 5 amps, and the voltage is 110 volts, then 5 x 110 = 550 watts. Once you have that information, the calculation is simple for a DC circuit: Amps and volts are measured using a multimeter. To be able to calculate the number of watts provided by a power source, you’ll need to know the number of amps and volts in that power source. There is a simple equation we can learn to help us measure watts in any situation. It’s easier than you might think! How Do You Measure Watts? But while it’s running normally, the required wattage decreases to 800. Thus, when the refrigerator starts (when the compressor kicks on), it requires 1,200 watts at that moment. It might have a start rating of 1,200 watts and a running capacity rated at 800 watts. This means the number of watts will be different when the refrigerator first starts up versus when it has been running for a while. Your household refrigerator, for example, is an appliance that would have a start (or surge) rating and a running rating. Interestingly, some appliances have two different ratings. Again, a light bulb might be rated at 60 watts, while a microwave is rated at 750 watts. Depending on their size, generators can be rated in megawatts, kilowatts, or watts.Īny equipment that will run on electricity in your home will have its usage or consumption rated in watts or kilowatts. You may notice that your home’s energy usage or power consumption is rated in kilowatts on your electric bill.Ī megawatt (MW) is globally understood to be equal to 1,000 kilowatts of power. Abbreviated as kW, a kilowatt is a globally understood standard for measuring electricity. Here we only see milliwatts of power flowing in these tiny wires.Ī kilowatt is a measure of 1,000 watts of electrical power. This measurement is commonly used in small circuitry like your computer or phone. The smallest measurement is commonly used is a milliwatt or 1/1000th of a watt. You’ve probably heard of these multiples before, but let’s look at what they mean in terms of power. Watts are measured in multiples of 1,000. In the same way, if you have solar panels on the roof of your RV, the solar energy that flows into your RV is measured in – you guessed it – watts! Common Watt Multiples and What They Mean If you want to run a 750-watt microwave oven, you’re going to need a much bigger flow of energy – 750, to be exact! For example, if you have a 100-watt light bulb and a 60-watt light bulb, you can think of the 100-watt bulb as needing a larger flow of energy to work. If we think of watts as measuring electrical flow, then we can think of any device or appliance as needing either a large electrical flow or a small electrical flow. Meaning, a watt is a unit of power, and power is the rate at which energy is produced or consumed by an object. When we use the term “watt”, we are putting a number on the rate of transfer of energy. What Are Watts In Simple Terms?Įlectrical power is measured in watts. But what are these abstract things called “watts,” and why do we need to know about them? Well, stick with us! In this article, we’re going to show you why understanding watts is more important than you think. Watts matter to us all day and all night, even as we sleep. How many watts does an RV refrigerator use? Which uses more watts – a conventional halogen light bulb or an LED bulb? How many watts of solar power do I need to run a fan all night on my boat?
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