[{"category":"Essentials","name":"Refrigerator","notes":"Compressor cycles on and off; the surge only lasts a second or two.","running_watts":700,"starting_watts":2200},{"category":"Essentials","name":"Freezer (chest or upright)","notes":"Newer Energy Star models often draw less than older units.","running_watts":400,"starting_watts":1200},{"category":"Heating/Cooling","name":"Furnace blower (gas furnace)","notes":"The gas burner itself uses little power; the blower motor is the load.","running_watts":800,"starting_watts":1800},{"category":"Heating/Cooling","name":"Central air conditioner (2 ton)","notes":"Compressor startup surge is the single biggest sizing factor in most homes.","running_watts":2500,"starting_watts":7500},{"category":"Heating/Cooling","name":"Central air conditioner (3 ton)","notes":"A soft-start kit can cut the startup surge substantially.","running_watts":3500,"starting_watts":9800},{"category":"Heating/Cooling","name":"Central air conditioner (4 ton)","notes":"Pairs with roughly a 1,500 to 2,500 sq ft home in many climates.","running_watts":4500,"starting_watts":12500},{"category":"Heating/Cooling","name":"Central air conditioner (5 ton)","notes":"Largest common residential size; check the nameplate LRA for exact surge.","running_watts":6000,"starting_watts":16000},{"category":"Heating/Cooling","name":"Heat pump (3 ton, with air handler)","notes":"Auxiliary heat strips, if they engage, can add 5,000 to 15,000 W on top.","running_watts":4700,"starting_watts":10500},{"category":"Heating/Cooling","name":"Electric furnace / auxiliary heat strips","notes":"Resistive heat has no startup surge but is one of the heaviest loads in the house.","running_watts":10000,"starting_watts":10000},{"category":"Heating/Cooling","name":"Space heater","notes":"Standard portable heater on its high setting; purely resistive.","running_watts":1500,"starting_watts":1500},{"category":"Heating/Cooling","name":"Window air conditioner","notes":"Figured for a roughly 10,000 BTU unit cooling one room.","running_watts":1200,"starting_watts":3600},{"category":"Water","name":"Well pump (1/2 HP)","notes":"Common for shallower wells; deeper or higher-flow pumps draw more.","running_watts":1050,"starting_watts":2100},{"category":"Water","name":"Well pump (1 HP)","notes":"Startup surge makes this one of the hardest well loads to start.","running_watts":2000,"starting_watts":4000},{"category":"Water","name":"Sump pump (1/3 HP)","notes":"Runs in short bursts; surge still matters when other loads are on.","running_watts":800,"starting_watts":1300},{"category":"Water","name":"Septic pump","notes":"Covers a typical effluent or grinder pump in an aerobic system.","running_watts":750,"starting_watts":2300},{"category":"Water","name":"Electric water heater","notes":"Standard 4,500 W element; only one element usually heats at a time.","running_watts":4500,"starting_watts":4500},{"category":"Water","name":"Gas water heater (power vent)","notes":"Only the vent blower and controls need electricity; the heat comes from gas.","running_watts":200,"starting_watts":400},{"category":"Water","name":"Pool pump","notes":"Single-speed 1.5 HP class; variable-speed pumps can run far lower.","running_watts":1500,"starting_watts":3000},{"category":"Kitchen","name":"Electric range (cooktop and oven)","notes":"Typical cooking load with burners cycling; all elements on high can exceed this.","running_watts":5000,"starting_watts":5000},{"category":"Kitchen","name":"Electric oven","notes":"A single wall oven or the bake element of a range.","running_watts":2300,"starting_watts":2300},{"category":"Kitchen","name":"Microwave","notes":"Draws more than its rated cooking power; a 1,000 W oven pulls about 1,200 W.","running_watts":1200,"starting_watts":1200},{"category":"Kitchen","name":"Dishwasher","notes":"The internal water-heating element is most of the draw.","running_watts":1500,"starting_watts":1500},{"category":"Kitchen","name":"Coffee maker","notes":"Brewing and the warming plate are the load; idle draw is minimal.","running_watts":1200,"starting_watts":1200},{"category":"Kitchen","name":"Toaster oven","notes":"Countertop ovens pull nearly as much as a space heater.","running_watts":1500,"starting_watts":1500},{"category":"Kitchen","name":"Toaster (2-slice)","notes":"Short, purely resistive load.","running_watts":1100,"starting_watts":1100},{"category":"Essentials","name":"Hair dryer","notes":"One of the heaviest small plug-in loads on its high setting.","running_watts":1800,"starting_watts":1800},{"category":"Laundry","name":"Clothes washer","notes":"Draw peaks during agitation and spin; motor starts cause the surge.","running_watts":1150,"starting_watts":2250},{"category":"Laundry","name":"Gas dryer","notes":"Electricity runs the drum motor and igniter; gas provides the heat.","running_watts":500,"starting_watts":1500},{"category":"Laundry","name":"Electric dryer","notes":"Heating element plus drum motor; often the second-heaviest load after HVAC.","running_watts":5400,"starting_watts":6750},{"category":"Tools","name":"Garage door opener (1/2 HP)","notes":"Only runs for seconds at a time, so energy use is trivial.","running_watts":500,"starting_watts":1000},{"category":"Tools","name":"Air compressor (1.5 HP)","notes":"Workshop tank compressor; motor surge is about three times running draw.","running_watts":1500,"starting_watts":4500},{"category":"Essentials","name":"Lighting and outlets (whole home)","notes":"Whole-home allowance for LED lighting and small plug loads combined.","running_watts":1500,"starting_watts":1500},{"category":"Electronics","name":"Television (55 in LED)","notes":"Modern LED sets are light loads even at large screen sizes.","running_watts":150,"starting_watts":150},{"category":"Electronics","name":"Home office (PC, monitor, router)","notes":"Covers a desktop setup working through an outage.","running_watts":400,"starting_watts":400},{"category":"Essentials","name":"CPAP machine","notes":"Without a heated humidifier; humidifier and heated tube can add 50 W or more.","running_watts":90,"starting_watts":90},{"category":"Essentials","name":"Dehumidifier (50 pint)","notes":"Compressor-based, so it has a small startup surge like a fridge.","running_watts":600,"starting_watts":900},{"category":"Tools","name":"EV charger (Level 2, 32 A)","notes":"Continuous 240 V load; a 40 A charger pulls 9,600 W and is rarely backed up.","running_watts":7200,"starting_watts":7200}]