About Generator Flow

Practical generator advice, with the math shown

Generator Flow is an independent guide for homeowners, RV owners and small businesses who want to size, run and maintain a generator safely. No sales pitch, just the numbers and the reasoning behind them.

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Illustration of a home backed up by a portable generator with a protective shield

What you’ll find here

Three things, kept simple and kept honest.

12 Free calculators Load, size, runtime, fuel and cost, plus the conversions you need along the way: watts to amps, kWh, kVA and wire size. Each one shows its formula and a worked example. Open the calculators →
61 Practical guides Generator types, fuels, sizing, installation, maintenance and troubleshooting, written to be read once and acted on. Browse the guides →
1st Safety comes first Carbon monoxide and backfeeding injure people every year. We explain the risks plainly and say when a job belongs to a licensed electrician. Read the safety guide →
Illustration of a calculator showing 7.5 kW

How we work

Generators are easy to get wrong in ways that cost money or hurt people, so we try to make everything on this site checkable.

  • Formulas are shownEvery calculator displays the calculation it ran and a worked example, so you can verify any result by hand.
  • Sources you can checkWe rely on manufacturer specifications and manuals, published fuel-use data, electrical code references and consumer safety guidance, such as that from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
  • Estimates are labelledReal-world results change with load, altitude, temperature, fuel quality and maintenance. When a figure is a typical value rather than an exact one, we say so.
  • Corrections are welcomeWe update older articles when specifications, codes or best practice change. If you find a mistake, tell us and we will fix it.

Independence and how the site is funded

You should know who pays for the advice you are reading.

Supported by display ads Generator Flow earns money from display advertising served by Google AdSense. Advertisers have no influence on what we write, and ads are kept apart from the articles.
No paid rankings We do not accept payment from manufacturers or retailers to rank, review or recommend products, and we do not publish sponsored content.
No affiliate links There are no affiliate or shopping links on this site. When we mention a model, it is because it helps explain a point, not because we are paid when you click.

Who writes it

Zoe Johnson

Zoe Johnson writes for Generator Flow, covering generator sizing, fuel and runtime, safe installation, maintenance and troubleshooting.

See all articles by Zoe →

Our content is for general information only. Always follow your generator’s owner’s manual and local electrical codes, and have any connection to your home’s wiring installed by a licensed electrician. See our terms and conditions for the full disclaimer.

Spotted a mistake, or have an idea?

Corrections and suggestions for new guides or calculators are always welcome. We read every message.

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