Generator size to run a dropsaw or skilsaw?

muzz67, May 27, 3:19pm
both makita sawsa are rated at 1050w, but apparently have a high initial draw on start-up,, so what kva genny to use one safely! Cheers.

scoobeey, May 27, 3:44pm
perfect:)))

stevo2, May 27, 4:32pm
I had a 3.8 kva honda powered genny that ran a 1600watt dropsaw or a 2000watt skilly but struggled a little with a 2300watt 9" grinder.
It wouldnt get my 12 cu ft compressor running at all.

morrisman1, May 27, 5:04pm
That would be OK with a 1Kw electric motor, but I wouldnt want to run too much larger off it

skin1235, May 27, 7:26pm
hmmm. soft start makita skilsaw pops the load switch every time on my 6kv, but it is rated at 1900w ( load switch pops at 23amps) and thats only a 2.5kv

those skilsaws take a huge surge to get up to revs

I'd take your saw to a local agent and prove the 2.5 can actually fire it up before assuming a $450 unit can do it, and then find out it can't

sas777, May 27, 8:27pm
I had same issue with a compressor running off a genny - asked an electrician who said I needed 4 times the appliance rated wattage on a non capacitor start motor, and to go up to 8 times the wattage on a capacitor start unit, which mine unfortunately was! So I ended up buying a very expensive genny

intrade, May 27, 9:02pm
drop saw problem is the starting currant. if its got 1050 watt that is just 1kilowatt. but the starting currant can be up to 4 times the rated output. so 3,5kw generator would be the minimum or higher for continuing use start stop of a saw like that

elect70, May 28, 1:54pm
Go for3 kvapreferably hondaas they seem to havebest torque totake the startingload . Fit a motor ratedcircuitbreaker to theoutletthat way wont trip on start .

stabi360, May 29, 4:24pm
i run a makita compound sliding/drop saw off my 12volt car battery with a power inverter
for cutting wooden beads/ aluminium extrusion
bit of a slow start but has enough grunt to do it
also use a skill saw off it for fence posts

trader_84, May 30, 6:57am
But did it work! Is the 4 or 8 (depending on what type you have) times the size of the electric motor 'rule of thumb' for sizing a generator work out!

sas777, May 30, 11:01am
Yes, it worked out fine!
I didn't quite go up to the x8 wattage recommended by the sparky, as I believe there is a reasonable safety margin built in to the figures. My compressor was 1.3 horsepower which is around 1000 watts. I bought a Honda 6500 inverter genny.
It's worth getting the power sorted if you are going to use the gear a lot, as I was told if a motor struggles to start the resulting voltage drop causes a major current surge - which then burns things out. Pretty similar I guess to 24v trucks ruining starter motors when one battery fails