What is the wattage requirement for Carrier Performance 80

Hey all, first post here. As title says I’m trying to figure out what the wattage requirement is for a Carrier Performance 80 furnace before I purchase a inverter generator to power it in case of power outage. I’ve spent a couple hours on Google trying to get an answer, even skimming the 54 page Carrier manual but to no avail. Any help appreciated!

Thanks,

Jim

Amps x Volts = Watts.

Remove the access doors and look for the name plate sticker. Look on the sticker for “RLA” or “Maximum unit amps” or something like that, and multiply by 120. You are basically just looking for the blower motor amp draw. Everything else is pretty much negligible. Keep in mind that start up watts can be quite a bit higher for the first second or so when that blower kicks in.

If you can’t figure it out by that, you will have to do better than to just say it’s a “Performance 80” and expect us to be able to help you. Give us a complete model number, or at the very least let us know the how many btu’s it is and weather it has a ECM motor or an old-school PSC. Carrier made those furnaces in many different sizes, with different power requirements.

Moved to AOP, this is the homeowner’s section. Please note the new location.

Originally Posted by ammoniadog

Amps x Volts = Watts.

Remove the access doors and look for the name plate sticker. Look on the sticker for “RLA” or “Maximum unit amps” or something like that, and multiply by 120. You are basically just looking for the blower motor amp draw. Everything else is pretty much negligible. Keep in mind that start up watts can be quite a bit higher for the first second or so when that blower kicks in.

If you can’t figure it out by that, you will have to do better than to just say it’s a “Performance 80” and expect us to be able to help you. Give us a complete model number, or at the very least let us know the how many btu’s it is and weather it has a ECM motor or an old-school PSC. Carrier made those furnaces in many different sizes, with different power requirements.

Yeah, I can do a lot of things “better” in my life. You throw out acronyms that I don’t understand like you expect me to get up to speed on your knowledge and experience so you don’t have to talk down me. I’m ignorant on a lot things including power generators and furnace wattage requirements. That’s why I came to this board.

I’ll try your first line in your response: amps x volts = watts. Thanks for the tip.

Originally Posted by Jim Mannella

Yeah, I can do a lot of things “better” in my life. You throw out acronyms that I don’t understand like you expect me to get up to speed on your knowledge and experience so you don’t have to talk down me. I’m ignorant on a lot things including power generators and furnace wattage requirements. That’s why I came to this board.

I’ll try your first line in your response: amps x volts = watts. Thanks for the tip.

Next time you try and buy anything for your car, dont tell them what car you have other than brand.

See what they do.

These special acroynms he is using, is literally whats listed on the data plate, and how you will find it.

He could have said “look for the amount of amps it uses.” Which wont be listed.

Instead, it will be listed as RLA.

So, if you know it or not, he gave you the best advice.

Finally, we are all volunteers here.

Originally Posted by hvacvegas

Next time you try and buy anything for your car, dont tell them what car you have other than brand.

See what they do.

These special acroynms he is using, is literally whats listed on the data plate, and how you will find it.

He could have said “look for the amount of amps it uses.” Which wont be listed.

Instead, it will be listed as RLA.

So, if you know it or not, he gave you the best advice.

Finally, we are all volunteers here.

Thank you for the analogy and all the volunteerism on here. I quoted the model that was on the faceplate of my furnace. But I see I’ll have to to look inside the main panel cover for more info, unlike my Acura RDX that is labeled on the outside of my vehicle.