The generator is the most important decision in a mobile grooming build, and getting it wrong is the most common reason a rig struggles on a hot, busy day. The reason is simple: two pieces of equipment dominate the electrical load, the high-velocity dryers and the air conditioning, and on a summer route they run at the same time. Here is how to size the power system so nothing trips when you need it most.
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The two loads that decide everything
A high-velocity dryer is a power-hungry motor. A single 1,450 watt dryer draws roughly 12 amps on a 120 volt circuit, and most groomers either run two dryers or run a dryer while clippers, lights, the water heater, and the pump are also drawing. The air conditioning is the other heavy load, and unlike the dryers it runs continuously to keep the animal safe. Add those two together and you can see why a small generator gets overwhelmed: a 4,000 watt unit is only about 30 amps at 120 volts, and the AC and a single dryer can consume most of that on their own.
What size to actually buy
For a full-service grooming mobile that runs a dryer and AC together, plan on a commercial generator in the 7,000 to 8,000 watt range. A Cummins Onan 7000 fuel-injected unit delivers about 58 amps of steady power, which is enough to run the dryers and the air conditioning together, and a Cummins Onan 8000 quiet diesel delivers about 66 amps for larger rigs with two dryers and a bigger AC. That headroom is what keeps the system stable when everything is on at once, instead of running a small generator at the edge of its capacity all day.
The battery and inverter option
Lithium power systems have changed mobile grooming, but they have a clear limit. A large lithium battery pack with dual 3,000 watt inverters can run almost everything in the van quietly and without fuel, the clippers, vacuum, lights, water pump, and water heater. What those systems generally cannot sustain are the two big loads, the high-velocity dryers and the air conditioning. That is why the most reliable setup for a busy groomer is often a hybrid: lithium for the light, quiet loads, and a commercial generator for the dryers and the AC. We design the system around your real equipment so you get quiet where it counts and power where you need it.
How we size your power system
We start from your actual equipment list, count the dryers, the AC, the water heater, and everything else, add the loads that run at the same time, and build in headroom so the system is never maxed out. Then we build and certify the electrical so it passes inspection and carries the load safely. For the bigger picture, see our mobile pet grooming build overview and our guide to water capacity, or read what a pet mobile costs.
Pet mobile generator FAQ
What size generator do I need for a mobile grooming van?
For a full-service rig that runs a high-velocity dryer and air conditioning at the same time, plan on a commercial generator in the 7,000 to 8,000 watt range. A Cummins Onan 7000 delivers about 58 amps and an 8000 diesel about 66 amps, both enough to run the heaviest loads together with headroom. Smaller 4,000 watt units, which provide only about 30 amps at 120 volts, get loaded hard the moment the AC and a dryer run together.
Can I run a grooming van on a battery and inverter system?
Partly. A large lithium pack with dual inverters can power almost everything in the van, the clippers, vacuum, lights, water pump, and water heater, but the two biggest loads, the high-velocity dryers and the air conditioning, usually need generator power. Many groomers run a hybrid: lithium for the light loads and quiet operation, and a generator for the dryers and AC.
How many amps does a dog dryer use?
A single 1,450 watt high-velocity dryer pulls about 12 amps on a 120 volt circuit, and most groomers run more than one dryer or run a dryer alongside other equipment, which is why dryers drive the whole power calculation.
Why does the air conditioning matter so much for sizing?
Air conditioning is a large, continuous load, and on a grooming van it runs at the same time as the dryers on hot days. Sizing the generator for only the dryers, and forgetting that the AC has to run with them for animal safety, is the most common power mistake we see.