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Power station guides 17 articles
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A portable power station won’t run your whole house, but it can keep the things that matter most running through an outage — the fridge, internet, phones, lights, and medical devices — silently and safely indoors. The trick is buying the right size for the loads you actually care about.
Quick picks for home backup
- Router, phones, lights, CPAP (a night or two): Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 or EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus (about 1kWh, under-10ms UPS).
- Fridge + internet through a long outage: Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 (2,042Wh, 4,400W peak).
- Multi-day outages, well pumps, home circuits: EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 (4,096Wh, expandable, 120V/240V).
Step 1: Decide what you’ll keep running
| Essential | Typical running watts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi router + modem | 10–25W | Ideal for UPS mode |
| Full-size refrigerator | 100–250W while running (about 40–80W averaged over a day) | Start-up surge can be 3–5× higher — see our refrigerator guide |
| Chest freezer | 50–100W average | Very efficient to back up |
| LED lights | 8–15W each | Run a few at a time |
| Phones and laptops | 10–90W | Use USB-C where possible |
| CPAP | 30–60W (more with heated humidifier) | See our CPAP guide |
| TV | 50–150W | Fine on any 1kWh unit |
| Sump pump (1/3 HP) | About 800W running | Needs high surge capacity |
| Space heater | 1,500W | Drains 1kWh in roughly 35 minutes — not practical |
Step 2: Size the battery
Add up the average watts of everything on your list, then use: runtime ≈ capacity × 0.85 ÷ total watts.
Example: fridge (about 60W averaged over a day) + router (20W) + two LED lamps (20W) = 100W. A 2,042Wh unit gives about 2,042 × 0.85 ÷ 100 ≈ 17 hours. A 1,024Wh unit gives about 8.7 hours. Many people simply run the fridge in shifts — an hour on, a couple of hours off — which stretches runtime a lot, because a closed fridge stays cold for hours.
For more examples, see What Size Power Station Do I Need?
Step 3: Look for these backup features
- UPS / EPS mode: the station stays plugged into the wall and takes over in milliseconds when the grid drops. Under 20ms works for routers and most electronics; under 10ms is better for sensitive equipment.
- High surge rating: needed for fridges and pumps.
- Solar input: lets you recharge during multi-day outages when the grid is down.
- Expandability: add batteries later instead of buying a second unit.
Our picks
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 — Best for short outages
1,024Wh · 2,000W (3,000W surge) · 10ms UPS · 24.9 lb · 600W solar · 5-year warranty. Keep it plugged in behind your router or CPAP and forget about it until the lights go out.
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus — Best expandable mid-size
1,024Wh · 1,800W · under-10ms UPS · 1,000W solar · expandable with extra batteries. A good starting point if you plan to build up a bigger backup system over time.
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 — Best for keeping the fridge cold
2,042Wh · 2,200W (4,400W peak) · under-20ms UPS · 39.5 lb. Enough capacity to run an efficient full-size fridge for roughly a day on its own, with plenty of surge for the compressor.
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 — Best for whole-home circuits
4,096Wh (expandable) · 4,000W (8,000W surge) · 120V/240V · 2,600W solar. With a compatible transfer switch or home panel installed by a licensed electrician, it can power selected home circuits, including 240V loads such as some well pumps.
Connecting to your home: do it safely
Never “backfeed” a power station into a wall outlet with a double-ended cord. It’s illegal in most places, dangerous to you, and can electrocute utility workers. To power home circuits, use the manufacturer’s transfer switch or home panel, installed by a licensed electrician. For most people, simply running extension cords to the fridge and router is the easiest and safest option.
Why not a gas generator?
Gas generators deliver more power for the money, but they must run outdoors, far from windows and doors, because of carbon monoxide. A power station can sit in your kitchen. Compare both in our power station vs. generator guide.
Outage checklist
- Keep the station charged to 60–80% for storage, and top it up to 100% when a storm is forecast.
- Recharge or exercise it every few months.
- Label which cord goes to which appliance before you need it.
- Keep the fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
Winter and storm outages: furnace and sump pump
Two of the most important loads in a real outage aren’t plug-in appliances at all:
- Gas furnace: the gas makes the heat, but the blower, inducer, and igniter need electricity — often 300–900W while running. A 2kWh unit can keep an efficient furnace going for several hours. Read Can a power station run a gas furnace?
- Sump pump: it only runs in short bursts, so a 1–2kWh unit can keep a basement dry for many hours of steady rain — if it has enough surge to start the motor. Read Can a power station run a sump pump?
Common questions
Can a portable power station run a house?
Not a whole house in the usual sense. A 1–2kWh unit runs your essentials for hours to a day. Large expandable units like the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 can power selected home circuits through a transfer switch installed by an electrician. Central air, electric ranges, and electric water heaters are beyond portable units for any useful length of time.
How long will a 2,000Wh power station last in an outage?
Running an efficient fridge, a router, and a couple of LED lamps (about 100W averaged), roughly 17 hours. Add a CPAP overnight and it’s still most of a day. Use our size guide for your own mix.
Can it run a freezer?
Yes, and chest freezers are especially efficient: many average only 30–60W over a day. A 1kWh unit can keep a chest freezer running for roughly 15–30 hours.
Should I keep it plugged in all the time?
If it supports UPS/EPS mode, yes — that’s how it takes over automatically. Some manufacturers suggest setting a lower charge limit for units that stay plugged in for months; check your app or manual.
What about a whole-home battery like a Powerwall?
Permanently installed home batteries back up your panel automatically and can pair with rooftop solar, but cost far more and need professional installation. A portable station is the affordable, movable middle ground.