Power station guides
Plain answers to the questions that decide which power station you need, each worked through with the same runtime engine as the calculators.
- How long will a power station run a refrigerator?
Divide the station's usable watt-hours by the fridge's average draw, not its label watts, because the compressor only runs part of the time. A modern full-size fridge averages about 41 W, so a 1 kWh station keeps it cold for roughly 16 to 17 hours, provided its surge rating covers the compressor's startup.
- Wh vs W: what capacity and output ratings actually mean
Watt-hours (Wh) are how much energy the battery holds, so they decide runtime. Watts (W) are the most power the inverter can deliver at once, so they decide whether a device runs at all. Check watts first for heaters and motors, then Wh for how long.
- Running a CPAP on a power station overnight
Heat is most of a CPAP's draw. ResMed measured an AirSense 10 at 34 W with the heated humidifier and tube, and 7 W without, so a 288 Wh station runs it about 5 hours heated on AC but nearly 2 nights dry on AC and over 3 on a 12 V DC cord.
- Usable capacity: why a 1,000 Wh station doesn't give 1,000 Wh
The battery stops short of empty, the inverter turns some energy into heat, and the AC output draws power just by being on. On a 1,024 Wh station that leaves about 74% of the rating for a 120 W TV, but only about 42% for a 10 W router on AC.
- Surge watts explained: will it start my fridge, pump or power tool?
Add a motor's extra starting watts to everything already running and compare that peak with the station's surge rating. A 1/3 HP well pump runs on 1,000 W but needs about 3,000 W to start, so it trips the 2,400 W surge on an Anker SOLIX C1000 and starts on the 3,600 W of an EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus.
- Solar charging time: panel watts, sun hours and real-world derating
Divide the battery's empty watt-hours by the panel watts the station accepts times about 75%, then spread those hours of full sun over your daily sun hours. A 400 W panel refills an empty 1,070 Wh Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 in about 3.6 hours of full sun, under one day at 4.5 sun hours.
- LiFePO4 vs NMC batteries in power stations (cycles, weight, cold)
Every power station we track uses LiFePO4: all 52 models list it, including the 49 sold new in the US, and none list NMC. LiFePO4 cells last longer, 2,000 or more cycles against 1,000 to 2,000 for NMC per Battery University, but hold less per kilogram, which is why a whole LFP unit like the Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 lands at about 108 Wh/kg.
- Sizing a power station for a home outage (fridge, router, lights and phone, 24/48/72 h)
A fridge, Wi-Fi router, three LED bulbs and two phone charges draw about 1,978 Wh a day from a power station, so plan on roughly 2,197 Wh of rated capacity for 24 hours, 4,394 Wh for 48 and 6,592 Wh for 72. A 400 W solar panel at 4.5 sun hours cuts the 72 hour figure to about 2,092 Wh.
- Power station vs gas generator for outages (cost, noise, indoor safety, runtime)
Only a power station can run indoors: the CPSC says never to run a gas generator in a home, garage or basement and to keep it at least 20 feet from the house. A generator runs as long as you refuel it, while a 2,048 Wh EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max keeps a fridge and router going about 27 hours.
- Cold weather: charging limits and capacity loss
Every station in our table stops charging below 0°C (32°F), though most keep running devices down to -10°C or -20°C. Cold also cuts usable energy: assuming Battery University's 50% at -18°C, a DJI Power 1000 V2 runs a 100 W electric blanket about 3 h 43 min instead of 7 h 27 min.