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Power stations
A power station is a big rechargeable battery with ordinary outlets. No fumes and no noise, so it is the one kind of backup power that is safe inside. The trick is buying the right size.
By Walter Wolf · Updated November 2026
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In short
- Size it by watt-hours (Wh). Add up what you need per day, then multiply by the days.
- Around 300 Wh covers phones, lights and a radio. Around 1,000 Wh adds a CPAP or modem. 2,000 Wh and up for a fridge.
- Look for LiFePO4 (LFP) batteries. They last many more charge cycles.
- Lithium batteries must not be charged below freezing. Keep it in the room you live in.
- No battery you can carry will run an electric heater for long.
What the numbers mean
- Watt-hours (Wh) is the size of the tank. This is the number that decides how long things run.
- Watts (W) is how much it can deliver at once. It has to be higher than the device you plug in, including the extra surge a fridge or pump needs to start.
- Battery type. LiFePO4, also written LFP, usually survives 3,000 or more full charges. Older lithium-ion types manage roughly 500 to 800. For something that may sit for years, LFP is the better buy.
- Recharge options. Wall, car socket and solar input. In a long outage the car and a generator are how it gets refilled.
Running time is roughly watt-hours × 0.85 ÷ device watts. The calculator does it for your own list.
Which size
| Size | Runs | Roughly how long |
|---|---|---|
| Small, 250 to 350 Wh | Phones, lights, radio, laptop | Several days of phones and light |
| Medium, 1,000 Wh | The above plus a CPAP, modem or small appliances | Two to three nights of CPAP |
| Large, 2,000 Wh and up | The above plus a fridge or, with an electrician's hookup, a furnace blower | About a day of fridge, part of a day of furnace |
Picks
One or more dependable models in each size, from makers with a track record. Each button goes straight to that product on Amazon. Check that the watts cover your own devices before you buy.
Jackery Explorer 300 Plus
Small and light: 288 Wh, LFP battery, 300-watt outlet, under 4 kg. Enough for phones, lights and a radio for days. A good first buy and a good one for apartments.
Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2
1,024 Wh, LFP, 2,000-watt output. Recharges from the wall in under an hour, which matters when you only have short generator runs to refill it. This listing includes the car charging cable.
EcoFlow Delta 2
1,024 Wh, LFP, 1,800-watt output. Takes an add-on battery later to double or triple the capacity if you find you need more.
Bluetti AC180
1,152 Wh, LFP, 1,800-watt output. A little more capacity than the other two in this size. A solid choice for a CPAP plus the small stuff.
EcoFlow Delta Pro
3,600 Wh, LFP, 3,600-watt output, on wheels. This is the size that makes sense for a fridge or a furnace blower through a proper transfer switch. It weighs about 45 kg (99 lb) and costs accordingly.
In the cold
- Do not charge a lithium battery below 0 °C (32 °F). It can be permanently damaged. Most units refuse to charge when too cold, which looks like a fault but is protection.
- Cold batteries hold less. Expect noticeably shorter running times in a cold room.
- Keep it where the people are, not in the garage or the car overnight.
Solar panels
Folding panels sold with these units work well in summer. In a northern winter, with short days, low sun and snow, expect a small fraction of the rated output. Treat winter solar as a top-up for phones, not as a way to refill a large battery.
Looking after it
- Top it up every three months. A battery left empty for a year may not recover.
- Store it at room temperature, around half to full charge, as the manual says.
- Test it once a year with the actual devices you plan to run, for a full night.
- Charge it on a hard surface, away from bedding and away from the exit.
What it will not do
It will not heat your home. A 1,500-watt space heater empties a 1,000 Wh unit in about half an hour. Use the battery for the things only electricity can do, and keep people warm with insulation. See heat without power.
Sources
Official guidance this page was checked against. If your local authority says something different, follow them.