Can a Portable Power Station Power a House? (Honest Answer)
Short answer: A portable power station can power your home’s essential circuits for 8-48 hours depending on capacity. It cannot power your entire home the way your utility company does. No portable power station replaces your electrical grid — but the right one keeps your fridge, lights, WiFi, and devices running through an outage.
The one exception: the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 ($2,699, expandable to 48kWh) can integrate with your home’s breaker panel and comes close to whole-home backup. But that’s a $5,000-10,000+ system when fully configured.
What a Portable Power Station CAN Power
Essentials (100-200W average draw)
These devices run for extended periods on a 1000Wh station:
| Device | Typical Draw | Runtime on 1000Wh |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 60-100W avg | 10-18 hours |
| WiFi router | 10-15W | 56-85 hours |
| LED lighting (3 bulbs) | 15-30W | 28-56 hours |
| Phone chargers (2) | 10-20W | 42-85 hours |
| Laptop | 30-65W | 13-28 hours |
| CPAP machine | 30-60W | 14-28 hours |
Running essentials together (fridge + router + lights + phone charging) draws roughly 100-165W average. A 1000Wh station handles this for 5-9 hours. A 2000Wh station handles it for 10-18 hours.
Moderate Use (200-500W average draw)
Adding these devices shortens runtime significantly:
| Device | Typical Draw | Impact on 1000Wh Runtime |
|---|---|---|
| TV (43”) | 50-80W | Reduces by 2-4 hours |
| Desktop computer | 100-200W | Reduces by 4-8 hours |
| Sump pump | 300-800W (intermittent) | Reduces by 2-5 hours |
| Window AC unit | 500-1500W | Reduces by 5-10 hours |
What a Portable Power Station CANNOT Power
High-Draw Appliances (1000W+ continuous)
These drain a portable power station in minutes to hours:
| Device | Typical Draw | Time on 1000Wh | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space heater | 1000-1500W | 35-50 min | Impractical |
| Electric oven | 2000-5000W | Cannot run | Too much draw |
| Central AC | 3000-5000W | Cannot run | Requires 240V |
| Electric dryer | 2000-5000W | Cannot run | Requires 240V |
| Electric water heater | 3000-4500W | Cannot run | Requires 240V |
| Well pump | 1000-2000W | 25-50 min | Emergency only |
240V Appliances
Most portable power stations output 120V only. Central AC, electric dryers, ovens, and well pumps require 240V circuits. The only portable exception is the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3, which outputs both 120V and 240V.
Realistic Home Backup Scenarios
Scenario 1: Short Outage (4-8 hours) — $649 Budget
Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 (1056Wh, $649)
Running: Fridge + router + LED lights + phone charging Average draw: ~130W Runtime: ~7 hours
This covers the average US power outage (7 hours). Charge it fully before storm season and it handles most situations.
Scenario 2: Extended Outage (12-24 hours) — $1,099 Budget
Bluetti AC200L (2048Wh, $1,099)
Running: Fridge + router + LED lights + phone charging + laptop + TV (evening) Average draw: ~180W Runtime: ~10 hours continuous, 18-24 hours with TV only in evenings
Add a 200W solar panel ($250) for daytime recharging and this system handles multi-day outages.
Scenario 3: Whole-Home Backup (2-5 days) — $5,000+ Budget
EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 + Smart Home Panel + Expansion Batteries
Running: Most home circuits including 240V (AC, well pump) Capacity: 4096Wh base, expandable to 48kWh Runtime: 2-5 days depending on usage and solar recharging
This approaches Tesla Powerwall territory. Professional installation required for the Smart Home Panel. Total system cost: $5,000-12,000.
Power Station vs Other Home Backup Options
| Option | Cost | Runtime | Installation | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portable Power Station (1000Wh) | $500-700 | 6-18 hours | None | None |
| Portable Power Station (2000Wh+) | $800-1,100 | 18-36 hours | None | None |
| EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 System | $5,000-12,000 | 2-5 days | Professional | Minimal |
| Gas Generator (3000W) | $400-800 | Unlimited (with fuel) | None | Annual |
| Tesla Powerwall | $10,000-15,000 | 1-2 days | Professional | Minimal |
| Generac Whole-Home | $12,000-25,000 | Unlimited (natural gas) | Professional | Annual |
Portable power stations win on zero installation, zero maintenance, zero fuel, and indoor safety. They lose on sustained runtime compared to generators and on whole-home capability compared to installed systems.
How to Size a Power Station for Your Home
Step 1: List every device you’d want to power during an outage.
Step 2: Find each device’s wattage (check the device label, manual, or use general estimates above).
Step 3: Estimate daily usage hours for each device.
Step 4: Calculate total daily Wh: Sum of (each device’s wattage × daily hours of use).
Step 5: Add 15-20% for inverter losses.
Step 6: Choose a power station with at least that much capacity — preferably 30-50% more for comfort.
Example:
- Fridge: 70W × 24 hours = 1,680Wh
- Router: 12W × 24 hours = 288Wh
- LED lights: 20W × 8 hours = 160Wh
- Phone charging: 15W × 4 hours = 60Wh
- Laptop: 50W × 4 hours = 200Wh
- Total: 2,388Wh per day
- With 20% buffer: 2,866Wh
For this scenario, the Bluetti AC200L (2048Wh) covers about 17 hours. With a 200W solar panel recharging 4-5 hours daily, it extends to indefinite daytime operation.
FAQ
What size power station do I need for my house? For essentials only (fridge, lights, phones, router): 1000Wh minimum. For extended comfort (add TV, laptop, fan): 2000Wh minimum. For 240V appliances (AC, well pump): EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 with Smart Home Panel.
Is it better to get a gas generator or a power station? For most homes, a power station. It works indoors, runs silently, needs no fuel, and covers 90% of outage scenarios. Gas generators are better only for multi-day outages in areas without solar potential, or for running 240V equipment.
Can I connect a power station to my breaker panel? Not directly with most models — that requires a transfer switch and professional installation. The EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 with Smart Home Panel is the only portable option designed for breaker panel integration. All other models require you to plug devices directly into the power station.
Will a power station run my well pump? Most well pumps draw 1000-2000W and require 240V. Standard portable power stations cannot run them. The EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 (4000W, 120V/240V) is the only portable option that can, but runtime is limited (1-3 hours of continuous pumping on a single charge).