SizingPlate
Power stations › Scenarios › Home office through an outage

What size power station do I need to keep working during an outage?

Keeping a laptop, router, and a light going through a daytime outage is one of the lightest jobs there is — the whole setup sips power, and a small station covers a full workday silently, indoors, with no fumes.

The load

POWER PLATE4 LOADS · 6 H RUNTIME
Continuous draw
120 W
Startup surge
120 W
Energy for 6 h
847 Wh
Buy at least
950 Wh
Look for ≥950Wh capacity, ~120W continuous / 120W surge or better.

Field note: If your internet comes through a cable or fiber box, put that on the station too — it's usually just a few watts and it's the difference between working and not. A desktop PC changes the math a lot; a laptop is the efficient choice on battery.

Right size: Midsize (≈1,000Wh) · 1,800W

Typical price $500-900 · e.g. EcoFlow Delta 2, Bluetti AC180, Jackery Explorer 1000 v2

A full-size refrigerator through a multi-hour outage, a CPAP for several nights, tools in short bursts. The popular sweet spot. Recharges fast and takes solar input, but still time-limited on heavy loads.

Runs this load ~6.5 h on a full charge.

See current prices on Amazon

One size up: Large (≈2,000Wh) · 2,400W

Typical price $1,200-1,900 · e.g. EcoFlow Delta 2 Max, Bluetti AC200L, Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus

A fridge plus several small loads for most of a day, a window AC in short stretches, longer off-grid stays. Heavy to carry but still one-person portable; the point where solar recharge really matters for multi-day use.

Runs this load ~13 h on a full charge.

See current prices on Amazon

Adjust for your setup

Different loads or runtime? Uncheck and re-check below and drag the runtime slider — the plate recomputes live.

POWER PLATE4 LOADS · 6 H RUNTIME
Continuous draw
120 W
Startup surge
120 W
Energy for 6 h
847 Wh
Buy at least
950 Wh
Look for ≥950Wh capacity, ~120W continuous / 120W surge or better.

Capacity includes inverter loss (~15%) and a usable-charge margin, so the station isn't run flat. A solar panel or vehicle charge extends runtime past this number.

6 h
Kitchen
Heating & cooling
Pumps & well
Electronics
Medical & safety
Lighting
Laundry
Household
Tools & outdoor
RV & camping

Power stations that fit

Right size: Midsize (≈1,000Wh) · 1,800W

Typical price $500-900 · e.g. EcoFlow Delta 2, Bluetti AC180, Jackery Explorer 1000 v2

A full-size refrigerator through a multi-hour outage, a CPAP for several nights, tools in short bursts. The popular sweet spot. Recharges fast and takes solar input, but still time-limited on heavy loads.

Runs this load ~6.5 h on a full charge.

See current prices on Amazon

One size up: Large (≈2,000Wh) · 2,400W

Typical price $1,200-1,900 · e.g. EcoFlow Delta 2 Max, Bluetti AC200L, Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus

A fridge plus several small loads for most of a day, a window AC in short stretches, longer off-grid stays. Heavy to carry but still one-person portable; the point where solar recharge really matters for multi-day use.

Runs this load ~13 h on a full charge.

See current prices on Amazon
This site earns commissions from qualifying purchases made through links to Amazon and other retailers, at no extra cost to you. Wattage figures are typical estimates — actual draw varies by model. Always verify against your appliance's nameplate, and consult a licensed electrician for any panel or hardwired connections.