What is a Power station?

It is a an installation where electrical power is generated or stored for distribution. You might be more familiar with a generator or a ups. Think of it as both. It has a battery and can be powered by solar panels or a wind/hydro turbines.

A portable power station is a rechargeable battery-driven source of power that is big enough to power your house or a campsite. You can power anything, anywhere. Size does matter.

Portable power stations have come a long way. In the past, they were limited to big, simple power banks that you could plug things into and receive juice from. But now there are tons of advanced models that offer much greater versatility and are equipped with helpful features like USB ports, solar panel inputs, wireless charging and much more. Some models can even be linked to other units for even more power and can tie into your home setup to provide backup power in emergencies.

What’s inside?

Portable power stations are generally designed to power smaller electronic devices and appliances, from phones and table fans to heavy-duty work lights and CPAP machines. Pay attention to the estimated watt-hours each brand provides in its specs to determine which model makes the most sense for what you’d like to power.

If a company says its portable power station has 200 watt-hours, it should be able power a device with a 1-watt output for about 200 hours. I go into more detail on this in the “How we test” section below, but consider the wattage of the device or devices you want to power and then the number of watt-hours your portable power station would need to have.

If a company says its portable power station has 200 watt-hours, it should be able power a device with a 1-watt output for about 200 hours. I go into more detail on this in the “How we test” section below, but consider the wattage of the device or devices you want to power and then the number of watt-hours your portable power station would need to have. Always confirm the electrical requirements for your specific fridge and portable power station before trying this, especially your refrigerator’s peak and startup watts.

How long can you run a portable power station?

You can get close to the answer with some basic math. If you have a power station that is rated at 1,000 watt-hours, and you plug in a device, let’s say a tv, rated at 100 watts, then you can divide that 1,000 by 100 and say that it will run for 10 hours.

However, this isn’t usually the case. The industry ‘standard’ is to say that you should take 85% of the total capacity for that math. In that case, 850 watt-hours divided by 100 watts for the tv would be 8.5 hours.

The reality is that you should expect somewhere between 8.5 and 10 hours in this example.

Power Rating (Watt)
Power rating (measured in Watts) simply refers to the maximum power output that your portable power station can produce. It does this via its onboard power inverter. A higher number means that your power station is more powerful, so you can use it to run more heavy-duty devices, such as blenders or coffee machines.

You should note the peak and startup watts to as if it is larger than the capacity and cause it to trip out.

How is a portable power station different from a generator?

A portable power station is essentially a big rechargeable battery that you carry around. Deplete it and it is useless until you recharge it.

A generator, by definition is a device which actually will convert some type of energy to usable electricity in whatever circuitry you have it connected to. Examples of this would be gas generators — commonly used as power sources for remote areas or as whole-home backups, electric generators — not very common, but they convert some type of mechanical action to electricity and solar generators which can use solar panels to power devices or homes, often using a battery to temporarily store the electricity. These batteries are often portable power stations themselves.

What look for when buying a power station

Every company that sells portable power stations provides the expected number of watt-hours its products are supposed to last.

That means if you run a device with a 1-watt output on a 240Wh unit, it should last for about 240 hours.

Look at two main performance metrics for the portable power stations: charge time and discharge capacity. A power station’s capacity should be a no-brainer. You should be able to look at a device’s rated watt-hours and purchase accordingly based on your needs. And, generally, you can do that. You typically won’t see the entire capacity rating as usable power, however.

There are lots of factors that can affect this, and most of them center on how the manufacturer chooses to build their units’ internals to manage their charged capacity. There is some (usually negligible) amount of power that goes to fuel the various indicator lights and readable led panels on the units. Some of the larger units even have their own operating systems, so it’s almost like powering an additional mini-pc on the inside. Other units can have power-saving features where they reduce outgoing bulk power as they near depleting their charge.

In every case, that percentage ends up at less than 100%. (Most manufacturers say you should calculate expected usage at 85% of stated capacity.)

Another feature that should be considered is the charge cycle. Lithium batteries loses the ability to charge to 100% capacity to only after certain amount of discharging and re-charging and will only achieve 80% capacity. This is often determined by the chemistry and design of the battery charger module in the unit. These vary with manufacturers. You also want to look at how it takes to charge completely to 100%.

One of the most important things you can have on hand is a portable power station when it comes to emergency preparedness. A good portable power station can mean the difference between being able to weather the storm or being left in the dark.

But with so many different portable power stations on the market, how do you know which one is right for you? Here are a few things to consider when choosing a portable power station:

• Capacity: How much power do you need? Portable power stations come in various sizes, from small units that can charge a couple of devices to larger units that can run appliances. Consider how much power and how long you’ll need the power for, then choose a unit that can accompany you and your family if the power outage is extended.
• Ports: What kind of ports does the power station have? Some models have multiple USB ports, while others may have AC and DC ports.
• Run time: How long do you need your portable power station to run? Some units can only run for a few hours, while others can run for days. Consider how long you’ll need your portable power station to run and choose accordingly.
• Portability: Do you need a portable power station that’s easy to carry, or are you okay with something that’s a bit larger and heavier? If you plan on using your portable power station for camping or other outdoor activities, portability will be an important factor. Make sure you choose one that will be easy to transport.