Portable Power Stations and Power Cuts

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Portable Power Stations and Power Cuts

Sizing one, what it will and will not run, safety and keeping it ready

A battery power station is a quiet, fume-free alternative to a generator, and sizing one is a matter of arithmetic rather than guesswork.

Two numbers matter

Capacity in watt hours is how much energy it stores. Output in watts is how much it can deliver at once. A large battery with a small inverter will not run a kettle, however long it lasts.

Check the surge rating too, since anything with a motor or a compressor draws several times its running wattage when it starts.

Working out what you need

Add up the watts of what you actually want to run and for how long. A router, a few lights, phone charging and a laptop is a modest load that a mid-sized unit covers for a day or more.

Heating, kettles, ovens and tumble dryers draw enormous amounts and are unrealistic on anything portable.

Chemistry

Lithium iron phosphate cells last thousands of cycles and tolerate partial charging, which is why they have largely replaced other chemistries in these products. Check the stated cycle life.

Safety

These are safe indoors, which is their main advantage over a petrol generator — a generator must never be run indoors, in a garage or near windows because of carbon monoxide.

Do not connect a power station to house wiring without a proper transfer switch installed by a qualified electrician.

Keeping it ready

Recharge every few months, since it self-discharges and will be flat when you need it. Store somewhere cool and dry.

Camping and off grid

A power station plus a folding solar panel runs lights, phones, a fridge and a laptop quietly, which is why they have replaced small generators at campsites. Check the panel's real output rather than the peak figure.

Solar charging in British weather is slower than the specification suggests, so charge from mains before leaving.

Buying

Check the number and type of outputs, whether it can pass through power while charging, and the noise of the cooling fan under load.

Power cuts

Keep torches, a battery radio, a power bank and warm layers somewhere findable, and know how to open an electric garage door manually. Freezers keep food safe for around a day unopened.

Report a cut to the network operator rather than your supplier, and check whether neighbours are affected.

Batteries and safety

Charge on a hard surface, keep the unit ventilated and out of direct sun, and never cover it while charging. Stop using anything that swells, smells or gets unusually hot.

Never bin a lithium battery — these go to a proper recycling route.

Medical equipment

Anyone relying on powered medical equipment should register with their electricity network operator for priority support.

WHERE TO BUY

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