Guides
Understand the concept, size it with the calculator, compare the shortlist, then decide. Each guide is built to answer a specific question with transparent assumptions, worked examples, and source-backed specifications.
Power Station Basics
How to Size a Portable Power Station (How Many Watt-Hours Do I Need?)
How many watt-hours you need: a plain-English method for choosing power station capacity and output, with the formula, a worked example, and continuous/surge checks.
Updated September 1, 2026 · 6 sectionsLiFePO4 vs. NMC: Battery Chemistry for Power Stations
Why most current portable power stations use LiFePO4 (LFP): longer cycle life, better thermal stability, slightly lower energy density. What it means for buyers.
Updated September 1, 2026 · 5 sectionsHow to Calculate Power Station Runtime (1000Wh Worked Example)
How to calculate portable power station runtime: the formula, the 85% usable-energy assumption, and a worked table for a 1000Wh-class station across common devices.
Updated September 3, 2026 · 5 sectionsLiFePO4 vs Lithium-Ion Power Stations
LiFePO4 is a type of lithium-ion battery, not a separate technology. Here's what the terminology actually means and how it affects a power station buying decision.
Updated September 3, 2026 · 6 sectionsWatts vs Watt-Hours: What Power Station Buyers Need to Know
Watts vs. watt-hours in one line: watts is a rate, watt-hours is a total. Plain-English formula, everyday examples and a W × h = Wh calculator.
Updated September 3, 2026 · 7 sectionsAppliance Power Consumption Table (Running Watts, Surge, Wh)
A single reference table of running watts, startup surge and example daily hours for common household and outdoor appliances — the same figures used throughout PowerMatchLab's Power Calculator.
Updated September 11, 2026 · 3 sectionsWhat Is a Portable Power Station and How Does It Work?
A plain-English explanation of what a portable power station is, its main parts (battery, inverter, BMS, ports), and how it differs from a fuel generator.
Updated September 4, 2026 · 5 sectionsHow to Choose the Right Portable Power Station
A buying checklist for choosing a portable power station: capacity, output, chemistry, charging options, weight, and the special features that matter for specific use cases.
Updated September 4, 2026 · 7 sections
Appliance Runtime Guides
Can a Power Station Run a Refrigerator, and For How Long?
Most 1kWh-class power stations can run a household refrigerator for many hours. How to check surge watts, daily energy, and calculate realistic runtime by capacity.
Updated September 1, 2026 · 4 sectionsWhat Size Power Station Do I Need for a Refrigerator?
A step-by-step method for sizing a power station to run a refrigerator: startup surge, daily watt-hours, the 85% usable-energy rule, and a worked example.
Updated September 3, 2026 · 9 sectionsHow Long Can a Power Station Run a CPAP Machine?
How long a power station runs a CPAP machine, by capacity class: the formula, why wattage varies by model and humidifier setting, and how to check your device's real draw.
Updated September 3, 2026 · 6 sectionsCan a Portable Power Station Run an RV Air Conditioner?
The real blocker is usually startup surge, not battery capacity: what it actually takes for a power station to start and sustain a rooftop RV air conditioner, and when a soft-start device changes the picture.
Updated September 13, 2026 · 5 sectionsWhat Can a 1,000-Watt Power Station Run?
What a power station rated for 1,000 continuous watts can run: which common devices fit individually and in combination, and which typically exceed it.
Updated September 4, 2026 · 4 sectionsCan a Portable Power Station Run a Microwave?
Whether a power station can run a microwave: the output check to do first, a worked per-use energy example, and how many uses to expect from different capacities.
Updated September 4, 2026 · 3 sections
Use Cases
Best Indoor Generator for a Refrigerator: Safe Battery Backup Options
Searching for an indoor generator for a refrigerator? A battery power station is the safe indoor option; a fuel-burning generator must never run inside. What to check before buying.
Updated September 6, 2026 · 9 sectionsWhat Size Power Station Do I Need for Camping?
Sizing a power station for camping: gear to plan for, daily energy vs. peak watts, trip length and rechargeability, and why battery power avoids generator carbon monoxide risk.
Updated September 3, 2026 · 7 sectionsWhat Size Power Station Do I Need for Home Backup?
How to size a power station for whole-home or essential-circuit backup: which loads to prioritize, UPS switchover, 120/240V, and a worked capacity example.
Updated September 3, 2026 · 8 sectionsWhat Size Power Station Do I Need for an RV?
Sizing a power station for an RV: TT-30 shore-power compatibility, air conditioner surge, boondocking days, weight, and a worked capacity example.
Updated September 3, 2026 · 7 sectionsWhat Size Power Station Do I Need for a Power Outage?
Preparing for a power outage with a portable power station: what to prioritize, how to size capacity for a few hours vs. multiple days, and generator safety.
Updated September 3, 2026 · 8 sectionsCan a Power Station Run a Sump Pump During an Outage?
Sizing a portable power station to run a sump pump during a power outage: why the startup surge — not daily energy — is usually the limiting factor, and how to check yours.
Updated September 11, 2026 · 4 sectionsPower Station Sizing for a Home Office and Internet Equipment
Sizing a portable power station to keep a laptop, monitor, router and modem running during an outage — the real watts involved and why the router's always-on draw adds up.
Updated September 11, 2026 · 4 sectionsPower Stations for Remote Work and Van Life
Sizing a power station for remote work or van life: daily energy for a laptop-and-connectivity workday, van-specific loads, solar for continuous off-grid living, and weight.
Updated September 4, 2026 · 5 sections
Charging, Solar and Ownership
Solar Input and AC Charging Specs, Explained
How to read a power station's solar input and AC charging specs, why real solar rarely hits the rated number, and how to plan realistic recharge times, with a worked AC example.
Updated September 1, 2026 · 3 sectionsHow Long Does It Take to Charge a Power Station with Solar Panels?
Solar charging time = energy needed ÷ realistic panel output. Use the calculator below with your own numbers, plus worked examples at 100W, 200W, 400W and 800W.
Updated September 3, 2026 · 5 sectionsSolar Generator vs. Portable Power Station: What's the Difference?
"Solar generator" and "portable power station" usually describe the same underlying product. What actually differs is whether solar panels are bundled or sold separately.
Updated September 4, 2026 · 4 sectionsHow Many Solar Panels Do I Need for a Power Station?
How to size a solar panel setup for a power station: the formula, the realistic 60-80% derate, a worked example, and the station's own solar input ceiling to check.
Updated September 4, 2026 · 4 sectionsHow Long Does a Portable Power Station Last? (Lifespan and Cycle Life)
How long a power station lasts before its battery meaningfully degrades: what cycle life means, real published cycle-life figures, and what shortens or extends it.
Updated September 4, 2026 · 5 sections