The Power Station Numbers Table
The normalized reference dataset for portable power station math. Marketing watt-hour figures, manufacturer charge-cycle claims, and rated solar-input numbers are real specs, but they aren't the numbers that predict what a station will actually do for you. This page converts advertised specs into usable numbers — realistic Wh after inverter loss, worked runtime hours for real devices, continuous vs surge output, and real-world solar recharge time — sourced from the manufacturer specs already verified across this site, normalized into one table.
Advertised Wh vs. realistic usable Wh
Advertised watt-hours are measured at the battery cell. Getting that power out as usable AC power costs roughly 10-15% to inverter conversion loss, plus real-world depth-of-discharge behavior. This site uses a flat 0.85 efficiency factor site-wide (established in our buyer's guide load-meter calculator) to convert advertised capacity into a realistic usable number.
| Model | Advertised Wh | Realistic usable Wh (×0.85) |
|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max | 2,048Wh | ~1,741Wh |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,070Wh | ~910Wh |
| Anker SOLIX C800X | 768Wh | ~653Wh |
| EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro | 768Wh | ~653Wh |
| Bluetti AC70 | 768Wh | ~653Wh |
Note: the 0.85 factor is a normalized planning estimate for AC-output efficiency loss, not a manufacturer-published per-unit figure. Actual loss varies by load, temperature, and inverter design.
Battery chemistry comparison: LiFePO4 vs. NMC/NCM
Every model currently featured on this site uses LiFePO4 (LFP) chemistry. Here's the normalized tradeoff against older NMC/NCM lithium-ion, restated as bands rather than a single cherry-picked number.
| Chemistry | Cycle life (to 80% capacity) | Approx. years (daily use) | Weight per Wh | Thermal safety class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LiFePO4 (LFP) | 2,000-3,500+ (many current models 3,000-4,000+) | ~8-10+ | Heavier / bulkier | No thermal-runaway risk |
| NMC/NCM lithium-ion | 500-1,000 | ~1-3 | Lighter / more compact | Thermal-runaway risk present |
Weight efficiency across current LFP models (this site)
Weight per kWh, derived from each model's published weight and capacity — a normalized way to compare portability across capacity tiers.
| Model | Weight | Capacity | lbs per kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max | 50 lbs | 2.048 kWh | ~24.4 |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 23.8 lbs | 1.07 kWh | ~22.2 |
| Anker SOLIX C800X | 24 lbs | 0.768 kWh | ~31.3 |
| EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro | 17.2 lbs | 0.768 kWh | ~22.4 |
| Bluetti AC70 | 22 lbs | 0.768 kWh | ~28.6 |
Device runtime math (with worked examples)
Formula: Runtime (hours) = Capacity (Wh) ÷ Device Wattage × 0.85. Below are the published typical-wattage ranges for common devices, and worked runtime examples on a 1,000Wh station using each range's midpoint.
| Device | Typical wattage | Runtime on 1,000Wh (midpoint watts) |
|---|---|---|
| Smartphone charger | 20-30W | ~34.0 hrs (at 25W) |
| Laptop | 45-100W | ~12.1 hrs (at 70W) |
| LED light | 10-20W | ~56.7 hrs (at 15W) |
| Mini fridge | 50-80W | ~13.1 hrs (at 65W) |
| Full-size refrigerator | 100-200W | ~5.7 hrs (at 150W) |
| CPAP machine | 30-60W | ~18.9 hrs (at 45W) |
| TV (50") | 80-120W | ~8.5 hrs (at 100W) |
| Microwave | 700-1,200W | ~0.9 hrs (at 950W) |
| Space heater | 1,000-1,500W | ~0.7 hrs (at 1,250W) |
Inverter ratings: continuous vs. surge
The continuous rating is what a unit can output indefinitely. Surge (or peak) rating is a brief spike — typically a few seconds — sized for motor-start current on compressors and power tools. A device's continuous draw must stay under the continuous rating; its startup spike must stay under the surge rating.
| Model | Continuous output | Surge / boost rating |
|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max | 2,400W | 3,100W surge |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,500W | — |
| Anker SOLIX C800X | 1,200W | — |
| EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro | 800W | 1,600W (X-Boost, resistive loads only) |
| Bluetti AC70 | 1,000W | 2,000W surge |
Solar recharge reality: rated input vs. real-world charge time
Rated solar input is a best-case ceiling reached only with a matched panel in full, direct sun. Cloud cover, panel angle, temperature, and cable losses routinely cut real input well below the rated figure — which is why a full solar recharge is normalized here as a time range rather than capacity ÷ rated watts.
| Tier | Rated solar input | Typical full recharge time |
|---|---|---|
| Budget-tier units | 200-300W | 3-8 hrs (sunlight- and panel-size-dependent) |
| Premium-tier units (e.g. EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max) | Up to 1,000W | 3-8 hrs (sunlight- and panel-size-dependent) |
Methodology & versioning
- Version: v1.0, published 2026-07-30.
- Source data: manufacturer specification sheets (EcoFlow, Jackery, Bluetti, Anker official sites) already verified elsewhere on this site, normalized into consistent units (Wh, W, lbs/kWh, cycles).
- Derived figures: usable-Wh, lbs-per-kWh, and worked runtime hours are calculated from the published specs using the formulas shown above — they are not separately manufacturer-published numbers, and are labeled as estimates.
- No invented numbers: nothing on this page is fabricated; where a precise manufacturer figure wasn't available, a band or range is shown instead of a false-precision point estimate.
- Correction policy: if a manufacturer updates a spec sheet or a figure here is found to be wrong, this page will be corrected and the version/date above will be updated. This page does not use exact live prices — check the live price via the links elsewhere on this site.
Caveats
- The 0.85 efficiency factor is a normalized planning estimate, not a per-unit lab measurement — real inverter efficiency varies with load level, temperature, and unit design (commonly cited industry range is roughly 85-90%).
- Device wattages are typical ranges, not measurements of your specific appliance — check your device's rating plate for an exact figure.
- Charge-cycle and solar-input figures reflect manufacturer specifications; independent long-term testing sometimes shows real-world degradation faster than the rated cycle count.
Frequently Asked Questions
Advertised Wh is measured at the battery cell, before the inverter converts DC to AC. Converting that power loses roughly 10-15% to heat and switching losses, so a 1,000Wh-rated unit delivers closer to 850Wh of real, usable AC power. This site's runtime formula (Capacity ÷ Device Watts × 0.85) bakes that loss in rather than quoting the optimistic advertised number.
For cycle life and safety, yes. LFP commonly runs 2,000-3,500+ charge cycles (many current models rate 3,000-4,000+), roughly 8-10+ years of daily use, and does not carry NMC/NCM's thermal-runaway fire risk. NMC/NCM packs more capacity into a lighter footprint but typically lasts only 500-1,000 cycles before notable capacity loss.
Continuous (or 'rated') watts is what the inverter can output indefinitely without overheating or shutting down. Surge watts is a brief spike rating — usually a few seconds — for the startup current of motors and compressors (fridges, power tools). A unit rated 1,000W continuous / 2,000W surge can run a 900W device all day but only briefly handle a 1,800W motor-start spike.
Using Runtime (hours) = Capacity (Wh) ÷ Device Watts × 0.85: a 1,000Wh station runs a full-size fridge (~150W) for about 5.7 hours, a CPAP machine (~45W) for about 18.9 hours, a laptop (~70W) for about 12.1 hours, and a phone charger (~25W) for about 34 hours.
Not exactly — the rated solar input (e.g. 200-300W on budget units, up to 1,000W on premium units like the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max) is a ceiling reached only in ideal full sun with a matched panel. Cloud cover, panel angle, and temperature typically cut real input well below the rated figure, which is why a full solar recharge takes a real-world 3-8 hours rather than capacity ÷ rated watts.
Last updated: July 30, 2026. Data version v1.0.