Calculator · UK power cut, 230 V
Power station for a power cut: how many hours will it last?
In a power cut the first things you miss are light, the router and a charged phone; the first thing you lose is the food in the fridge-freezer. A portable power station can run all of them for a while. How long depends on what they draw and on the battery, and that is a sum you can do here.
- usable from every 1,000 Wh on the box
- 765Wh
- a closed fridge stays cold (FSA)
- 4h
- UK stations with their figures
- 14
If you only read this
Three uses, one station for each, chosen by fixed rules on the figures from each maker's UK page. They are not our own tests.
Phones, router and light
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus
- Capacity
- 286 Wh
- Continuous output
- 600 W
Among the smallest from 200 Wh: 286 Wh and 600 W, 4.7 kg.
Search Amazon.co.uk: EcoFlow RIVER 3 PlusFridge-freezer and the basics
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2
- Capacity
- 1,024 Wh
- Continuous output
- 2,000 W
Among the lightest from 1,000 Wh and 1,000 W (11.29 kg). About 13 h with a fridge-freezer, router, lights and phones.
Search Amazon.co.uk: Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2More than a day with the fridge-freezer
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2
- Capacity
- 2,042 Wh
- Continuous output
- 2,200 W
2,200 W for the odd short burst of a bigger appliance. About 1 day 1 h with a fridge-freezer, router, lights and phones.
Search Amazon.co.uk: Jackery Explorer 2000 v2
Opens in a new tab. The store shows the price and stock.
See the 14 stations and their UPS timesCalculator: how many hours?
The calculator uses BLUETTI's published runtime formula with UK appliance figures, and runs in your browser: it sends nothing anywhere. It starts with the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 running a fridge-freezer, the broadband router, three LED bulbs and two phone charges a day. Change anything.
13 h with Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2
See result13 h
Your appliances use 1,261 Wh a day and need 333 W if everything runs at once.
Show the sums
- 1,261 Wh
- 783 Wh = 1,024 Wh × 0.9 × 0.85
- 62.5 W = 1,261 Wh ÷ 24 h + 10 W the station uses itself
- 333 W against 2,000 W continuous output
Stations that cover your day
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2
1 day 1 h · 2,042 Wh
Search Amazon.co.uk: Jackery Explorer 2000 v2EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus
1 day 1 h · 2,048 Wh
Search Amazon.co.uk: EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max PlusAnker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2
1 day 1 h · 2,048 Wh
Search Amazon.co.uk: Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2
Opens Amazon.co.uk in a new tab (a search: no UK listing is verified yet). It shows the price and stock.
How the sums work
Rule of thumb: from every 1,000 Wh on the box you get about 765 Wh. Divide that by what your appliances draw on average and you have the hours.
The formula, step by step
BLUETTI publishes the formula on its product pages: hours = capacity (Wh) × depth of discharge × inverter efficiency ÷ (load in W + the station's own use), with 90 % depth of discharge, 85 % efficiency and about 10 W of self-consumption. Because appliances switch on and off through the day, the load in the formula is the day's average: the energy of everything over 24 hours, divided by 24.
The starting example, step by step: the fridge-freezer averages 34 W all day (816 Wh), the router 10 W all day (240 Wh), three 11 W LED bulbs for five hours (165 Wh) and two phone charges about 40 Wh. That's about 1,261 Wh a day, an average of 53 W, plus 10 W for the station. A 1,024 Wh station leaves 783 Wh usable, which at 63 W lasts about 13 h.
The calculator also adds up what runs at the same moment, with the fridge-freezer's compressor at 250 W, the top of the 100–250 W range we found, and compares it with the station's continuous output. Above that, the station cuts out to protect itself: nothing dangerous, but no power.
What size for your home
Same formula, same reference figures, three typical homes:
- Essentials, no fridge (router, three LED bulbs, two phone charges, about 445 Wh a day): a 288 Wh compact gives about 7.7 h, a 512 Wh mid-size about 14 h and a 1,024 Wh about 1 day 3 h.
- With the fridge-freezer (about 1,261 Wh a day): a 1,024 Wh station gives about 13 h, enough to get past the FSA's 4 hours and through a night; a 2,048 Wh station about 1 day 1 h.
- A night with a CPAP (AirSense 11 at 56 W for 8 hours, a router and a phone): a 1,024 Wh station gives about 20 h. More in will a power station run a CPAP.
If the cut lasts days
For a cut of several days, capacity matters less than refilling it. A solar panel helps less in a British winter than you'd hope: our solar panel guide has the PVGIS figures for five UK cities, month by month.
14 stations and their UPS switchover
The fourth figure on each card is the UPS switchover time the maker states on its UK page: how quickly the station takes over when the mains drops, if you leave it plugged in with your appliances on it.
Compact (under 500 Wh)
Jackery Explorer 240 v2
- 256 Wh
- 300 W
- 3.6 kg
- ≤20 ms
Pre-order on Jackery's UK store when we checked (11 October 2026): shipping from 26 October 2026.
Search Amazon.co.uk: Jackery Explorer 240 v2UK figures
- 3.6 kg
- Not stated on UK page
- 20 ms or less
- Jackery UK page, 11 October 2026
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus
- 286 Wh
- 600 W
- 4.7 kg
- ≤10 ms
Search Amazon.co.uk: EcoFlow RIVER 3 PlusUK figures
- 4.7 kg
- 220 W
- 10 ms or less
- EcoFlow UK page, 11 October 2026
BLUETTI Elite 30 V2
- 288 Wh
- 600 W
- 4.3 kg
- ≤10 ms
Search Amazon.co.uk: BLUETTI Elite 30 V2UK figures
- 4.3 kg
- Not stated on UK page
- 10 ms or less
- BLUETTI UK page, 11 October 2026
Anker SOLIX C300X
- 288 Wh
- 300 W
- —
- —
Sold in the UK as the C300X (AC and DC outlets). The C300 DC on the same store has no mains sockets. Anker's UK page did not list its weight when we checked.
Search Amazon.co.uk: Anker SOLIX C300XUK figures
- Not stated on UK page
- 100 W
- Not stated on UK page
- Anker SOLIX UK page, 11 October 2026
Mid-size (500–1,500 Wh)
Jackery Explorer 500 v2
- 512 Wh
- 500 W
- 5.7 kg
- ≤10 ms
Search Amazon.co.uk: Jackery Explorer 500 v2UK figures
- 5.7 kg
- 200 W
- 10 ms or less
- Jackery UK page, 11 October 2026
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus
- 1,024 Wh
- 1,800 W
- 12.5 kg
- ≤10 ms
EcoFlow UK sells it on the shared DELTA 3 series page: pick the Plus.
Search Amazon.co.uk: EcoFlow DELTA 3 PlusUK figures
- 12.5 kg
- 1,000 W
- 10 ms or less
- EcoFlow UK page, 11 October 2026
BLUETTI Elite 100 V2
- 1,024 Wh
- 1,800 W
- 11.5 kg
- ≤10 ms
Search Amazon.co.uk: BLUETTI Elite 100 V2UK figures
- 11.5 kg
- 1,000 W
- 10 ms or less
- BLUETTI UK page, 11 October 2026
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2
- 1,024 Wh
- 2,000 W
- 11.3 kg
- ≤10 ms
Search Amazon.co.uk: Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2UK figures
- 11.29 kg
- 600 W
- 10 ms or less
- Anker SOLIX UK page, 11 October 2026
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2
- 1,070 Wh
- 1,500 W
- —
- ≤20 ms
Search Amazon.co.uk: Jackery Explorer 1000 v2UK figures
- Not stated on UK page
- Not stated on UK page
- 20 ms or less
- Jackery UK page, 11 October 2026
Large (over 1,500 Wh)
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2
- 2,042 Wh
- 2,200 W
- 17.5 kg
- ≤20 ms
Search Amazon.co.uk: Jackery Explorer 2000 v2UK figures
- 17.5 kg
- 400 W
- 20 ms or less
- Jackery UK page, 11 October 2026
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus
- 2,048 Wh
- 3,000 W
- 22.1 kg
- ≤10 ms
Pre-order on EcoFlow's UK store when we checked (11 October 2026): shipping from 30 October 2026. Sold on the shared DELTA 3 Max series page: pick the Max Plus.
Search Amazon.co.uk: EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max PlusUK figures
- 22.1 kg
- 1,000 W
- 10 ms or less
- EcoFlow UK page, 11 October 2026
Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2
- 2,048 Wh
- 2,400 W
- 18.9 kg
- ≤10 ms
Search Amazon.co.uk: Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2UK figures
- 18.9 kg
- Not stated on UK page
- 10 ms or less
- Anker SOLIX UK page, 11 October 2026
BLUETTI Elite 200 V2
- 2,073.6 Wh
- 2,600 W
- —
- —
Search Amazon.co.uk: BLUETTI Elite 200 V2UK figures
- Not stated on UK page
- 1,000 W
- Not stated on UK page
- BLUETTI UK page, 11 October 2026
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3
- 4,096 Wh
- 4,000 W
- 51.5 kg
- ≤10 ms
Search Amazon.co.uk: EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3UK figures
- 51.5 kg
- 2,600 W
- 10 ms or less
- EcoFlow UK page, 11 October 2026
What to keep on, in order
- Light. LED lamps or battery lanterns rather than candles: the government's Prepare advice says torches are safer than candles.
- Communication. Phones, and the router if the network outside is still up. A battery or wind-up radio is the backup when both fail, and it's on the Prepare list.
- The fridge-freezer, once the cut runs long. The Food Standards Agency says a cut of under 4 hours is unlikely to affect chilled or frozen food; a full freezer stays frozen for up to 48 hours if you keep it shut. Past that, the station earns its keep. See will a power station run a fridge-freezer.
- Medical equipment, planned with your care provider in advance, as Prepare asks.
What not to run from a station
Heaters, kettles, ovens and immersion heaters draw 1,000–3,000 W: each hour of a 1 kW heater uses about a whole 1,000 Wh station. To keep warm, Prepare suggests blankets, layers, closing doors to unused rooms and drawing the curtains; an electric blanket uses a fraction of a heater's energy. And see why the gas combi boiler is an electrician's job first.
Three things not to do
- Run a petrol generator, barbecue or camping stove indoors or in the garage. The NHS lists portable generators among the causes of carbon monoxide poisoning and warns against barbecues and camping stoves indoors. More in generator or power station.
- Plug a station or generator into a wall socket to power the house. It back-feeds the house wiring. Plug appliances into the station; anything wired into the house is a job for a qualified electrician.
- Keep opening the fridge. Every opening shortens how long it stays cold. Plan what you need and shut it.
Questions
How long will a portable power station last in a power cut?
It depends on its size and what you plug in. With BLUETTI's formula (capacity × 0.9 × 0.85 ÷ average load plus about 10 W for the station), a 1,024 Wh station running a fridge-freezer, a router, three LED bulbs and two phone charges lasts about 13 h; without the fridge-freezer, about 1 day 3 h. The calculator on this page does the sums with your appliances.
What should I keep running first in a power cut?
Light and communication first: torches or LED lamps, phones and, if the network is up, the router. Then the fridge-freezer once the cut passes the 4 hours the Food Standards Agency says a closed fridge stays cold. Leave heaters, kettles and ovens off the station.
Can I connect a power station to my house wiring?
Not by plugging it into a wall socket: that would feed power back into the house wiring and the network. Plug appliances into the station instead. Anything wired into the house, like a boiler on a fused spur, needs a qualified electrician.
Is a power station better than a power bank in a power cut?
For phones, a torch and a radio, a power bank is enough and it's on the government's Prepare kit list. For the router, a laptop, a CPAP or the fridge-freezer you need mains sockets and hundreds of Wh: a power station. Many homes have both.
Should I register for the Priority Services Register?
If anyone at home is of pensionable age, has children aged five or under, a health condition, or relies on electricity for medical equipment, check thepsr.co.uk. It's free in England, Scotland and Wales and gives extra support during an outage.
The rest of the plan
The station covers electricity. Water, food, light, a radio and the Priority Services Register are the rest.
Sources
See all 29 sources
- Jackery Explorer 240 v2: maker's UK page
- EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus: maker's UK page
- BLUETTI Elite 30 V2: maker's UK page
- Anker SOLIX C300X: maker's UK page
- Jackery Explorer 500 v2: maker's UK page
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus: maker's UK page
- BLUETTI Elite 100 V2: maker's UK page
- Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2: maker's UK page
- Jackery Explorer 1000 v2: maker's UK page
- Jackery Explorer 2000 v2: maker's UK page
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus: maker's UK page
- Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2: maker's UK page
- BLUETTI Elite 200 V2: maker's UK page
- EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3: maker's UK page
- BLUETTI, runtime formula (capacity × 0.9 depth of discharge × 0.85 inverter efficiency ÷ load) and about 10 W self-consumption, from its Elite 200 V2 and Elite 100 V2 pages
- UK Government, Prepare: Power cuts
- UK Government, Prepare: Get prepared for emergencies (emergency kit list)
- Food Standards Agency, Food safety in a power cut: advice for consumers (GOV.UK, 26 July 2023)
- NHS, Carbon monoxide poisoning
- The Priority Services Register (thepsr.co.uk)
- Which?, How much your appliances cost to run (prices from 1 October 2026, 26.32p per kWh)
- Selectra, Broadband router running cost (10 W, about 88 kWh a year)
- Which?, Could you save by switching to LED bulbs? (11 W LED vs 60 W halogen)
- ResMed, AirSense 11 user guide: 56.1 W typical, 73.2 W peak power consumption
- Which?, Best energy-efficient freezers: average yearly use by freezer type
- EU energy label database (EPREL), TCL 55P6K-UKX7 55-inch TV: 55 W SDR, 90 W HDR
- EDF, Are electric blankets expensive to run? (single 40–60 W, double about 80 W, king up to 250 W)
- Ideal, Logic Combi ES 24/30/35 installation and servicing manual: power consumption 146–177 W, 3 A fuse
- Selectra, Electric heaters compared: fan heater, oil-filled radiator, convector (2,000 W, 1,500 W, 1,000 W)