How Long Does a 2,000 Wh Power Station Last?

By our math, a 2,000 Wh power station (we use 2,048 Wh) runs a fridge for about 15 hours, a CPAP for about 44 hours, and Wi-Fi plus phones for about 50 hours, or two full days. A fridge and a freezer together get about 7.3 hours.

Three of the five boxes we list at this size hold exactly 2,048 Wh, so the hours below use that number. Want to add up your own devices? Find My Power does the math for you.

The words we use

• Watt-hours (Wh): how much power a box holds.
• Watts: how fast something uses power. We count a fridge at about 120.
• Surge: a short burst some things need to start, like a pump motor.

New to this? Start with What is a watt-hour?

How long does a 2000Wh power station last?

We get every hour count the same way:

Hours = watt-hours × 0.85 ÷ watts

A box loses some power as heat while it works, so we only count 85% of what it holds. For 2,048 Wh, that is about 1,740 watt-hours you can use.

Device	Watts we count	About how long on 2,048 Wh
Wi-Fi router	15 W	116 hours
CPAP machine (humidifier off or low)	40 W	44 hours
Lights	40 W	44 hours
TV	100 W	17 hours
Refrigerator	120 W	15 hours
Sump pump, running nonstop	960 W	1.8 hours
Space heater	1,500 W	1.2 hours

Estimates. Your devices may use more or less.

A fridge motor turns on and off, so a real fridge often uses less than 120 watts on average. Our fridge guide explains how to read the label inside yours.

A fridge and a freezer at the same time

Honda's generator wattage guide puts a fridge and a freezer on the same line, so we count a freezer like a fridge: 120 watts. Honda lists 132 to 192 watts while the motor runs. The motor turns on and off, so over an hour a fridge uses less, and we count 120. At Honda's numbers, a fridge alone gets about 9.1 to 13 hours. Add the watts of each thing you plug in:

What is plugged in	Total watts	About how long on 2,048 Wh
Wi-Fi + phones	35 W	50 hours
CPAP + Wi-Fi + phones	75 W	23 hours
Fridge + Wi-Fi + phones	155 W	11 hours
Fridge + freezer	240 W	7.3 hours
Fridge + freezer + Wi-Fi + phones	275 W	6.3 hours

Estimates. Your devices may use more or less.

So with both plugged in, plan for hours, not a full day. A space heater is harder still: about 1.2 hours (see our space heater guide).

What lasts two days?

Here is the same math for one and two days:

• Wi-Fi and phones for two days: 35 watts for 48 hours needs about 1,980 Wh. A 2,048 Wh box just covers it.
• Add lights: 75 watts for one full day needs about 2,120 Wh. That is a little more than the box holds.
• A fridge for one full day: 120 watts for 24 hours needs about 3,390 Wh. A 2,048 Wh box covers about 15 of those hours.

Estimates. Your devices may use more or less.

Two of the five boxes take extra batteries. EcoFlow says the DELTA 2 Max reaches 6,144 Wh with two extra batteries; by our math that runs a fridge for about 44 hours. Anker says the C2000 Gen 2 reaches 4,096 Wh with one; that is about 29 hours.

Can a 2000Wh box start a sump pump?

We count a sump pump at about 960 watts running and 2,760 watts to start. That is our math from the spec sheet of Liberty Pumps' 287, a 1/2 horsepower pump: the sheet lists 8.0 amps running and 23 amps to start, and we multiply by the 120 volts of a wall outlet. A smaller pump may need less; check the label on yours. Four of the five boxes list a surge of 4,000 watts or more, so by our math they can start it. BLUETTI lists 3,900 watts for the Elite 200 V2 in Power Lifting mode, but only for "pure resistive loads" like kettles and hair dryers, so we don't count it as surge. BLUETTI does not list a surge we could confirm, so we're checking; its 2,600 W of output is below 2,760. Running nonstop, a pump empties a 2,048 Wh box in about 1.8 hours. Most pumps turn on and off, so they last longer. See can a power station run a sump pump.

Five boxes at about 2,000 Wh

These five hold between 2,042 and 2,073 Wh:

Box	Watt-hours	Watts	Fridge	Wi-Fi + phones	Starts a 2,760 W pump
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2	2,042 Wh	2,200 W	about 14 hours	about 50 hours	Yes
Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2	2,048 Wh	2,400 W	about 15 hours	about 50 hours	Yes
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max	2,048 Wh	2,400 W	about 15 hours	about 50 hours	Yes
EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max	2,048 Wh	2,400 W	about 15 hours	about 50 hours	Yes
BLUETTI Elite 200 V2	2,073 Wh	2,600 W	about 15 hours	about 50 hours	We're checking

Estimates. Your devices may use more or less.

The hours are almost the same in all five, so pick by what else you need. We would pick the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max: EcoFlow lists 2,400 W of output, a 4,800-watt surge, six AC outlets, and room for two extra batteries. The catch is weight: EcoFlow lists 50 pounds. If you will carry it often, Jackery lists the Explorer 2000 v2 at 39.5 pounds. Our C2000 Gen 2 vs Explorer 2000 v2 vs Elite 200 V2 guide shows charging and solar, or put any two in Compare.

Is 2,000 Wh the right size for you?

• Yes: a fridge through most of a day, Wi-Fi and phones for two days, or a CPAP for several nights. For a CPAP, see CPAP backup power for outages, and always check the watts with your machine's maker or your equipment provider.
• No: heat for a room, or a fridge and a freezer through a long outage. See whole-home backup and the bigger boxes in Best Picks. For a smaller box, see how long a 1,000 Wh power station lasts.

Planning for a winter storm? Our winter storm checklist lists what to charge first.

Questions people ask

How long will a 2000Wh power station run a refrigerator?

About 15 hours by our math on a 2,048 Wh box, for a fridge we count at 120 watts. Check the label inside yours: many use less on average, so you may get more.

How many days will a 2000Wh power station last?

It depends on what you plug in. Wi-Fi and phones alone last about two days. A fridge alone lasts less than one.

Is a 2000Wh power station too much?

Not if you want a fridge or a CPAP through an outage. If you only need Wi-Fi and phones for a night, a smaller box is enough: see how long a 768 Wh power station lasts.