How to Choose a Portable Power Station?

Because of the ageing of our national power grid, rising electricity consumption, and an increasingly unstable climate, there is an increased risk of blackouts. A generator, either gas or propane, is the most typical solution that people consider. Although these large, bulky devices are very powerful, they have certain disadvantages. For people who live in apartments or townhomes without outdoor space, this is a problematic solution because they require fuel and cannot be used indoors. Additionally, because generators must be run at least 20 feet away from any structures, using them requires a large amount of outdoor space.

This is a no-brainer if you are unable to operate a gas generator or simply prefer power that is a little more portable than those massive 100-pound units.

With a Portable Power Station, Who Should Use It?

Purchasing a portable power station is something you should definitely do if you’re thinking about doing so. These are great gadgets that are useful in a variety of circumstances. As previously mentioned, they’re ideal for anyone who likes to be outside or go camping, particularly if you love to “glamp,” which is when you have a blow-up mattress, lights, heaters, and hot coffee on a chilly morning in the mountains.

Certain products, such as the Anker Powerhouse, are excellent for camping and emergency situations since they have integrated LED lamps or can be recharged by solar panels. Every time I visit my cabin in the stunning mountains outside of Zion, Utah, I bring a power station. I can use it to run a fan or a Keurig coffee maker on steamy summer evenings, as well as swiftly recharge phones, e-bikes, and lanterns charged by batteries.

Although my cabin has a gas generator, nobody wants to hear it running at night and spoil the atmosphere around the campfire. In order to save money on gas generator use, I frequently use my Anker or Jackery to power my kitchen lights.

How Can I Pick a Transportable Power Station?

The needs and lifestyle you lead will determine which portable power station is suitable for you. Some points to consider about:

Capacity

Consider what you will need to offer energy when look up the wattage needs of the gadgets to determine how many watt-hours you’ll need in a portable power station. More than 150Wh of portable power, which is available for less than $100, may be plenty if all you need to do is charge a few phones and briefly run one or two LED lamps. You can invest more money in higher wattage if you anticipate needing to run larger appliances or need power for several days. Portable power stations can even deliver 4000-5000 Wh (in fact, EcoFlow models can be expanded with additional batteries to reach 25,000 Wh). However, these units are more costly and frequently just as big and heavy as gas generators, but they still have the advantage of being safe to use indoors. With these stations, the sweet spot lies between 500 and 2000 Wh that’s where the portable component with significant power falls in value.

Type of battery

In essence, these stations are merely big batteries with sophisticated charging and management equipment encircling them. The majority will provide a Lithium-ion battery, which is very conventional in the industry; however, some are constructed with longer-lasting and more temperature-tolerant Lithium iron phosphate batteries. Certain models, like as the Yeti 150 from Goal Zero, include user-replaceable batteries, so you can replace the battery without of having to buy a new one when it starts to die.

Charging cycles: The battery lifetime of various models varies. While some models can have far lower (or greater) charging and discharging cycles, the EB55 can have roughly 2,500 cycles before the battery begins to weaken.

Ports

Numerous outputs, including USB connections, wireless charging, AC and DC ports, are available on the majority of portable stations. Consider your needs for electricity and confirm that the model you select provides it. For example, there is only one USB-C connector on the EB5, so you might need to seek for an alternative setup if you require multiples of that.

Charging options: You can make sure you have a charged battery in case of an unexpected power outage by plugging almost all portable power stations into your wall for a quick charge. Nonetheless, it’s crucial to have access to refuelling during a blackout. Look for a variety of possibilities; while most solar panels come with an additional expense, having solar power is a necessary. However, the fact that adapters for charging from your car are available provides you an additional choice for overcast days, and the ability to combine two or more recharging ways to expedite the process is a nice feature.

Dimensions

Lastly, confirm that the station can be stored with ease. If your flat is overflowing, measure the area and match the size of the unit to the wattage so you won’t have to balance it on top of your toaster or anything else in the short intervals between emergencies.

Conclusions:

In an emergency, a portable power station is usually a better option than a conventional gas-powered generator, and it provides far more flexibility. Hey, you could even become a star by live streaming the next major event in your community.