Safe
12
Best Power Stations for Sump Pump
We tested 33 portable power stations against the Sump Pump (1/2 HP) (1127W running / 3381W surge). 17 passed our True Surge protocol — 52% compatibility rate.
Tight
5
With Soft-Starter
6
Incompatible
10
○ Device source: Engineering Est.
Derived from variant list (max of variants). Worst case = Wayne CDU800 (1127W running, 3381W surge).
Our Top Picks
12 compatible models rankedRanked by value, balance, and endurance from 12 compatible generators.
Best Budget Safe
Explorer 2000 v2
Running 2,200W
Surge 4,400W
Capacity 2,042 Wh
Weight 39.5 lbs (17.9 kg)
Carry One-person carry
Runtime 1.3h
Best Overall Safe
Explorer 2000 Plus
Running 3,000W
Surge 6,000W
Capacity 2,042 Wh
Weight 61.5 lbs (27.9 kg)
Carry Two-person recommended
Runtime 1.3h
Best Runtime Safe
Delta Pro Ultra
Running 6,000W
Surge 12,000W
Capacity 6,144 Wh
Weight 182.1 lbs (82.6 kg)
Carry Two-person recommended
Runtime 3.8h
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Runtime at a glance
How long each station runs a Sump Pump on a single charge (after 0.70 real-world derate)
Delta Pro Ultra X 6,144 Wh 3.8h
Delta Pro Ultra 6,144 Wh 3.8h
Zendure SuperBase V4600 4,608 Wh 2.9h
DELTA Pro 3 4,096 Wh 2.5h
Yeti Pro 4000 3,993.6 Wh 2.5h
Anker SOLIX F3800 3,840 Wh 2.4h
Delta Pro 3,600 Wh 2.2h
Pecron E3600LFP 3,072 Wh 1.9h
Safe
Tight margin
Showing top 8 by runtime. See full table below for all 23 stations (17 pass, 6 with soft-starter).
What to Know About the Sump Pump (1/2 HP)
Power Profile
Running load: 920–1,127W depending on model. Surge: 2,645–3,381W at motor startup. Voltage: 120V AC required. All 1/2 HP sump pumps use PSC induction motors with significant startup inrush — the surge is the critical sizing factor for battery backup.
Real-World Usage
Sump pumps activate automatically via float switch during flooding. Each motor start produces a surge lasting 1-3 seconds. Typical storm usage: 2 hours/day with intermittent cycling. Daily energy: 1,840–2,254 Wh.
Pro Tip
Sump pump backup is the #1 emergency use case for portable power stations. The motor startup surge — not the running watts — determines whether your power station can handle it. Check the surge rating, not just the wattage.
Full Compatibility Matrix
All 33 generators tested against the Sump Pump (1/2 HP) (1127W / 3381W).
| Power Station | Running W | Surge W | Capacity | Weight | Verdict | Runtime | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Pro Ultra X | 12,000 | 24,000 | 6,144 Wh | 187.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 3.8h | View |
| Delta Pro Ultra | 6,000 | 12,000 | 6,144 Wh | 182.1 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 3.8h | View |
| DELTA Pro 3 | 4,000 | 8,000 | 4,096 Wh | 113.5 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 2.5h | View |
| Yeti Pro 4000 | 3,600 | 7,200 | 3,993.6 Wh | 115.7 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 2.5h | View |
| Anker SOLIX F3800 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 3,840 Wh | 132.3 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 2.4h | View |
| Delta Pro | 3,600 | 7,200 | 3,600 Wh | 99.2 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 2.2h | View |
| Pecron E3600LFP | 3,600 | 7,000 | 3,072 Wh | 79.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.9h | View |
| Explorer 3000 Pro | 3,000 | 6,000 | 3,024 Wh | 63.9 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.9h | View |
| AC200MAX | 2,200 | 4,800 | 2,048 Wh | 61.9 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.3h | View |
| DELTA 2 Max | 2,400 | 4,800 | 2,048 Wh | 50.7 lbs Heavy carry | Safe | 1.3h | View |
| Explorer 2000 Plus | 3,000 | 6,000 | 2,042 Wh | 61.5 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.3h | View |
| Explorer 2000 v2 | 2,200 | 4,400 | 2,042 Wh | 39.5 lbs One-person carry | Safe | 1.3h | View |
| Zendure SuperBase V4600 | 3,800 | 3,800 | 4,608 Wh | 121.3 lbs Two-person recommended | Tight | 2.9h | View |
| Elite 200 V2 | 2,600 | 3,600 | 2,073 Wh | 53.4 lbs Heavy carry | Tight | 1.3h | View |
| AC200L | 2,400 | 3,600 | 2,048 Wh | 62.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Tight | 1.3h | View |
| Yeti 1500X | 2,000 | 3,500 | 1,516 Wh | 45.6 lbs Heavy carry | Tight | 0.9h | View |
| DELTA 3 Plus | 1,800 | 3,600 | 1,024 Wh | 27.6 lbs One-person carry | Tight | 0.6h | View |
| DELTA (Gen 1) | 1,800 | 3,300 | 1,260 Wh | 30.9 lbs One-person carry | Soft Start | 0.8h * | View |
| AC180 | 1,800 | 2,700 | 1,152 Wh | 36.2 lbs One-person carry | Soft Start | 0.7h * | View |
| Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 1,070 Wh | 23.8 lbs One-person carry | Soft Start | 0.7h * | View |
| SOLIX C1000 | 1,800 | 2,400 | 1,056 Wh | 28.4 lbs One-person carry | Soft Start | 0.7h * | View |
| DELTA 2 | 1,800 | 2,700 | 1,024 Wh | 26.5 lbs One-person carry | Soft Start | 0.6h * | View |
| VTOMAN Jump 1500X | 1,500 | 3,000 | 828 Wh | 36.2 lbs One-person carry | Soft Start | 0.5h * | View |
| SOLIX C800 Plus | 1,200 | 1,600 | 768 Wh | 24.0 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| AC70 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 768 Wh | 22.5 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 2 Pro | 800 | 1,600 | 768 Wh | 18.3 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Explorer 500 | 500 | 1,000 | 518.4 Wh | 13.2 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 2 Max | 500 | 1,000 | 512 Wh | 13.4 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| SOLIX C300 | 300 | 300 | 288 Wh | 9.0 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Explorer 300 Plus | 300 | 600 | 288 Wh | 8.4 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| EB3A | 600 | 1,200 | 268.8 Wh | 10.1 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 2 | 300 | 600 | 256 Wh | 7.7 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 3 | 300 | 600 | 245 Wh | 7.7 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
* Runtime with soft-starter installed. Without a soft-starter, these units cannot handle the startup surge.
Model Variants
Different models have different power requirements. Check the specific report for your exact model.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many power stations can run a Sump Pump?
Out of 33 portable power stations we tested, 17 can safely run a Sump Pump (12 with full safety margin, 5 at tight margin). 10 are incompatible.
What specs should I look for to run a Sump Pump?
Your power station needs at least 1,127W continuous output and 3,381W surge capacity. We recommend a safety buffer of 15% above these minimums for reliable operation.
How do we test compatibility?
Every pairing is evaluated using our True Surge protocol: we compare OEM-verified running watts, surge watts, and voltage requirements against each power station's published specs, with load-profile-specific safety buffers applied. Read our full methodology.
What size power station do I need for a 1/2 HP sump pump?
Only if your power source can supply at least 1,127W continuous and 3,381W surge at 120V. Some 1/2 HP models may start easier, but size to this worst-case envelope for reliable backup.
Compare these models
Side-by-side comparisons for the top picks on this page.