In 2024, hurricanes caused the highest average outage duration in the United States in a decade. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, electricity customers experienced an average of 11 hours of total outages nationally, with hurricanes accounting for roughly 80 percent of those lost hours. Customers in South Carolina averaged 53 hours without power after Hurricane Helene. Hurricane Milton left 3.4 million customers in Florida without electricity.
Those are averages. If you lived in the direct path, your outage was measured in days, not hours. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, full power restoration in Louisiana took nearly six weeks. After Hurricane Maria in 2017, parts of Puerto Rico went without electricity for months. Even a well-managed Category 1 response typically means three to five days without grid power for residential customers in the hardest-hit zones, because utilities restore critical infrastructure (hospitals, water treatment, emergency services) first and work outward toward neighborhoods.
A portable power station cannot replace the grid for a week. But it can keep the things that matter most running long enough to protect your food, your health, and your ability to communicate. This guide explains how to prioritize your loads, calculate how much battery capacity you actually need, and choose the right equipment before the storm arrives.
Priority Tiers: What to Keep Running
You cannot run everything in your house on a battery. The first step in hurricane preparation is deciding what matters most and accepting that the rest stays off until the grid comes back. We break it into three tiers.
Phone and communication: ~20W while charging. Your phone is your connection to emergency alerts, weather updates, and family. Budget 2 to 3 full charges per day: roughly 40 to 60 Wh.
LED lighting: A few LED lanterns or bulbs draw 10 to 20W. Running them for 8 to 10 hours in the evening: 80 to 200 Wh/day.
Medical devices (if applicable): A CPAP machine draws 39 to 56W for 8 hours per night (312 to 449 Wh). An oxygen concentrator draws 150 to 350W continuously (3,600 to 8,400 Wh/day). If you depend on a powered medical device, it overrides everything else in this tier. See our CPAP battery backup guide for detailed sizing.
Tier 1 daily total without medical devices: roughly 120 to 260 Wh/day. With a CPAP: 430 to 710 Wh/day.
Refrigerator: An LG LMXS28596S French door refrigerator runs at approximately 207W with a startup surge of 414W. At a 40 percent duty cycle (compressor runs about 24 minutes per hour in normal conditions), the average draw is roughly 83W. Over 24 hours: approximately 2,000 Wh/day.
Chest freezer: Keep the door closed. A full chest freezer holds safe temperatures for up to 48 hours without power. Open it once per day at most. If your outage stretches beyond two days, consider transferring critical items to the refrigerator (which you are powering) and accepting the freezer loss.
Tier 2 daily total: roughly 2,000 Wh/day for the refrigerator at 40 percent duty cycle.
Fan: A box fan or pedestal fan draws 50 to 75W. Running one for 8 hours: 400 to 600 Wh/day. This is realistic on a mid-range power station and makes a meaningful difference in heat and humidity.
Window AC (inverter model): A Midea MAW08V1QWT 8,000 BTU inverter window AC draws 533W running with an 800W startup surge. Running it for 8 hours per day: approximately 4,264 Wh. This is a heavy load that requires either a large battery, solar recharging, or both.
Window AC (standard model): A Frigidaire FHWC084WB1 8,000 BTU standard window AC draws 670W running with a 2,010W startup surge. The higher surge makes it harder to start on mid-range power stations, and the higher running draw shortens runtime further.
How Much Battery Do You Need?
The answer depends entirely on which loads you prioritize and how many days you plan for. Here are three realistic scenarios using verified data from our database.
All runtime estimates below use 70 percent of the labeled battery capacity to account for real-world inverter losses, voltage conversion overhead, and battery management system reserves. This is a conservative but realistic figure that matches our methodology across every compatibility page on this site.
This is the most common hurricane backup scenario. You keep your food safe, your phones charged, and your house lit at night.
Breakdown: Phone charging (60 Wh) + LED lights for 10 hours (150 Wh) + refrigerator at 40% duty cycle (2,000 Wh) + small device charging (50 Wh) = approximately 2,260 Wh/day.
For a 3-day outage: 2,260 × 3 = 6,780 Wh total. No single portable power station in our database covers this without recharging. After real-world losses, the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 (4,096 Wh) covers roughly 1.3 days per charge. The Bluetti AC200L (2,048 Wh) covers about 15 hours before needing a recharge.
Realistic approach: A 2,000 to 4,000 Wh station paired with solar panels to recharge during daylight hours.
Florida in August without air conditioning is a health risk, not just a comfort issue. If you add an inverter window AC running 8 hours per day, the math changes substantially.
Breakdown: Scenario A loads (2,260 Wh) + Midea inverter AC for 8 hours (533W × 8 = 4,264 Wh) = approximately 6,524 Wh/day.
Reality: No portable power station sustains this load for a full day without recharging. After real-world losses, the Anker SOLIX F3800 (3,840 Wh) sustains this load for roughly 10 hours before the battery is depleted. This scenario requires either an expandable system (the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus expands to 12,000 Wh with add-on batteries) or aggressive solar recharging.
If your primary concern is keeping a medical device running through the outage, the math is far more manageable.
Breakdown: ResMed AirSense 11 CPAP for 8 hours (56.1W × 8 = 449 Wh) + phone charging (60 Wh) + LED lights (150 Wh) = approximately 659 Wh/day.
A Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 (1,070 Wh) covers this load for 1.1 days per charge. An EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max (2,048 Wh) covers 2.2 days. Add a 200W solar panel and you can sustain this indefinitely in clear weather.
Don’t guess at the math. Use our compatibility calculator to check exactly which devices your power station can handle, or explore our best-for pages to find the right station for a specific device.
Solar Recharging: The Hurricane Math
Solar panels are the difference between a power station that dies on day two and one that sustains you through the outage. But there is a critical caveat that most solar marketing conveniently ignores: hurricane days are overcast.
A 400W solar panel system rated for peak output produces 400W in direct sunlight at optimal angle. During an approaching storm, with heavy cloud cover and rain bands, expect 30 to 50 percent of rated output. That means your 400W system produces 120 to 200W in actual generation during the worst conditions. Over a shortened solar window of 4 to 5 useful hours (cloud cover reduces the effective solar day), that translates to roughly 480 to 1,000 Wh per day during the storm.
That is enough to partially recharge a power station, but it will not keep up with a Scenario A load (2,260 Wh/day) during the worst weather. This is why battery capacity matters. You need enough stored energy to ride through the cloudiest days, and then solar accelerates your recovery once the storm clears.
After the storm passes, a 400W panel system in Florida summer sun (roughly 5.5 to 6 peak sun hours) generates 1,540 to 1,680 Wh per day after losses. That is enough to sustain Scenario A and nearly enough for Scenario B if you run the AC for fewer hours.
Beyond Solar: Other Recharging Options
Car charging (12V outlet). Most power stations include a 12V car charging cable. This is slow — typically 100 to 200W input, meaning a 2,000 Wh station takes 10 to 20 hours to fully recharge from a car. But it works in any weather, and if you have fuel in the tank, it is reliable. Run the car engine while charging to avoid draining the car battery.
Gas generator. If you have access to a gasoline or propane generator, it can recharge a power station at full AC input speed (typically 500 to 1,500W depending on the station’s AC charger). This is the fastest recharge method but requires fuel storage and outdoor-only operation. Many people use a gas generator during the day to recharge the battery station, then run the battery silently indoors overnight.
The practical takeaway: buy the largest battery capacity you can afford, and treat solar as a recharging source that extends your autonomy rather than a primary power supply during the storm itself. Car and generator charging are useful backup options, but neither is as convenient or sustainable as solar once the skies clear.
Power Station Recommendations by Budget
Every station listed below outputs pure sine wave AC, uses LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery chemistry for longer cycle life and better heat tolerance, and can recharge from solar panels. Prices reflect manufacturer pricing at time of publication and may change.
Under $1,000 — Essentials and medical backup
At this price, you can keep phones charged, lights on, and a CPAP running for multiple days. You can run a refrigerator for roughly 9 hours per charge, but you will need solar or car charging to sustain it beyond that.
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 (1,070 Wh, 1,500W continuous / 3,000W surge, $799). Best for Tier 1 loads and CPAP backup. Handles a refrigerator for roughly 3.6 hours of continuous compressor operation (longer in practice due to duty cycling, roughly 9 hours at 40 percent duty). Starts the LG French door fridge (414W surge) without issue. Solar input: 400W max (dual DC8020 ports).
Anker SOLIX C1000 (1,056 Wh, 1,800W continuous / 2,400W surge, $999). Similar capacity to the Jackery but with higher continuous output. Runs a refrigerator with roughly the same runtime. Higher surge headroom for motor loads. Solar input: 600W max.
$1,000 to $2,500 — Fridge for a day, AC with solar support
This is the sweet spot for most hurricane scenarios. A full charge keeps your refrigerator running for 17+ hours, and adding solar panels extends that to multi-day operation. Stations in this range also have enough surge to start a sump pump.
Bluetti AC200L (2,048 Wh, 2,400W continuous / 3,600W surge, $1,499). The entry point for sustained refrigerator operation. At 83W average draw (40 percent duty cycle), a full charge covers roughly 17 hours. That is nearly a full day of food safety from a single charge. Solar input: 1,200W max.
EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max (2,048 Wh, 2,400W continuous / 4,800W surge, $1,899). Same capacity as the Bluetti but with higher surge (4,800W). Runs the Midea inverter window AC (800W surge, 533W running) with headroom. After accounting for real-world losses, the battery runs the AC for approximately 2.7 hours continuously. Pair with solar for extended cooling. Solar input: 500W max.
Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus (2,042 Wh, 3,000W continuous / 6,000W surge, $2,199). The standout feature is expandability. Add Jackery battery packs to reach up to 12,000 Wh total capacity. At 12,000 Wh, you can sustain Scenario A (2,260 Wh/day) for over three days without solar, or Scenario B with solar recharging. The 6,000W surge handles even the standard Frigidaire window AC (2,010W surge) without flinching. Solar input: 700W max per port.
$2,500 and above — Multi-day autonomy, fridge + AC, expandable
At this level, you get enough capacity to run a refrigerator and a window AC simultaneously, expandable battery systems for multi-day outages, and 240V output for well pumps. These are whole-scenario machines.
Anker SOLIX F3800 (3,840 Wh, 6,000W continuous / 9,000W surge, $3,499). The highest continuous output in our database at this price point. Runs a refrigerator and a window AC simultaneously with capacity to spare. Expandable to 26,900 Wh with add-on batteries. 240V output available for well pump owners. Solar input: 1,200W max per port.
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 (4,096 Wh, 4,000W continuous / 8,000W surge, $3,699). The largest single-unit battery in our evaluation set. Covers Scenario A for roughly 1.3 days per charge without solar. 240V output for well pumps and other split-phase loads. Solar input: 1,600W max (primary port), the highest single-port input in our database. With a matched panel array, a full recharge takes under 3 hours in clear conditions.
Before the Storm: Preparation Checklist
The time to prepare is before the storm enters the forecast cone, not 24 hours before landfall when stores are stripped bare. If you already own a power station, these steps take under an hour and dramatically improve your readiness.
Charge everything to 100 percent — now, not later. Power station, phones, tablets, laptops, portable batteries, headlamps. Do this the moment a hurricane watch is issued for your area, not when the warning arrives. A watch means conditions are possible within 48 hours. A warning means conditions are expected within 36 hours. By the time a warning drops, stores are stripped and you should already be prepared. LFP batteries hold charge well, so charging early does not waste capacity.
Test your critical devices on battery. Plug your refrigerator into the power station and verify it starts. Listen for the compressor kick. If the inverter trips, you need a larger station or a soft-start device, and you need to know that now, not during the storm.
Pre-cool your refrigerator and freezer. Set both to their lowest temperature settings 24 to 48 hours before the storm. The colder the contents when the power goes out, the longer they stay safe. A refrigerator at 34 degrees Fahrenheit has more thermal buffer than one at 40 degrees. Fill empty freezer space with water bottles. Frozen water acts as thermal mass and provides drinking water as it melts.
Fill water containers if you have a well pump. Well pumps require electricity. If your home runs on well water rather than municipal supply, fill bathtubs, large containers, and every available vessel before the outage. A 240V well pump cannot run on most portable power stations (only the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3, EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra, EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra X, Anker SOLIX F3800, and Zendure SuperBase V4600 output 240V).
Position your solar panels. If you own solar panels, set them up in a protected but accessible location before the storm. You will not want to be outside mounting panels during high winds, but you will want to deploy them quickly once conditions allow. Know your panel’s input connector and have the cables ready.
Prepare an offline information kit. Download offline maps of your area. Save emergency contacts (utility company, insurance agent, FEMA) as screenshots. Charge a battery-powered AM/FM radio if you have one. Cell towers may go down during the worst of the storm. If your household also prepares for fast evacuations, use our wildfire evacuation power kit guide to build a portable go-bag power plan.
Safety Notes
Never backfeed a home outlet. Plugging a power station into a wall outlet to “power the house” is called backfeeding. It sends electricity back through your home’s wiring and into the utility lines, creating a lethal hazard for line workers repairing downed power lines. It can also damage your power station and your home’s electrical system. If you want whole-home backup from a portable station, hire a licensed electrician to install a transfer switch or power inlet box.
Carbon monoxide risk applies to gas generators, not batteries. Portable power stations produce zero emissions and are safe to operate indoors. However, if you also own a gasoline generator, never run it inside, in a garage, or near windows. CO poisoning kills dozens of Americans during hurricane season every year.
Keep batteries out of floodwater. If your area is at risk of flooding, move the power station to high ground before the water rises. Submerging a lithium battery in water creates a short-circuit risk and can cause thermal runaway. If a power station has been submerged, do not attempt to use it.
What a Battery Cannot Do
A portable power station is a bridge, not a replacement for the grid. It is important to understand where that bridge ends.
Central air conditioning. A typical 3-ton central AC system requires 240V and draws 3,500 to 4,000W running with a startup surge that can exceed 10,000W. No portable power station in our database can run a central AC unit, even with a soft-start device. Window AC units and fans are the realistic battery-powered cooling options.
Electric water heaters. These require 240V and draw 4,500 to 5,500W. Not viable on battery power. Heat water on a gas stove or camp stove instead.
Electric stoves and ovens. A single burner draws 1,200 to 2,500W on a 240V circuit. Use a gas or propane camp stove for cooking during an outage.
Extended operation of high-draw devices. Even the largest power station in our database (EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 at 4,096 Wh) runs out in roughly 6 hours if you are pulling 500W continuously. Battery backup is about running essential loads efficiently, not maintaining a normal lifestyle.
The role of a portable power station during a hurricane outage is to help plan backup power for what matters most: food safety, medical devices, communication, and basic lighting. If you scope your expectations to those priorities, a mid-range station paired with solar panels can sustain you through a multi-day outage. If you expect to run the house normally, no battery on the market delivers that today.
Sources: EIA, December 2025 — hurricane outage statistics. FEMA Power Outage Incident Annex, January 2025 — restoration timelines. USDA FSIS and CDC — food safety thresholds. Device wattage from OEM manuals, spec sheets, and ENERGY STAR data. Sump pump surge derived from NEC Table 430.248. Power station specifications from manufacturer product pages. See our data sources methodology for how we verify every number.