Scenarios › Power station for a home outage: fridge + CPAP + sump pump
Power station for a home outage (fridge + CPAP + sump pump)
The classic storm-night kit: keep the fridge cold, run a CPAP overnight, and keep the sump pump ready so the basement stays dry. The sump pump’s 1,500 W startup surge is what sets the minimum inverter — here is the unit that covers all three, with room to grow.
3,373 Whcapacity needed
990 Wrunning watts
2,040 Wsurge to clear
12 hruntime horizon
This load: Refrigerator (modern) · CPAP Machine (no humidifier) · Sump Pump (1/3 HP). Want to tweak it? Open the full sizing tool and adjust the appliances and hours.
What size you need
You need about 3,373 Wh — and 7 units fit. The smallest sufficient is the EcoFlow DELTA Pro; we never push more capacity than your load can use. Surge to clear: 2,040 W.
The math
Running watts (everything on at once) = 990 W
Surge watts (worst single startup + the rest running) = 2,040 W
Average draw (cyclic loads counted by their duty cycle) = 253 W
Watt-hours = 253 W × 12 h ÷ 90% usable reserve = 3,373 Wh
1
EcoFlow DELTA Prosmallest that fits
3,600 Wh 3,600 W cont · 7,200 W surge expandable ~13 h on this load $$$
The whole-home contender on wheels — 3,600 W, expandable to 25 kWh, panel-ready with a transfer switch.
LiFePO4 · AC + EV charging; expandable to 25 kWh · 99 lb
2
Anker SOLIX F3800
3,840 Wh 6,000 W cont · 9,000 W surge expandable ~14 h on this load $$$
A 6,000 W, 240 V system for whole-home backup including a well pump and electric range, expandable to ~27 kWh.
LiFePO4 · 120/240 V; expandable to 26.9 kWh · 132 lb
3
Anker SOLIX SOLIX F3800 Plus
3,840 Wh 6,000 W cont · 12,000 W surge expandable ~14 h on this load $$$
The newer-generation F3800 — same 3,840 Wh and 6,000 W continuous rating, but double the solar input (3,200 W) and adds 240V gas-generator bypass charging for extended outages.
LiFePO4 · ~1.5 h with 240V generator input; under 3 h AC; up to 3,200W dual-MPPT solar · 137 lb
4
Goal Zero Yeti PRO 4000
3,993 Wh 3,600 W cont · 7,200 W surge expandable ~14 h on this load $$$
Goal Zero’s LiFePO4 flagship — 4 kWh, 3,600 W, whole-home with the transfer switch and tanks.
LiFePO4 · Fast AC; expandable to ~27 kWh · 104 lb
5
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3
4,096 Wh 4,000 W cont · 8,000 W surge expandable ~15 h on this load $$$
A 4 kWh, 4,000 W (120/240 V) system built specifically for whole-home backup.
LiFePO4 · AC/solar/EV; expandable to 48 kWh · 113 lb
6
Jackery Explorer 5000 Plusstep-up
5,040 Wh 7,200 W cont · 14,400 W surge expandable ~18 h on this load $$$
The largest single Jackery unit — 120/240V split-phase output makes it a real panel-level whole-home contender, not just a big portable.
LiFePO4 · True 120V/240V split-phase output; expandable to 60 kWh with additional battery packs and units · 135 lb
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Disclosure.
The load, appliance by appliance
⚡ Informational only — a computed sizing estimate from published appliance-wattage charts and manufacturer station specs. It is not an electrical guarantee. For hardwired or whole-home backup, transfer switches, or any permanent install, consult a licensed electrician. Appliance wattages are representative chart values and vary by model; check your nameplates. Duty cycle (how much of the time a load actually draws) is how we keep the watt-hour estimate from overselling capacity.
Common questions
Power station for a home outage (fridge + CPAP + sump pump)
For Refrigerator (modern), CPAP Machine (no humidifier), Sump Pump (1/3 HP) over 12 h, you need about 3,373 Wh of capacity, 990 W continuous output, and at least 2,040 W of surge. The smallest unit that clears all three is the EcoFlow DELTA Pro; a step-up like the Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus adds headroom for longer outages.
How many watt-hours does this load need?
About 3,373 Wh for 12 h — we take the duty-weighted average draw (253 W, since cyclic loads like fridges and pumps don't run constantly), multiply by the hours, and divide by a usable-capacity reserve. Running watts are 990 W; surge is 2,040 W.
Other scenarios
Sources: appliance wattages — standard appliance/generator sizing charts; station specs — manufacturer published specifications (compiled 2026-08-10; approximate). Informational only — a computed sizing estimate from published appliance-wattage charts and manufacturer station specs. It is not an electrical guarantee. For hardwired or whole-home backup, transfer switches, or any permanent install, consult a licensed electrician.