Whether you need power for camping or energy security for your home, a portable power station can meet your requirements and even make you money through electricity bill savings over the long term. A high-quality portable power station offers many options for generating and/or storing electricity, including solar panels, gas/inverter generators, household (AC) power, 800W alternator charging, and more.

The charging options for portable power stations depend on the manufacturer and model. For example, EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 offers seven fast charging methods, including solar panels, AC (household) wall plugs, Smart Home Panel 2, gas or inverter generator, 800W alternator charger, and EV charging piles. Numerous multi-charging combinations are also available to top up the LiFeP04 battery even quicker with up to 7000W of super-fast charging input.

The safety of portable power stations depends primarily on battery chemistry. Lead acid and SLA (VRLA) deep-cycle batteries require proper installation, ventilation, and routine maintenance to operate safely. Traditional lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are safer and require little maintenance but are prone to thermal runaway in rare instances, which can result in a fire or explosion. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP/LiFePO4) batteries are safe for indoor use and — because they’re cobalt-free — better for the environment.

No, most portable power stations do not offer true uninterrupted power. A UPS must auto-switch in 10 milliseconds (ms) or less during a power outage or brownout to support sensitive electronics like desktop computers and data storage. Most portable power stations switch over in 30ms or more. That’s fast, but not fast enough to safeguard hard drive data and precision devices like desktops, Smart TVs, and gaming consoles. Some EcoFlow portable power stations, like RIVER 3 Plus, meet professional UPS criteria of >10ms auto-switching.

The fundamental difference is that a generator generates electricity, while a portable power station only stores energy in a battery. EcoFlow’s portable power stations can all be upgraded to solar generators by connecting portable or rigid solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity using the photovoltaic effect. Unlike many portable power products from other manufacturers, an EcoFlow PPS gives you a wide range of charging options in addition to household (AC) electricity and generating power with solar panels. For example, EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 gives you seven charging options — including gas or inverter generators and an 800W alternator charger that generates electricity while you drive.

Portable power station runtimes vary significantly based primarily on two factors. Battery storage capacity and electrical load. In other words, the “size” of the battery (in amp-hours, watt-hours, or kilowatt-hours) and the power requirements of the devices and appliances you want to run determine how long you can go between charges. The AC output of the PPS must exceed the appliance power requirements — in starting and running watts — for it to operate. For example, the average 50” LED television requires 72 watts to run. EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 has a 4096Wh storage capacity, meaning it could run the TV for about 56 hours between charges if it’s the sole device being powered (4096Wh / 72W = 56.8 hours). Secondary factors like ambient temperature and depth of discharge must also be considered, depending on the battery type.

Portable power stations come in all shapes and sizes. You can take an EcoFlow RIVER Series portable power station camping or use one of the EcoFlow DELTA Pro series for whole-home backup. Size may refer to the dimensions and weight of the product — essential considerations for portability — or battery storage capacity. Carefully consider your use case and how much power vs. portability you need. Fortunately, EcoFlow has a wide selection of portable power stations and solar generators to meet almost any need — from backpacking to powering an entire home off-grid.

All of EcoFlow’s portable power stations feature industry-leading LFP battery storage and innovative technology for optimal performance. The best model for you depends entirely on your use case—particularly how much storage you need (in watt-hours/kWh) and AC output (in watts/kilowatts). For outdoor adventures, portability may also be a primary concern. For example, EcoFlow RIVER 3 can fit in your backpack and power 90% of essential devices. EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra provides up to 21.6kW of AC output and 90kWh of modular storage — more than enough to power a whole home. Consider what appliances you want to run simultaneously (total the starting and running watts) and how long you need to operate them between charges (total energy consumption in Wh/kWh).