What size power station for a phone charger?

It needs a station with at least 20 W of continuous output. At the default 85% efficiency it takes about 47 Wh of rated capacity for its typical 2 h a day, and 188 Wh for 8 hours of running. 54 of the 54 power stations in the Enough Watts data set can power it. The smallest one that keeps it going for 8 hours of running is the Jackery Explorer 240 v2 (256 Wh).

Updated October 6, 2026

20W
Continuous output
None
Surge to start it
47Wh
Capacity for its typical 2 h a day
188Wh
Capacity for 8 hours of running
54 of 54
Stations that power it

Watts

Typical figures for this type, from the sources at the foot of this page. Watts vary by model and age. Check the label on your own appliance and enter it for an exact answer.

Running, typical: 20 W
Running, low to high: 15 W to 60 W
Starting: No start surge
Typical use a day: 2 hthe calculator starts from this, and you can change it
Average draw while on: 20 W
Voltage: 120 V

Explained in: Watts vs watt hours, explained and How to read an appliance label for watts.

The math

Worked with the typical figure, as the calculator does it.

Output20 W running, so the station's continuous output must be at least 20 W.
SurgeNo start surge: the running figure covers it.
Average draw20 W: the running watts count for every hour it is on.
A typical day20 W × 2 h = 40 Wh a day.
Typical 2 h a day20 W × 2 h = 40 Wh usable, ÷ 0.85 = 47 Wh of rated capacity.
8 hours of running20 W × 8 h = 160 Wh usable, ÷ 0.85 = 188 Wh of rated capacity.
On the Jackery Explorer 240 v2256 Wh × 0.85 = 218 Wh usable, ÷ 20 W = 10.9 h.

Stations that run it

Every power station in the data with this appliance alone plugged in, at 85% efficiency. Type the running watts from your own label and the table works it out again.

Running watts

Typical 20 W, from 15 W to 60 W. Watts vary by model and age. Check the label on your own appliance and enter it for an exact answer.

54 of 54 power stations run it at 20 W.

Power stations for a phone charging at 20 W
Power station	Can it power it	Running time	Output	Start surge
BLUETTI Elite 10 Mini	Runs it	5.4 h	200 W	300 W
Jackery Explorer 240 v2	Runs it	10.9 h	300 W	600 W
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus	Runs it	12.2 h	600 W	1,200 W
BLUETTI Elite 30 V2	Runs it	12.2 h	600 W	not published
Jackery Explorer 300 v2	Runs it	12.2 h	300 W	600 W
Goal Zero Yeti 300	Runs it	12.6 h	350 W	600 W
Goal Zero Yeti 500	Runs it	21.2 h	500 W	1,000 W
DJI Power 500	Runs it	21.8 h	1,000 W	not published
Jackery Explorer 600 v2	Runs it	27.2 h	500 W	1,000 W
Goal Zero Yeti 700	Runs it	28.8 h	600 W	1,000 W
BLUETTI Elite 100 mini	Runs it	42.7 h	700 W	1,050 W
BLUETTI Elite 100 V2	Runs it	43.5 h	1,800 W	3,600 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic	Runs it	43.5 h	1,800 W	3,600 W
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2	Runs it	43.5 h	2,000 W	3,000 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3	Runs it	43.5 h	1,800 W	3,600 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus	Runs it	43.5 h	1,800 W	3,600 W
Pecron E1000LFP	Runs it	43.5 h	1,800 W	3,000 W
DJI Power 1000	Runs it	43.5 h	2,200 W	4,400 W
Anker SOLIX C1000	Runs it	44.9 h	1,800 W	2,400 W
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2	Runs it	45.5 h	1,500 W	3,000 W
BLUETTI AC180	Runs it	2.0 days	1,800 W	2,700 W
ALLPOWERS R1500	Runs it	2.0 days	1,800 W	3,000 W
Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus	Runs it	2.2 days	2,000 W	4,000 W
Goal Zero Yeti 1500	Runs it	2.7 days	2,000 W	3,600 W
Jackery Explorer 1500 v2	Runs it	2.7 days	2,000 W	4,000 W
Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra	Runs it	2.7 days	1,800 W	3,600 W
ALLPOWERS R2500 V2	Runs it	3.4 days	2,500 W	4,000 W
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2	Runs it	3.6 days	2,200 W	4,400 W
Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v2	Runs it	3.6 days	2,400 W	4,800 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max	Runs it	3.6 days	2,400 W	4,800 W
Pecron E2400LFP	Runs it	3.6 days	2,400 W	4,000 W
Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2	Runs it	3.6 days	2,400 W	4,000 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus	Runs it	3.6 days	3,000 W	6,000 W
OUPES Mega 2 Pro	Runs it	3.6 days	2,500 W	not published
DJI Power 2000	Runs it	3.6 days	3,000 W	not published
BLUETTI Elite 200 V2	Runs it	3.7 days	2,600 W	not published
Anker SOLIX F2600	Runs it	4.5 days	2,400 W	2,800 W
BLUETTI Apex 300	Runs it	4.9 days	3,840 W	not published
BLUETTI Elite 300	Runs it	5.3 days	2,400 W	4,800 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra	Runs it	5.4 days	3,600 W	7,200 W
Anker SOLIX F3000	Runs it	5.4 days	3,600 W	7,200 W
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus	Runs it	5.4 days	3,600 W	7,200 W
Pecron E3600LFP	Runs it	5.4 days	3,600 W	7,000 W
ALLPOWERS R3500	Runs it	5.6 days	3,200 W	6,000 W
ALLPOWERS R4000	Runs it	6.1 days	3,600 W	6,000 W
BLUETTI Elite 400	Runs it	6.8 days	2,600 W	5,200 W
Anker SOLIX F3800	Runs it	6.8 days	6,000 W	9,000 W
Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus	Runs it	6.8 days	6,000 W	9,000 W
Goal Zero Yeti PRO 4000	Runs it	7.1 days	3,600 W	7,200 W
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3	Runs it	7.3 days	4,000 W	8,000 W
OUPES Guardian 6000 V2	Runs it	8.2 days	6,000 W	9,000 W
Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus	Runs it	8.9 days	7,200 W	14,400 W
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra	Runs it	10.9 days	7,200 W	10,800 W
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X	Runs it	21.8 days	12,000 W	not published

Add it to the runtime calculator with the rest of your list

What moves the number

The phone and its charger set the draw: fast chargers for current phones are rated 20 W to 60 W, older wireless chargers 15 W. These are the most each charger can give, and the phone takes less as it fills. A phone charges from a USB port, so the station's USB outlets skip the inverter.

Questions

How many watts does a phone charger use?

About 20 W while running, from 15 W to 60 W across the models in our sources. Watts vary by model and age. Check the label on your own appliance and enter it for an exact answer.

Can a portable power station run a phone charger?

Yes. All 54 power stations in the Enough Watts data set can power it on its own. It takes at least 20 W of continuous output.

How long will a power station run a phone charger?

It depends on the battery. At 85% efficiency the smallest station that powers it, the BLUETTI Elite 10 Mini (128 Wh), gives about 5.4 h. The largest, the EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X (12,288 Wh), gives about 21.8 days.

Does a phone charger need extra watts to start?

No. It has no motor or compressor, so it draws about its running watts from the moment it is switched on. The check that matters is a continuous output of at least 20 W.

Setups that include it

Sources

Researched from these pages, then checked against them a second time. The check corrected at least one figure.

Fast charge your iPhone, Apple Support maker support page, checked October 6, 2026
Charge the battery, iPhone User Guide, Apple Support maker support page, checked October 6, 2026

We read published figures and do the math; we do not measure appliances. The methodology states every formula on this page. Capacities are rated watt hours: 1,000 Wh rated gives 850 Wh usable at the default.