Power stations for a sump pump backup: which are enough
Of the 54 power stations in the Enough Watts data set, 30 are enough for one full day without a recharge, 13 run it but not long enough, and 11 cannot power it. The closest fit is the Jackery Explorer 1500 v2 (1,536 Wh), with 24.1 h of this routine.
Updated
The setup in numbers
650W
Running, all at once
1,300W
Starting watts needed
1,300Wh
Energy a day
30 of 54
Enough for 24 h
The setup
The loads, with the goal of one full day without a recharge
Assumes the motor runs the whole time; real use is often less.
Watts vary by model and age. Check the label on your own appliance and enter it for an exact answer.
Enough30 of 54 stations
The 54 power stations in the data set, ranked smallest capacity first (the closest fit), then lower price, then lighter. Whether a link can earn us money never changes the order.
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Show the 11 stations and the number each one fails on
BLUETTI Elite 10 Mini Needs 650 W running at once; this station gives 200 W. Needs 1,300 W to start; this station peaks at 300 W.
Jackery Explorer 240 v2 Needs 650 W running at once; this station gives 300 W. Needs 1,300 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus Needs 650 W running at once; this station gives 600 W. Needs 1,300 W to start; this station peaks at 1,200 W.
BLUETTI Elite 30 V2 Needs 650 W running at once; this station gives 600 W. Needs 1,300 W to start. Its surge rating is not published, and its 600 W continuous rating is lower.
Jackery Explorer 300 v2 Needs 650 W running at once; this station gives 300 W. Needs 1,300 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.
Goal Zero Yeti 300 Needs 650 W running at once; this station gives 350 W. Needs 1,300 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.
Goal Zero Yeti 500 Needs 650 W running at once; this station gives 500 W. Needs 1,300 W to start; this station peaks at 1,000 W.
DJI Power 500 Needs 1,300 W to start. Its surge rating is not published, and its 1,000 W continuous rating is lower.
Jackery Explorer 600 v2 Needs 650 W running at once; this station gives 500 W. Needs 1,300 W to start; this station peaks at 1,000 W.
Goal Zero Yeti 700 Needs 650 W running at once; this station gives 600 W. Needs 1,300 W to start; this station peaks at 1,000 W.
If a storm cuts the power while it fills the pit, the sump pump stops when it is needed most. A power station can keep a 1/3 HP pump going if it passes two checks. The motor needs about 1,300 W for a moment at each start, 2 times its 650 W running figure, and 11 of the 54 stations fail on that start alone.
Then the battery. No official source publishes how long a sump pump runs in a day, because that depends on the water coming in. This page counts 2 hours of motor run time a day and assumes the motor runs flat out whenever it is on. On a wet day the pump can run much longer; enter the hours you see in the calculator.
Check how your pump connects before you count on this. A pump with a plug can go straight into the station. A hard wired pump needs an electrician, and a station must never be connected to house wiring without a transfer switch or inlet.
A larger 1/2 HP pump raises both the running and the starting watts, and the question below works it out.
What size power station do you need for a sump pump backup?
This setup uses 1,300 Wh a day. Lasting 24 hours takes 1,300 Wh usable, about 1,529 Wh of rated capacity at 85% efficiency. It also needs 650 W of continuous output and a surge rating of 1,300 W for the start.
Which is the smallest power station that is enough?
The Jackery Explorer 1500 v2, at 1,536 Wh: 1,306 Wh usable gives 24.1 h of this routine. The ranking puts the smallest capacity first, then the lower price, then the lighter unit.
What about a 1/2 HP sump pump?
With a sump pump (1/2 HP) in place of a sump pump (1/3 HP), the setup uses 1,850 Wh a day and needs 925 W running and 1,725 W to start. 18 of the 54 power stations are enough for one full day without a recharge, against 30 for the setup above. The closest fit is the Anker SOLIX F2600 (2,560 Wh).