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Power stations for a gas furnace in a winter storm: which are enough

Of the 54 power stations in the Enough Watts data set, 11 are enough for one night, 8 hours without a recharge, 32 run it but not long enough, and 11 cannot power it. The closest fit is the ALLPOWERS R3500 (3,168 Wh), with 8.2 h of this routine.

Updated

The setup in numbers

  • 825W

    Running, all at once

  • 1,550W

    Starting watts needed

  • 7,900Wh

    Energy a day

  • 11 of 54

    Enough for 8 h

The setup

The loads, with the goal of one night, 8 hours without a recharge
ApplianceHow manyRunningEnergy a day
Gas furnace blower fan (1/2 HP)1550 W550 W × 12 h = 6,600 Wh
Refrigerator (modern, full size)1275 W1.3 kWh a day × 24/24 h = 1,300 Wh
Running, everything on at once
550 + 275 = 825 W
Starting watts needed
825 - 275 + 1,000 = 1,550 W
Watt hours a day
6,600 + 1,300 = 7,900 Wh
Goal
one night, 8 hours without a recharge (8 h)

Change this setup in the calculator

  • 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.

Enough: 11 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.

Enough Watts may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never changes the math or the ranking.

5 more stations that are enough, in the same order
Power stationCapacityRuntime of this routineEverything nonstop
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 34,096 Wh10.6 h4.2 h
OUPES Guardian 6000 V24,608 Wh11.9 h4.7 h
Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus5,040 Wh13.0 h5.2 h
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra6,144 Wh15.9 h6.3 h
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X12,288 Wh31.7 h12.7 h

Runs it, but not long enough: 32 of 54 stations

They pass the output, surge and voltage checks but run out before the goal. Longest runtime first.

Stations that run the setup but not for 8 hours
Power stationCapacityRuntime of this routineEverything nonstop
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra3,072 Wh7.9 h3.2 h
Anker SOLIX F30003,072 Wh7.9 h3.2 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus3,072 Wh7.9 h3.2 h
Pecron E3600LFP3,072 Wh7.9 h3.2 h
BLUETTI Elite 3003,014 Wh7.8 h3.1 h
BLUETTI Apex 3002,765 Wh7.1 h2.8 h
Anker SOLIX F26002,560 Wh6.6 h2.6 h
BLUETTI Elite 200 V22,074 Wh5.4 h2.1 h
Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v22,048 Wh5.3 h2.1 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max2,048 Wh5.3 h2.1 h
Pecron E2400LFP2,048 Wh5.3 h2.1 h
Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 22,048 Wh5.3 h2.1 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus2,048 Wh5.3 h2.1 h
OUPES Mega 2 Pro2,048 Wh5.3 h2.1 h
DJI Power 20002,048 Wh5.3 h2.1 h
Jackery Explorer 2000 v22,042 Wh5.3 h2.1 h
ALLPOWERS R2500 V21,920 Wh5.0 h2.0 h
Jackery Explorer 1500 v21,536 Wh4.0 h1.6 h
Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra1,536 Wh4.0 h1.6 h
Goal Zero Yeti 15001,505 Wh3.9 h1.6 h
Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus1,265 Wh3.3 h1.3 h
BLUETTI AC1801,152 Wh3.0 h1.2 h
ALLPOWERS R15001,152 Wh3.0 h1.2 h
Jackery Explorer 1000 v21,070 Wh2.8 h1.1 h
Anker SOLIX C10001,056 Wh2.7 h1.1 h
BLUETTI Elite 100 V21,024 Wh2.6 h1.1 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic1,024 Wh2.6 h1.1 h
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 21,024 Wh2.6 h1.1 h
EcoFlow DELTA 31,024 Wh2.6 h1.1 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus1,024 Wh2.6 h1.1 h
Pecron E1000LFP1,024 Wh2.6 h1.1 h
DJI Power 10001,024 Wh2.6 h1.1 h

Cannot power it: 11 of 54 stations

Show the 11 stations and the number each one fails on
  • BLUETTI Elite 10 Mini Needs 825 W running at once; this station gives 200 W. Needs 1,550 W to start; this station peaks at 300 W.
  • Jackery Explorer 240 v2 Needs 825 W running at once; this station gives 300 W. Needs 1,550 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.
  • EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus Needs 825 W running at once; this station gives 600 W. Needs 1,550 W to start; this station peaks at 1,200 W.
  • BLUETTI Elite 30 V2 Needs 825 W running at once; this station gives 600 W. Needs 1,550 W to start. Its surge rating is not published, and its 600 W continuous rating is lower.
  • Jackery Explorer 300 v2 Needs 825 W running at once; this station gives 300 W. Needs 1,550 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.
  • Goal Zero Yeti 300 Needs 825 W running at once; this station gives 350 W. Needs 1,550 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.
  • Goal Zero Yeti 500 Needs 825 W running at once; this station gives 500 W. Needs 1,550 W to start; this station peaks at 1,000 W.
  • DJI Power 500 Needs 1,550 W to start. Its surge rating is not published, and its 1,000 W continuous rating is lower.
  • Jackery Explorer 600 v2 Needs 825 W running at once; this station gives 500 W. Needs 1,550 W to start; this station peaks at 1,000 W.
  • Goal Zero Yeti 700 Needs 825 W running at once; this station gives 600 W. Needs 1,550 W to start; this station peaks at 1,000 W.
  • BLUETTI Elite 100 mini Needs 825 W running at once; this station gives 700 W. Needs 1,550 W to start; this station peaks at 1,050 W.

What to know

A gas furnace burns gas for heat, but its blower and controls run on electricity, so a power cut stops the heat as well. The blower class in the data draws about 550 W, from 300 W to 875 W depending on the furnace, and about 1,200 W to start.

The setup counts the blower for 12 hours a day with the motor running flat out, plus the refrigerator. That is 7,900 Wh a day, so one 8 hour night takes 2,633 Wh usable, about 3,098 Wh of rated capacity. 11 of the 54 stations are enough for the night, and 11 fail on the start of the two motors.

The connection is the hard part. A furnace is hard wired, so a station cannot plug into it the way it plugs into a refrigerator. An electrician has to fit a transfer switch or an inlet, and a station must never be connected to house wiring without one.

The blower cycles with the thermostat, so a mild night uses less than the hours counted here; enter the hours you see in the calculator. Hot water heat moves water with a circulator pump instead, and the question below works one out. A space heater is the other way to heat from a battery, and a far heavier load.

Read more: Watts vs watt hours, explained, Why you get less than the rated capacity, Starting watts explained and Can a power station run a refrigerator?.

Questions

What size power station do you need for a gas furnace in a winter storm?
This setup uses 7,900 Wh a day. Lasting 8 hours takes 2,633 Wh usable, about 3,098 Wh of rated capacity at 85% efficiency. It also needs 825 W of continuous output and a surge rating of 1,550 W for the start.
Which is the smallest power station that is enough?
The ALLPOWERS R3500, at 3,168 Wh: 2,693 Wh usable gives 8.2 h of this routine. The ranking puts the smallest capacity first, then the lower price, then the lighter unit.
What about a boiler circulator pump instead?
With a boiler circulator pump in place of a gas furnace blower fan (1/2 HP), the setup uses 1,828 Wh a day and needs 319 W running and 1,044 W to start. 44 of the 54 power stations are enough for one night, 8 hours without a recharge, against 11 for the setup above. The closest fit is the BLUETTI Elite 100 mini (1,005 Wh).