Portable Power Station (battery pack) also called an Inverter Generator
A Battery Power Station holds a charge and is Rechargeable. They can be charged from a wall outlet or by sun with solar panels. You then plug into the battery station ports and plugs what you want to Recharge. It is literally a big battery that you power other rechargeable items with.
With a Portable Battery Power Pack, they are quiet (unlike loud gasoline generators) and no storage or worries about more gasoline to power. My experience has been after a big storm or Hurricane, the sun returns – hot and humid – and have had no issues with Solar Panels to recharge the battery packs, however, if is a Winter Storm outage and remains cloudy, the Solar Panels certainly won’t work as quick.
So easy to use, quiet when running, and reliable. The battery power stations last for many years with proper usage, charging habits and storage conditions. Recommended to keep “Charged” in the 80-20 as when gets down to 20%, re-charge to at least 80% to help extend life of the lithium batteries. It is best to use them rather than charge to 100% and let sit in a closet for months or years unused. Take out and charge your phone or lights/fans, then recharge power station by outlet and put back in a cool storage just as you should crank and run a gasoline generator every 6 months to maintain moving parts.
Figure out what you and family NEED to power for 72 hours. Phones, fans, lights, laptops, medical devices, etc. ADD that wattage need up and then choose what size is best.
Then Figure what you and family WANT to power for 72 hours that may mean less solar charging or include “comfort” items like a mini frigerator, TV, DVD player, and ADD that wattage needed to choose the best size. ** Read Solar Panel Article to learn how to choose the size and number of Panels too. A learning curve there too! Power outages due to storms in Florida happen often. I bought a little Jackery before I knew what I was doing and even though I loved the convenience, it was not a enough. I have used Jackery Power Stations (JPS) for several years, own 3 different sizes and many solar panels now. My first JPS 200 was good enough to charge my phone, a box fan for several hours only and some lights. Was the size of a lunch box. In 2021, added Jackery 1000. Same reliable and easy to use, able to charge more rechargeable fans, coffee pot, laptop, phone, rechargeable lights and headlamps. Much better but wanted a little more comfort with more back up in case of onger outage. Weighs about as much as a car battery but easy to carry with built in handle. I added the Jackery 5000, in 2024, with wheels and collapsible handle similar to luggage. I now have back up power for days for electric pot, coffee pot, laptop, phones, mini fridge, many lights and fans. I did add a portable DVD player to east some boredom and charged it fine. I do not use a C-PAP machine but see no reason why it cannot power it throughout the night. Easy to roll around but will want to add some extension cords for easier access to the plenty of plugs on unit.
These are the top picks but I have only used Jackery. I researched the reviews before buying more and recognized the lingo from my own experiences and decided to stay with Jackery. I encourage you to do your research as well. Models, specifications and prices change often.
Best Overall (Im adding easy to use – simple screen, just plug in and use) Jackery Explorer 5000 – Moves with handle on wheels, very reliable
Best Budget EcoFlow River 2 – fast charge via outlet but a trickle charge like from solar panels is best for life of the battery
Lightest Option Anker SOLIX C800 – easy to carry
Set up is 1.Solar Panel(s), 2. converter power cord goes 3.to the battery power pack. Power cords from battery pack to personal items are a different type of cord. The Solar converter cord has an inverter that changes the energy from solar to electric. You want to keep the battery power pack in the shade to reduce loss of power, batteries die quicker in heat. If solar panels out in the open (as should be), it may be a ways to shade and will need a longer converter power cord to reach the battery power pack for charging. Once charged or if using while charging (in the shade) you can connect regular household used or higher grade extension cords to power items likes fans, charge laptop, etc. CAUTION: Some ads make it seem like the Solar Panels are included with Battery Power Pack, make sure if is a “Bundle” or Sold Seperately.
Now you can buy stackable Power Stations that are same premise but as says, can stack 2, 4, 5 on top of each other and are connected for more power. Some can power most things in your home such as full size refrigerator and even a window unit Air conditioner. They also require charging from electrical grid. They are connected to your house panel by an electrician if you are wanting to it to turn on when power goes out and things in the home keep running as usual. See Article on Full Home Power Out Systems
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