2026 original research

Critical Load Runtime Index

How long can today’s portable power stations support realistic outage load profiles? We apply five transparent daily energy budgets to 16 source-linked models on one standardized 85% usable-energy assumption.

What the scenarios show

Battery size changes meaning when the load changes.

The same battery can cover days of communications loads but only hours of a winter heating-control profile. The index keeps each scenario constant across every model so the comparison is reproducible.

Communications

EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3

About 99.5 hours under the 840Wh/day communications profile.

Apartment essentials

EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3

About 36.6 hours under the 2.28kWh/day apartment profile.

Winter essentials

EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3

About 16.1 hours under the 5.2kWh/day winter profile.

Scenario definitions

Five standardized outage profiles

These are planning profiles, not claims about a specific household. Replace them with measured loads in the outage planner for an individual result.

0.84 kWh/day

Communications essentials

Router/modem + basic lights/device charging

2.28 kWh/day

Apartment essentials

Refrigerator + internet + lights/device charging

1.48 kWh/day

Medical + communications

CPAP + internet + basic lights/device charging

3.40 kWh/day

Storm refrigerator + sump

Refrigerator + internet + lighting + intermittent sump pump

5.20 kWh/day

Winter furnace essentials

Refrigerator + internet + lighting + furnace/boiler electrical load

Runtime table

16 models × 5 load profiles

Estimated hours use nominal capacity × 85% ÷ scenario average watts. No solar, vehicle or generator recharge is assumed.

ModelCapacityCommunications essentialsApartment essentialsMedical + communicationsStorm refrigerator + sumpWinter furnace essentials
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus286 Wh6.9 h2.6 h3.9 h1.7 h1.1 h
Jackery Explorer 600 Plus632 Wh15.3 h5.7 h8.7 h3.8 h2.5 h
BLUETTI Elite 100 V21,024 Wh24.9 h9.2 h14.1 h6.1 h4.0 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus1,024 Wh24.9 h9.2 h14.1 h6.1 h4.0 h
Anker SOLIX C10001,056 Wh25.6 h9.4 h14.6 h6.3 h4.1 h
Jackery Explorer 1000 v21,070 Wh26.0 h9.6 h14.7 h6.4 h4.2 h
BLUETTI AC1801,152 Wh28.0 h10.3 h15.9 h6.9 h4.5 h
VTOMAN FlashSpeed 15001,548 Wh37.6 h13.9 h21.3 h9.3 h6.1 h
OUPES Mega 22,048 Wh49.7 h18.3 h28.2 h12.3 h8.0 h
EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max2,048 Wh49.7 h18.3 h28.2 h12.3 h8.0 h
BLUETTI AC200L2,048 Wh49.7 h18.3 h28.2 h12.3 h8.0 h
Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus2,042.8 Wh49.6 h18.3 h28.2 h12.3 h8.0 h
Dabbsson DBS2300 Plus2,330 Wh56.6 h20.8 h32.1 h14.0 h9.1 h
Mango Power Power E3,533 Wh85.8 h31.6 h48.7 h21.2 h13.9 h
Anker SOLIX F38003,840 Wh93.3 h34.4 h52.9 h23.0 h15.1 h
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 34,096 Wh99.5 h36.6 h56.5 h24.6 h16.1 h
Methodology

How the index is calculated

We start with nominal battery capacity published by each manufacturer. We then apply one common planning assumption: 85% of nominal capacity is available to AC loads. Estimated runtime in hours = capacity Wh × 0.85 ÷ scenario average watts. Scenario average watts = scenario daily Wh ÷ 24.

Using the same factor across every product makes the index useful for relative comparison. It does not mean every model has identical measured inverter efficiency.

The underlying manufacturer specification sources are linked in the table. The downloadable CSV contains one row per product/scenario pair—80 rows in the current edition.

What the index does not prove

We did not laboratory-test the appliances or power stations. Real runtime changes with inverter efficiency, low-load idle consumption, battery temperature, battery state, firmware and the actual appliance duty cycle.

The index also does not verify motor-starting surge or 120/240V compatibility. A station may contain sufficient stored energy yet still be unsuitable for a pump, furnace or other motor load if inverter or connection requirements are not met.

Why this data is useful

Backup-power marketing usually starts with battery capacity. Outage planning starts with the load. Publishing both sides on one standardized table makes it easier for consumers, preparedness writers and energy publishers to explain why “how many kWh?” cannot be answered without first defining the household essentials.

Citation & reuse

Publishers may cite the findings and use the CSV for analysis with attribution to Backup Power Verdicts and a link to this study. Manufacturer specifications remain subject to change.