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Home backup essentials and CPAP runtime
A portable power station will not replace a whole-home generator. It can keep a fridge cycling, a router online, lights on, and — carefully — a CPAP running through a short outage.
Start with the loads that matter
Write down each device’s running watts (nameplate or a kill‑a‑watt meter). Typical ballparks:
- Wi‑Fi router: ~10–15 W
- LED lamp: ~10 W
- Modern fridge (average, not surge): often ~50–150 W while the compressor is on
- CPAP without humidifier: often ~30–60 W
- CPAP with heated humidifier / heated hose: commonly ~60–100+ W
Use the runtime calculator with the higher CPAP preset if you sleep with humidity on.
CPAP notes that save frustration
- Confirm whether your machine can run from DC. DC paths are usually more efficient than AC wall-wart → inverter → device.
- Brands differ on medical-device guidance. Some manufacturers explicitly discourage life-support use. Read the manual; this site is not medical advice.
- Size for a full night plus margin. Eight hours at 90 W is 720 Wh of draw before losses — closer to 900+ Wh of pack capacity after efficiency and depth-of-discharge.
Fridge and “essentials only” backup
- Match continuous output to startup surge needs when possible, or accept that a small inverter pack may trip on compressor start.
- Keep the station indoors, ventilated, and off carpet that blocks fans.
- For multi-day outages, plan a recharge path: car charge during the day, solar if you have panels, or a fueled generator charging the pack.
Picking from the table
On the homepage, filter to at least the Wh your calculator suggests, then sort by $/Wh. For upstairs use, also glance at weight (Wh/lb). Open the official product page to verify UPS switchover times if you care about desktop PCs or network gear that hate hard power cuts.