Home & Garden

How to Use the Power Station Runtime Calculator

Enter your power station's watt-hour capacity and the device's running wattage — or quick-pick a common appliance to fill in a typical wattage automatically — and the calculator applies a typical 85% usable-efficiency factor to estimate total runtime in hours and minutes.

The tool is built for a fast, single-device estimate; for comparing many appliances against one capacity at once, the Appliance Wattage Database covers that broader use case.

Getting an accurate wattage figure

As covered in the runtime-formula guide, use the appliance's actual running watts (not its startup surge) for this calculator — the quick-pick dropdown fills in a typical value for common appliances, or check your specific device's nameplate for an exact figure.

Interpreting the result for a cycling appliance

As covered in the duty-cycle guide, treat the result as a conservative baseline for any appliance with a compressor or motor that cycles on and off (like a refrigerator) — real-world runtime for those is often longer than this continuous-draw estimate.

Frequently asked questions

Can I adjust the efficiency assumption?

Yes — the efficiency slider defaults to 85%, a widely used typical figure for inverter and battery losses, but you can adjust it if your specific power station's documentation states a different efficiency rating.

What if I don't know my device's exact wattage?

Check the appliance's nameplate or spec sheet first; if that's unavailable, the quick-pick dropdown's typical values (or the full Appliance Wattage Database) give a reasonable estimate to work from.