Outages
Power station or generator?
A power station is quiet stored energy you can use indoors. A generator makes power as long as it has fuel, but only outside. For short outages and small loads a station is simpler; for days without power and big loads, a generator or an installed system goes further.
| Question | Battery power station | Portable gas generator |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Indoors: no exhaust | Outside only, at least 20 feet from the house (CPSC) |
| How long | Until its stored Wh run out; recharge from the wall, a car or solar | As long as you keep adding fuel |
| How much it powers | Up to its rated output: 500–4,500 W across the 16 stations here | Depends on the model; check its running and starting watts |
| Between outages | Store it charged and top it up as its manual says | Store fuel safely and run it now and then as its manual says |
The safety difference
Generator exhaust contains carbon monoxide. The CPSC says that using a generator indoors “can kill you in minutes”, that more than 80 people die each year from CO poisoning caused by portable generators, and to run one outside only, at least 20 feet from the house (CPSC). The CDC adds: never inside your home, garage or carport (CDC). Put battery or battery-backup CO alarms outside sleeping areas and on each floor of your home (CPSC).
What a power station is good for
- A fridge, Wi‑Fi, lights and phones for a night to a day or more, by size: see the winter outage guide.
- A CPAP through the night: see CPAP runtimes.
- Apartments and places where a generator can’t run.
Where it runs out
High-watt loads empty it fast: a 1,500 W space heater drains a 1,000 Wh station in about 34 min (heater guide). The largest station in stock today, the ALLPOWERS R4000, holds 3,456 Wh; a week-long outage or whole-home loads need solar, more batteries, a generator or a system wired in by a licensed electrician.
Not sure what size you need? Add up your devices in the calculator.
Quick answers
Can I run a power station indoors?
Yes. A battery power station burns no fuel and makes no exhaust. Keep it dry and ventilated as its manual says, and charge it within its temperature limits.
Can I run a generator in the garage with the door open?
No. Safety agencies say never to run a generator inside a home, garage or carport, and to keep it at least 20 feet from doors, windows and vents.
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