How long will a power station run a gas furnace blower?
A 1,000Wh power station runs a gas furnace blower on its own for about 1.5 hours running nonstop, and a 2,000Wh one for about 2.5 to 3.5 hours. It cycles on and off, so in practice it lasts longer. Starting it is the harder part: generator makers' charts allow up to about 1,800 watts for the moment it starts, and 18 of the 25 power stations we compare cover that, with 2 more worth checking against your own furnace blower's label.
Every power station we compare
Running a gas furnace blower on its own from the AC outlet, smallest first.
| Power station | Runs it for | Runs it? |
|---|---|---|
| BLUETTI Elite 10 Mini128Wh · 200WSee price at BLUETTI | – | Noneeds 450W+ |
| EcoFlow RIVER 3245Wh · 300WSee price on Amazon | – | Noneeds 450W+ |
| Anker SOLIX C300288Wh · 300W · 600W surgeSee price on Amazon | – | Noneeds 450W+ |
| BLUETTI Elite 30 V2288Wh · 600WSee price at BLUETTI | about 0.5 hours | Checksurge rating not listed: check it |
| Jackery Explorer 300292Wh · 300W · 600W surgeSee price on Amazon | – | Noneeds 450W+ |
| Goal Zero Yeti 700677Wh · 600W · 1,000W surgeSee price on Amazon | about 1 hour | Nomay not start it (surge 1,000W) |
| EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro768Wh · 800W · 1,600W surgeSee price on Amazon | 1 to 1.5 hours | Checksurge 1,600W: may struggle to start it |
| BLUETTI Elite 100 V21,024Wh · 1,800W · 2,700W surgeSee price at BLUETTI | about 1.5 hours | Yes |
| EcoFlow DELTA 31,024Wh · 1,800W · 3,600W surgeSee price on Amazon | about 1.5 hours | Yes |
| ALLPOWERS P18001,024Wh · 1,800W · 3,600W surgeSee price at ALLPOWERS | about 1.5 hours | Yes |
| Anker SOLIX C10001,056Wh · 1,800WSee price on Amazon | 1.5 to 2 hours | Yes |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v21,070Wh · 1,500W · 3,000W surgeSee price on Amazon | 1.5 to 2 hours | Yes |
| BLUETTI AC1801,152Wh · 1,800W · 2,700W surgeSee price at BLUETTI | 1.5 to 2 hours | Yes |
| ALLPOWERS R15001,152Wh · 1,800W · 3,000W surgeSee price at ALLPOWERS | 1.5 to 2 hours | Yes |
| Goal Zero Yeti 15001,505Wh · 2,000W · 3,600W surgeSee price on Amazon | 2 to 2.5 hours | Yes |
| Jackery Explorer 1500 v21,536Wh · 2,000W · 4,000W surgeSee price on Amazon | 2 to 2.5 hours | Yes |
| ALLPOWERS R2500 V21,920Wh · 2,500W · 5,000W surgeSee price at ALLPOWERS | 2.5 to 3 hours | Yes |
| EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max2,048Wh · 2,400W · 4,800W surgeSee price on Amazon | 2.5 to 3.5 hours | Yes |
| BLUETTI Elite 200 V22,074Wh · 2,600WSee price at BLUETTI | 2.5 to 3.5 hours | Yes |
| BLUETTI Apex 3002,765Wh · 3,840WSee price at BLUETTI | 3.5 to 4.5 hours | Yes |
| BLUETTI Elite 3003,014Wh · 2,400WSee price at BLUETTI | 4 to 5 hours | Yes |
| Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus3,840Wh · 6,000WSee price on Amazon | 5 to 6.5 hours | Yes |
| EcoFlow DELTA Pro 34,096Wh · 4,000W · 8,000W surgeSee price on Amazon | 5 to 7 hours | Yes |
| Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus5,040Wh · 7,200W · 14,400W surgeSee price on Amazon | 6.5 to 8.5 hours | Yes |
| EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra6,144Wh · 7,200WSee price on Amazon | 7.5 to 10 hours | Yes |
Runtime: capacity × 90% usable × 85% inverter efficiency ÷ (the appliance's average draw + about 10W the station uses itself), a range from the low and high average draw. "Runs it?" checks the station's output against 450–600W running and its surge rating against 1,350–1,800W to start, the cautious figures from generator makers' and DTE Energy's charts. Many modern appliances start with less, so "Check" means read your appliance's label (amps × 120 = watts). Plan on the low end of every runtime.
Where the figures come from
A gas furnace still needs electricity for its blower and controls. DTE Energy lists a central furnace fan at 450 running watts (1/3 HP) or 600 (1/2 HP), with a starting factor of 3. The furnace is wired in rather than plugged in, so running it from a generator needs a transfer switch fitted by a qualified electrician; never backfeed a wall outlet. See generator safety.
Running more than one thing?
Tick everything you'd keep going and for how long, and see which power stations cover it.
Open the power station calculator →For bigger loads, see what size generator you need.
Questions
How long will a 1,000Wh power station run a gas furnace blower?
About 1.5 hours running nonstop, running nothing else, on the figures behind this page. Plan on the low end.
What size power station do I need for a gas furnace blower?
For 12 hours, about 8,393Wh, or 9,569Wh for an older or larger one, with at least 600W of output and a surge rating of about 1,800W to start it.
Can a power station run a gas furnace blower in an outage?
Yes, if its output covers about 600W and its surge rating covers about 1,800W. A power station is safe to run indoors, unlike a generator.
Other appliances
Sources (4)
- DTE Energy
- BLUETTI — Elite 200 V2 (runtime formula: DoD 90%, η 85%, self-consumption about 10W)
- BLUETTI — Elite 100 V2 (self-consumption about 10W)
- EcoFlow — test runtime before an emergency0.80–0.90 for AC; DC ports for routers and phones