What will the Goal Zero Yeti 500 run?
The Goal Zero Yeti 500 stores 499Wh with 500W of output (1,000W surge). Running one thing at a time, that's about 4 to 8.5 hours of a refrigerator if it can start one (see below), about 13 to 27 hours of a CPAP with the humidifier off and about 14 to 19 hours of Wi-Fi.
499Wh and 500W at 16.1 lb: a step up from the Yeti 300 for an overnight CPAP or a router and lights, but not a fridge.
One appliance at a time
| Running just this | Runs it for | Runs it? |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 4 to 8.5 hours | Nomay not start it (surge 1,000W) |
| Freezer (chest or upright) | 4.5 to 12 hours | Nomay not start it (surge 1,000W) |
| CPAP (blower only: humidifier and heated tube off) | 13 to 27 hours | Yes |
| CPAP with heated humidifier (and heated tube) | 5 to 12 hours | Yes |
| Home oxygen concentrator | 1 to 1.5 hours | Yes |
| Modem and Wi-Fi router | 14 to 19 hours | Yes |
| Laptop (plugged in, in use) | 5 to 9.5 hours | Yes |
| TV (32 to 65-inch LED) | 3 to 9.5 hours | Yes |
| LED light bulb (60W equivalent, each) | 19 to 22 hours | Yes |
| Gas furnace blower (1/3 to 1/2 HP) | 0.5 to 1 hour | Nomay not start it (surge 1,000W) |
| Window air conditioner (10,000 BTU) | – | Noneeds 625W+ |
| Microwave | – | Noneeds 600W+ |
| Coffee maker | – | Noneeds 750W+ |
| Electric space heater | about 0.5 hours | Checkcovers 500W, not 1,500W: check the label |
| Sump pump (1/2 HP) | – | Noneeds 1,000W+ |
A few things together
| Running together | Runs them for | Runs it? |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator, Wi-Fi and four LED bulbs | 2.5 to 4.5 hours | Nomay not start it (surge 1,000W) |
| Refrigerator, freezer and Wi-Fi | – | Noneeds 810W+ |
| CPAP (humidifier off) and one LED bulb | 9.5 to 18 hours | Yes |
| Wi-Fi, a laptop and two LED bulbs | 3 to 6 hours | Yes |
Runtime: 499Wh × 90% usable × 85% inverter efficiency ÷ (the average draw + about 10W the station uses itself), from Energy Star figures and makers' manuals. "Runs it?" checks its output and surge rating against the cautious running and starting figures on generator makers' and DTE Energy's charts. Plan on the low end. Your own list: the power station calculator.
Questions
Can the Goal Zero Yeti 500 run a refrigerator?
Not reliably: may not start it (surge 1,000W). If it does run one, it lasts about 4 to 8.5 hours.
How long will the Goal Zero Yeti 500 run a CPAP?
About 13 to 27 hours with the humidifier and heated tube off, or about 5 to 12 hours with them on, running nothing else. Running it from the 12V outlet through the CPAP maker's own converter avoids the inverter's losses, so it lasts longer than these figures.
Can the Goal Zero Yeti 500 run a space heater?
Only briefly: a space heater on high draws up to about 1,500 watts, so it lasts about 0.5 hours. See how to stay warm without power for what works better.