Most people treat backup power as an either-or situation. What we mean by that is they either own a gas generator or a portable power station. But what many fail to realize is that using both together can make for a better, more efficient, and far less stressful experience during a power outage.
This isn’t about picking sides, it’s about understanding how to make the most of each tool. After all, a gas generator can definitely be a solid and budget-friendly option, but running alone, gas generators definitely have their flaws—the fumes and constant noise, having to deal with storing enough fuel, high gas prices, and the need to keep them outside, even if you’re dealing with severe weather.
On the other hand, portable power stations are quiet, can be used inside, and they’re really easy to use, but they’re limited by their battery capacity and the availability of sunlight if you’re planning on charging them with solar panels.
However, when used together, a gas generator and power station can complement each other perfectly. We’re here to explain why!
We recently went through a three-day power outage after a nasty ice storm swept through our region.
Some homes nearby were without power for up to 10 days. From what we could see (and hear), most people were relying purely on gas generators for power and their BBQs for cooking.
But here at The Lab, we were able to use an EcoFlow DELTA Pro Power Station and an EcoFlow Dual Fuel Smart Generator 4000 together. The DELTA Pro kept our essentials running all day—things like the fridge, sump pump, gas furnace fan, and a few lights—while the generator only needed to run for about 30 minutes each morning and again at night to top the power station's battery back up to 100%.
As mentioned, most of our neighbors seemed to be running gas generators 24/7. This even included when they weren’t home, as they would have had to keep their fridges and sump pumps running.
Meanwhile, whenever we talked to them, they were complaining about the cost of fuel and the nearly four-hour long lineups at the nearest open gas station. If you didn’t know, a gas generator can burn a lot of gasoline running multiple days without any breaks.
By comparison, we used a single 10-liter jerry can of gas over the three days and stayed warm, well-lit, and entertained with minimal hassle.
Let’s take a unit like the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3, which has a 4,000 watt inverter and a 4,096 watt-hour battery. That means it can power 4,000 watts of appliances at the same time and has enough energy stored to run essential loads for nearly a full day.
In our case, we had to keep powering the following items:
· Fridge: roughly 1,300Wh per day
· Sump Pump: roughly 633Wh per day
· Gas Furnace Fan: about 2,700Wh per day
Altogether, that’s roughly 4,633Wh per day—just a bit more than what the DELTA Pro 3’s internal battery can store (4,096Wh). If we were using a DELTA Pro 3, rather than the original DELTA Pro, this would mean we could run everything we needed for about 22 to 23 hours on a full charge.
With no sun for solar, we could simply use the EcoFlow Dual Fuel Smart Generator (or any other gas generator) to recharge the battery twice a day—once in the morning and once at night—each time only needing to run the generator for about 30 minutes to give the battery the power it needed to get us through the day.
What would the result be? A quiet environment, uninterrupted power all day, minimal fuel usage, few trips outside into the cold, and no stress.
If you want to see just how easy it can be to go through a blackout with a power station, we simulated surviving a 24-hour power outage with a single Anker F3800: Can You Survive a 24 Hour Outage with a Power Station?
The difference this approach makes during a storm is night and day. Instead of constantly refueling and having to listen to a generator’s annoying, high-pitched buzzing, you only have to run a gas generator for a short period just twice a day. Rather than droning on all day, you only have to run your gas generator for long enough to charge the battery in your power station.
Again, you also avoid going outside in the worst of the storm conditions. During our ice storm experience, we were able to keep the DELTA Pro indoors and simply wheeled it to where we needed it. With a few extension cords, we could power anything from the basement to the living room.
Another bonus? High-capacity power stations, like the DELTA Pro 3, aren’t just for outages. You can take them camping, on RV trips, use them at job sites, or even off-set peak power rates at home using a method called peak shaving (more on that below).
This same concept works with traditional battery backup systems too. Many people think you need to go “full solar” to get into home backup, but that’s not true. You can use a hybrid system without panels—charging batteries from the grid when rates are low, or from a gas generator during outages. You can also use a full solar power system, or you can just use a power station, like we did.
As hinted at above, high-capacity power stations, like the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 or Anker SOLIX F3800, can also help reduce your utility bills through a technique called Peak Shaving.
Basically, this means charging overnight (or whenever the utility rates are low) and then using battery power to run your appliances during more expensive daytime hours. Over time, this adds up and can even help the system pay for itself. So, not only are you prepared for outages, you’re using your power station to save money. If you add solar panels, you can pay it off even faster, as nobody’s charging you for sunlight.
When you use a gas generator to charge a battery-based power system instead of running the generator continuously throughout the entire outage, you gain serious advantages:
· Reduced fuel usage, which saves you serious cash and the hassle of going to a crowded gas station
· Significantly less noise (and less time dealing with smelly fumes)
· Much better fuel efficiency
· No need to brave the weather multiple times a day
· Flexibility for off-grid and mobile use when you’re not dealing with an outage
The truth is, some people are always going to be die-hard gas generator fans, and that’s okay, but in our opinion, it shouldn’t be an either-or type of decision. If you’re looking for the most reliable (and pleasant) option for handling outages, a combination of a dependable power station and a high-quality gas generator is always going to be the best choice.
So, the question becomes: “which power station should you choose?” Luckily, we’ve reviewed dozens of power stations from all of the top brands, including Anker, Jackery, EcoFlow, and more. Read the reviews, watch our videos, and make sure you use our discount codes to get the best deal possible.
With the next storm season always around the corner, there’s no point sitting on the fence about adding a power station or battery backup to your existing gas generator (or vice versa). Now’s the time to act!
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