If you are looking for a portable power station to run your TV and other devices, you may have some questions about how to choose the right one. A portable power station is a device that can store and supply electricity for various appliances and devices. It can be useful for camping, emergencies, or outdoor activities. However, not all portable power stations are created equal. They have different sizes, capacities, outputs, and features. How do you know which one can meet your needs and budget?
In this blog, I will help you answer this question by explaining the main factors that affect the size of a portable power station. I will also show you how to calculate the power consumption of your TV and other devices, how to compare the power output and battery capacity of different portable power stations, and how to estimate the running time and charging time of a portable power station. Finally, I will give you some examples of portable power stations that can run a TV and other appliances. By the end of this blog, you will have a better idea of what size portable power station you need to run your TV.
How to calculate the power consumption of your TV and other devices?
The first step to choosing a portable power station is to figure out how much power your TV and other devices need. The power consumption of a device is measured in watts (W) or kilowatts (kW). One kilowatt is equal to 1000 watts. You can find the power consumption of your device on its label, manual, or online. For example, a typical 32-inch LED TV may consume about 40 watts of power, while a 55-inch OLED TV may consume about 100 watts of power.
To calculate the total power consumption of your devices, you need to add up the power consumption of each device that you want to run at the same time. For example, if you want to run a 40-watt TV, a 10-watt laptop, a 5-watt phone charger, and a 15-watt fan at the same time, the total power consumption is 40 + 10 + 5 + 15 = 70 watts. This means you need a portable power station that can provide at least 70 watts of power output.
How to compare the power output and battery capacity of different portable power stations?
The next step to choosing a portable power station is to compare the power output and battery capacity of different portable power stations. The power output of a portable power station is the maximum amount of power that it can supply to your devices at a given time. The power output is also measured in watts or kilowatts. You can find the power output of a portable power station on its label, manual, or online. For example, a 300-watt portable power station can provide up to 300 watts of power output, while a 500-watt portable power station can provide up to 500 watts of power output.
The battery capacity of a portable power station is the amount of energy that it can store and use. The battery capacity is measured in watt-hours (Wh) or kilowatt-hours (kWh). One kilowatt-hour is equal to 1000 watt-hours. You can find the battery capacity of a portable power station on its label, manual, or online. For example, a 300-watt portable power station may have a battery capacity of 288 watt-hours, while a 500-watt portable power station may have a battery capacity of 518 watt-hours.
To compare the power output and battery capacity of different portable power stations, you need to consider two factors: the power demand and the running time. The power demand is the amount of power that your devices need, as calculated in the previous step. The running time is the amount of time that you want to run your devices. For example, if you want to run a 70-watt TV and other devices for 4 hours, the power demand is 70 watts and the running time is 4 hours.
To choose a portable power station that can meet your power demand and running time, you need to make sure that the power output is greater than or equal to the power demand, and that the battery capacity is greater than or equal to the power demand multiplied by the running time. For example, if you want to run a 70-watt TV and other devices for 4 hours, you need a portable power station that has a power output of at least 70 watts and a battery capacity of at least 70 x 4 = 280 watt-hours.
How to estimate the running time and charging time of a portable power station?
The third step to choosing a portable power station is to estimate the running time and charging time of a portable power station. The running time of a portable power station is the amount of time that it can run your devices before the battery runs out. The charging time of a portable power station is the amount of time that it takes to recharge the battery from empty to full.
To estimate the running time of a portable power station, you can use the following formula:
Running time = Battery capacity/Power demand
For example, if you have a 300-watt portable power station with a battery capacity of 288 watt-hours, and you want to run a 70-watt TV and other devices, the running time is:
Running time =288/70 = 4.11 hours
This means you can run your TV and other devices for about 4 hours before the battery runs out.
To estimate the charging time of a portable power station, you can use the following formula:
Charging time = Battery capacity/Charging power
The charging power is the amount of power that the portable power station can receive from a power source, such as a wall outlet, a car battery, or a solar panel. The charging power is also measured in watts or kilowatts. You can find the charging power of a portable power station on its label, manual, or online. For example, a 300-watt portable power station may have a charging power of 60 watts from a wall outlet, 120 watts from a car battery, or 100 watts from a solar panel.
For example, if you have a 300-watt portable power station with a battery capacity of 288 watt-hours, and you want to charge it from a wall outlet with a charging power of 60 watts, the charging time is:
Charging time = 288/60 = 4.8 hours
This means it takes about 5 hours to fully charge the battery from a wall outlet.
What are some examples of portable power stations that can run a TV and other appliances?
The final step to choosing a portable power station is to look at some examples of portable power stations that can run a TV and other appliances. Here are some popular and reliable models that you can consider:
• Shielden 300: This is a 300-watt portable power station with a battery capacity of 293 watt-hours. It has two AC outlets, one USB-C PD port, one USB-A port, one DC car port, and one DC 6mm port. It can run a 40-watt TV for about 7 hours, or a 100-watt TV for about 2.5 hours. It can be charged from a wall outlet in about 5 hours, from a car battery in about 4.5 hours, or from a 100-watt solar panel in about 5.5 hours.
• Rockpals 500W: This is a 500-watt portable power station with a battery capacity of 540 watt-hours. It has two AC outlets, one USB-C PD port, two USB-A ports, one DC car port, and one DC 5.5mm port. It can run a 40-watt TV for about 12 hours, or a 100-watt TV for about 4.5 hours. It can be charged from a wall outlet in about 6 hours, from a car battery in about 6 hours, or from a 100-watt solar panel in about 6.5 hours.
• Goal Zero Yeti 500X: This is a 500-watt portable power station with a battery capacity of 505 watt-hours. It has two AC outlets, one USB-C PD port, one USB-C port, two USB-A ports, one DC car port, and one 6mm port. It can run a 40-watt TV for about 11 hours, or a 100-watt TV for about 4 hours. It can be charged from a wall outlet in about 8.5 hours, from a car battery in about 4.5 hours, or from a 100-watt solar panel in about 6 hours.
