ZDNET Advises Against Running Heaters, Ovens and Central HVAC on Portable Power Stations

The technology news site described the guidance as a recommendation rather than a compatibility limit. "My suggestions are more about what I wouldn't do, not what you can't do," ZDNET wrote, adding that modern large power stations are designed and built to handle dryers, heat pumps and even electric vehicle chargers. Even so, the site said, running the devices it lists "can burn through your stored energy so quickly that it may defeat the purpose of having backup power."

Central HVAC topped the list of loads ZDNET advised against running continuously on a power station. A central air conditioning system can draw between 3,000 and 5,500 watts, creating an enormous sustained energy load that the site said will quickly drain a battery.

Heat-producing devices present the same problem because they require large amounts of electricity to generate heat. The site listed electric clothes dryers, electric water heaters whether tankless or with a tank, hot tub and pool heaters, electric ovens, space heaters, electric fireplaces and heat pumps among the appliances it would not recommend running on a power station.

ZDNET offered a concrete example of the drain. A space heater consuming 1,500 watts can use up the entire battery of a 2,000-watt power station in 80 minutes or less, a rate the site called less than ideal during an outage that lasts for hours.

By contrast, the site said a refrigerator draws a lot of power at startup but its compressor cycles to maintain a set temperature and does not continuously pull the unit's rated maximum. It recommended keeping a refrigerator connected along with a modem and router to avoid internet interruptions, particularly for people who work from home, and security cameras and systems.

For households relying on a power station during an outage, ZDNET said prioritization matters more than raw wattage. It advised preparing an emergency plan with a list of essential devices, which can include a refrigerator to keep food from spoiling, a modem to maintain connectivity, fans for hot weather, lamps for light and medical equipment such as CPAP machines, and deciding in advance how and when each will be used.

The site also recommended monitoring real-time energy consumption, noting that owners of smart systems can use the manufacturer's app to check how long a battery can power particular devices or how much energy remains. Heat-producing appliances, it added, are best used on an as-needed basis, especially when the power station is serving as a backup power source.