Black Friday is the cheapest time of the year to buy a solar generator, and also the easiest time to buy the wrong one. A deal on a 1,000 Wh station is not a deal if your fridge needs 2,000 Wh a day, and a 2,000 W inverter is not enough if your well pump runs on 240V. This guide walks through the five numbers that decide the size - running watts, starting (surge) watts, watt-hours per day, voltage and recharge speed - with worked examples, two charts and a checklist you can fill in before the sales start.
Every station named below is in stock and active in our store on October 22, 2026, with the price you pay before any promo code. Specs come from each product's spec sheet; where a manufacturer does not publish a figure (for example motor surge on some models), we leave it out rather than guess.
1. The five numbers that size a solar generator
- Running watts (W) - the power your devices draw at the same time. This must stay under the station's continuous (rated) output.
- Starting or surge watts (W) - motors in fridges, freezers, pumps, furnace blowers and air conditioners pull 2-3 times their running watts for a second or two when they start. This must stay under the surge or peak rating.
- Watt-hours per day (Wh) - running watts multiplied by hours of use. This decides the battery size and how long the station lasts.
- Voltage (120V or 240V) - most plug-in appliances are 120V. Well pumps, central AC, electric dryers and some EV chargers need 240V, which only some stations provide.
- Recharge input (W) - how fast solar panels, the wall or a gas generator can refill the battery. This decides whether the station keeps up during a multi-day outage.
Watts are like the width of a pipe; watt-hours are the size of the tank. A station can have a big tank and a narrow pipe (the 2,010 Wh Anker SOLIX S2000 with 1,500 W output) or the other way around (the 1,024 Wh Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 with 2,000 W). You need both numbers to fit your loads.
2. Running vs starting watts of common home loads
The chart below shows typical running and starting watts for the appliances customers most often ask us about. They come from standard generator wattage tables; the label or manual on your appliance always wins, and newer inverter-driven fridges and air conditioners start far more gently than older ones.
Two things stand out. A fridge only uses about 150 W while running but can ask for around 1,200 W to start, so a 300-500 W station will trip even though the running number fits. And heating appliances such as microwaves, coffee makers, kettles and space heaters have no surge but draw 1,000-1,800 W continuously, so they set the continuous rating you need.
3. Sizing math, step by step
Step 1: continuous output
List what will run at the same time and add the running watts. Multiply by 1.25 for headroom so the inverter is not working at 100% for hours.
Example: fridge 150 W + chest freezer 80 W + router and LED lights 70 W + sump pump 1,050 W = 1,350 W. 1,350 x 1.25 = about 1,700 W continuous.
Step 2: surge
Take the largest starting watts in the list and add the running watts of everything else that is on at that moment.
Example: sump pump start 2,150 W + fridge 150 W + freezer 80 W + lights 70 W = 2,450 W surge. A station rated 3,000 W peak covers it; one rated 2,000 W peak may shut down when the pump kicks in.
Step 3: watt-hours per day
Multiply each device's average watts by the hours it runs in 24 hours. For fridges and freezers, use the yearly kWh on the yellow EnergyGuide label divided by 365 - a typical full-size fridge lands around 1.1-1.6 kWh a day.
Example: fridge 1,500 Wh + freezer 800 Wh + router and lights 700 Wh + sump pump 1 hour 1,050 Wh = 4,050 Wh per day.
Step 4: battery size
Battery Wh = daily Wh x days of backup / 0.85. The 0.85 covers inverter losses and the reserve most stations keep. Runtime works the same way in reverse: hours = battery Wh x 0.85 / average load W.
Example: 4,050 / 0.85 = about 4,800 Wh for one full day with no recharge. A 3,840 Wh station covers about 19 hours of that load; add solar or an expansion battery to bridge a full day.
Step 5: recharge
Daily solar Wh = panel watts x peak sun hours x 0.75. With 4 peak sun hours, 800 W of panels returns about 2,400 Wh a day and 1,600 W returns about 4,800 Wh - enough to break even on the example above. Check the station's maximum solar input before buying panels; extra panels above the limit add nothing.
Prefer not to do the math by hand? The Solar Kit Calculator takes your appliance list and ZIP code and returns battery size, inverter watts and the panel array for your local sun.
4. How big a battery each outage scenario needs
Read the chart from left to right: if a blue bar ends before a dashed line, that station size covers a full day of that scenario without recharging.
- Phones, lights and Wi-Fi (about 700 Wh/day): any 1 kWh station, or a 640 Wh unit for one night.
- Fridge only (about 1,500 Wh/day): a 2 kWh station covers a day with some margin.
- Fridge plus essentials (about 2,200 Wh/day): a 3 kWh station for a full day, or a 2 kWh station with a few hundred watts of solar.
- Fridge, freezer, sump pump and essentials (about 4,050 Wh/day): 3.84 kWh or more, ideally with expansion or solar.
- Add a gas furnace blower in winter (about 5,000 Wh/day): a 3-4 kWh station plus an expansion battery, or two units.
5. Station sizes we stock today (prices checked October 22, 2026)
| Station | Battery | Continuous | Surge / peak | Voltage | Weight | Price today | Sized for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackery Explorer 600 v2 | 640 Wh | 500 W | 1,000 W | 120V | 14.1 lb | $429 | Wi-Fi, lights, CPAP for a night |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,070 Wh | 1,500 W | 3,000 W | 120V | 23.8 lb | $499 | Essentials, short fridge backup |
| Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 | 1,024 Wh | 2,000 W | 3,000 W | 120V | 24.9 lb | $549.99 | Kettle, microwave, fast recharge |
| Anker SOLIX S2000 | 2,010 Wh | 1,500 W | 3,000 W | 120V | 35.7 lb | $699.99 | Fridge for a day+, home office |
| Bluetti Elite 200 V2 | 2,074 Wh | 2,600 W | 3,900 W (resistive) | 120V | 53.4 lb | $899 | Fridge + cooking appliances |
| Jackery HomePower 3000 | 3,072 Wh | 3,600 W | 7,200 W | 120V | 59.5 lb | $1,399 | Fridge + essentials for a full day |
| Anker SOLIX F3000 | 3,072 Wh | 3,600 W | 7,200 W | 120V (240V with 2 units) | 91.5 lb | $1,499.99 | Sump pump, RV, expandable to 24 kWh |
| Bluetti Apex 300 | 2,765 Wh | 3,840 W | 7,680 W | 120V + 240V | 83.8 lb | $1,699 | Whole-circuit backup, expandable to 58 kWh |
| Jackery HomePower 3600 Pro Max | 3,584 Wh | 4,000 W at 240V / 2,000 W at 120V | 8,000 W at 240V | 120V + 240V | 73.9 lb | $1,799 | 240V well pump on a budget |
| Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus | 3,840 Wh | 6,000 W | 9,000 W | 120V + 240V | 136.7 lb | $2,599.99 | 240V loads, home panel, up to 53.8 kWh |
Surge figures are the manufacturer's peak ratings. The Bluetti Elite 200 V2 lists a 3,900 W "Power Lifting" mode for resistive loads such as kettles and hair dryers; Bluetti does not publish a separate motor-start figure for it, so test a pump or compressor before relying on it. The Apex 300 needs the SolarX 4K controller for solar charging.
6. Our picks by size
Jackery Explorer 600 v2 - $429
640 Wh and 500 W (1,000 W surge) in a 14.1 lb body. At 0.85 usable energy it runs a 10 W router for about 54 hours, a 40 W CPAP without humidifier for about 14 hours, or LED lights and phones for a weekend. It switches over in under 10 ms, so it doubles as a UPS for a modem. It will not start a full-size fridge reliably - that is the job of the next size up.
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 - $549.99
1,024 Wh with 2,000 W continuous and 3,000 W peak, so it handles a kettle, a coffee machine or a 1,000 W microwave that 1,500 W stations struggle with. It refills from the wall in about 49 minutes in UltraFast mode and takes up to 600 W of solar. The trade-off: the battery is not expandable, so think of it as a strong short-outage and camping station rather than a fridge-for-two-days unit.
Anker SOLIX S2000 - $699.99
2,010 Wh and 1,500 W (3,000 W peak) at 35.7 lb - about $348 per kWh, the lowest of any 2 kWh station we stock. A 6 W idle draw stretches small loads: Anker's own test ran a large 700 L fridge for about 35 hours. The 1,500 W limit is the catch - run the microwave or coffee maker on its own, not alongside the fridge compressor starting.
Bluetti Elite 200 V2 - $899
2,074 Wh with 2,600 W continuous, so a fridge, router and a coffee maker can run together. It reaches 80% in about 1.1 hours from the wall, accepts 1,000 W of solar and can add a B80, B230 or B300 expansion battery later (up to 5,122 Wh total). A good fit for apartments and small homes that cook during outages.
Jackery HomePower 3000 - $1,399
3,072 Wh, 3,600 W continuous and 7,200 W surge for $1,399 - enough usable energy (about 2,600 Wh) to cover the "fridge plus essentials" scenario for a full day, and enough surge for a sump pump. It has a 30 A outlet (TT-30 style) and can feed up to six essential circuits through a manual transfer switch. Solar input is up to 1,000 W.
Jackery HomePower 3600 Pro Max - $1,799
3,584 Wh with true 240V from one unit: 4,000 W rated and 8,000 W surge at 240V through a NEMA 14-50 outlet. Note that 120V output is limited to 2,000 W (4,000 W surge), so this is the station to choose for a 240V pump, not for running several large 120V appliances at once. It expands to 21.5 kWh with battery packs and is UL 9540 certified.
Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus - $2,599.99
3,840 Wh, 6,000 W continuous and 9,000 W surge at 120V and 240V, with 3,200 W of solar input. It is the one portable station here that can start a 240V well pump while the fridge, freezer and lights keep running. It connects to Anker's Home Power Panel for circuit-level backup and scales to 53.8 kWh with expansion batteries and a second unit.
7. Pre-Black Friday sizing checklist
- Write down every device you want during an outage, with running watts and hours per day (label, manual or the chart above).
- Mark the motor loads (fridge, freezer, pumps, furnace blower, AC) and note their starting watts.
- Circle anything that is 240V. If there is one, only 240V-capable stations make the shortlist.
- Calculate continuous W (x 1.25), surge W and daily Wh, then battery Wh = daily Wh x days / 0.85.
- Decide how you will recharge: wall only, solar (check max solar input) or a gas generator.
- Check weight and where it will live - stations above about 80 lb usually stay on wheels in one spot.
- Only then compare deals. Our Black Friday solar deals hub lists every verified price and code.
8. What our customers ask
Most sizing questions we get by phone, text and email follow the same patterns (shared here without any personal details):
- "Will it run my fridge?" The most common question. The answer is almost always about surge and daily Wh, not running watts - which is why we ask for the EnergyGuide label number.
- "Can I use my existing panels with this station?" Often yes, if the panel voltage stays inside the station's solar input range and you have the right connector. Matching the station's own brand of panels is the easy route.
- Appliance lists by text. Many buyers send a photo of a list or a nameplate; we run it through the Solar Kit Calculator and send back a size.
- Delivery and handling. Customers buying 3 kWh+ stations often ask how heavy the box is and whether two people can move it. Plan for 60-140 lb plus packaging, and check the delivery date before a forecast storm.
9. Black Friday and current codes
As of October 22, 2026 these codes are active at checkout (one code per order): ECO50 ($50 off, no minimum), ECO100 ($100 off $1,500+), SAVE250 ($250 off $4,000+) and SAVE500 ($500 off $8,000+). ECOBLACK2026 ($150 off $2,000+ on selected products) is scheduled for November 20 - December 1. Sizing now means you can buy the right station on day one of the sale. If the station is a present, our power station gift guide sorts picks by budget, and the best solar generators for home backup guide compares the largest units in depth.
10. FAQ
What size solar generator do I need to run a refrigerator?
A typical full-size fridge uses about 1.1-1.6 kWh a day and needs around 1,200 W to start. A 2 kWh station with at least 1,500 W continuous and 3,000 W peak, such as the Anker SOLIX S2000, covers about a day; a 3 kWh station covers a fridge plus lights and Wi-Fi for a full day.
How many watts do I need to run a house during an outage?
Essentials (fridge, lights, router, phones, a sump pump) usually need 1,500-3,600 W continuous with 3,000-7,000 W surge. A 240V well pump or central AC needs a 240V station with 4,000-6,000 W, such as the Jackery HomePower 3600 Pro Max or Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus. Whole-home backup usually needs two units or an installed battery system.
What is the difference between watts and watt-hours?
Watts are how much power flows at once and decide what you can run together. Watt-hours are how much energy the battery stores and decide how long it lasts. Runtime in hours = battery Wh x 0.85 / load watts.
Will a 2,000 W power station run a sump pump?
A 1/2 HP sump pump runs at about 1,050 W but can need about 2,150 W to start. Check the station's surge rating: 3,000 W peak usually covers it if little else is running; a station with only 2,000 W surge may shut off at start-up.
How long will a 3,000 Wh solar generator last?
About 2,600 Wh is usable. That is roughly 8.7 hours at an average 300 W, 1.7 days for a fridge alone, or about 65 hours for a 40 W CPAP.
How many solar panels do I need to recharge a solar generator?
Panel watts = daily Wh / (peak sun hours x 0.75). To return 2,000 Wh a day with 4 peak sun hours you need about 670 W of panels, within the station's maximum solar input.
Ready to compare? Browse all portable power stations, solar generators and solar generator kits with panels.