Emergency kit: how much power for 3 days?
What the authorities advise, and how much electricity you really need for it.
In short: to keep the router, two lamps and a phone on for 3 days, you need about 2,100 Wh. With the fridge too, it is more like 6,000 Wh: a large station plus a solar panel.
What the authorities advise
FEMA’s Ready.gov asks every household to have enough supplies to get by on its own for several days after a disaster: one gallon of water per person per day, food that keeps, a flashlight, a battery or hand-crank radio, and phone chargers with a backup battery.
What goes in the kit
- Water: about 4 litres (1 gallon) per person per day, for drinking and washing.
- Food that keeps without a fridge and can be eaten without cooking.
- Light: battery lamps with spare batteries, or rechargeable LED lamps.
- A radio that runs on batteries or a hand crank, for news if the internet goes down.
- A first aid kit and your medicines.
- Copies of important papers and some cash.
- Power: a power bank for the phone, a power station for the rest.
How much electricity for 3 days?
- Router, 2 lamps, a phone ≈ 2.1 kWh
- CPAP at night ≈ 0.6 kWh
- Router, 2 lamps, a phone and the fridge ≈ 6 kWh
Need = energy per day × days ÷ 0.85. Lines show common station sizes.
Work it out with your own devices
Stations that fit an emergency kit
- Lasts several days without a fridge EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra The biggest battery6,144 Wh Check price
- With a solar panel Anker SOLIX C1000 Takes up to 600 W of panels1,056 Wh Check price
- The minimum BLUETTI EB3A Lights, radio and phones268 Wh Check price
| Model | Battery | Max power | Runs a fridge | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra | 6,144Wh | 7,200W | ≈ 95h | 82.4kg | Check price |
| Anker SOLIX C1000 | 1,056Wh | 1,800W | ≈ 16h | 12.9kg | Check price |
| BLUETTI EB3A | 268Wh | 600W | no | 4.6kg | Check price |
Brand numbers. “Runs a fridge”: for an average 45 W fridge. Prices change often: the button shows today’s price on Amazon.
YesThe device plugs into the station
NeverSending the station’s power into a wall outlet or your home’s wiring
Power would flow back into the power lines. That is dangerous for you and for the people fixing them.
Questions
Is a power bank enough?
For a phone, yes. For the router, a lamp on an outlet or the fridge, you need a power station with real outlets.
Can a power station stay indoors?
Yes. Unlike a gas generator, it makes no fumes and no noise. Keep it dry and away from heat.
How do I keep it ready?
Charge it fully and check the level every three months. Many brands advise storing it between 60 and 80%: check your manual.