- 800W
- while running, 1,800W to start
- 1,920Wh
- used over a full day
- 10 of 15
- models we track can run it
- Best to add batteries laterEcoFlow Delta 3 Plus10.9 hr$669Check price
- Best for a 1/2 HP pumpEcoFlow Delta 3 Max21.8 hr$879Check price
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Runtime for every model
| Model | Runtime | Capacity | Output | Weight | Price | Per Wh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow River 3 | Can't run it | 245Wh | 300W | 7.8 lb | $239 | $0.98 |
| Jackery Explorer 300 v2 | Can't run it | 288Wh | 300W | 8.2 lb | $299 | $1.04 |
| Anker Solix C300 | Can't run it | 288Wh | 300W | 9.1 lb | $249 | $0.86 |
| EcoFlow River 3 Plus | Can't run it | 286Wh | 600W | 10.4 lb | $299 | $1.05 |
| Bluetti AC70 | Can't start it | 768Wh | 1,000W | 22.5 lb | $359 | $0.47 |
| EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus | 10.9 hr | 1,024Wh | 1,800W | 27.6 lb | $669 | $0.65 |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 11.4 hr | 1,070Wh | 1,500W | 23.8 lb | $499 | $0.47 |
| Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 | 10.9 hr | 1,024Wh | 2,000W | 24.9 lb | $499.99 | $0.49 |
| Bluetti Elite 100 V2 | 10.9 hr | 1,024Wh | 1,800W | 25 lb | $489 | $0.48 |
| EcoFlow Delta 3 Max | 21.8 hr | 2,048Wh | 2,400W | 44.8 lb | $879 | $0.43 |
| Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 | 21.7 hr | 2,042Wh | 2,200W | 39.5 lb | $899 | $0.44 |
| Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 | 21.8 hr | 2,048Wh | 2,400W | 41.7 lb | $899.99 | $0.44 |
| Bluetti Elite 200 V2 | 22.0 hr | 2,073Wh | 2,600W | 53.4 lb | $899 | $0.43 |
| EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 | 43.5 hr | 4,096Wh | 4,000W | 113.5 lb | $2,799 | $0.68 |
| Anker Solix F3800 | 40.8 hr | 3,840Wh | 6,000W | 132.3 lb | $1,979.99 | $0.52 |
Shaded rows are our picks. Assumed load: A 1/3 horsepower sump pump pulling 800W, running 6 minutes out of every hour in a steady rain, with an 1,800W startup surge.
Starting the motor is the hard part
A sump pump is an electric motor in a pit in the basement floor. It pushes water out of the house before the water reaches the floor. Once it is spinning, a 1/3 horsepower pump pulls about 800W. For a split second at startup it needs far more, about 1,800W in our numbers. That burst is called startup surge. It is like pushing a stalled car: getting it rolling takes much more effort than keeping it rolling.
Every power station has two output numbers. The first is what it can supply all day. The second, the surge rating, is what it can supply for a moment. The pump’s 1,800W start has to fit under the surge rating. If it does not, the station shuts off and the pump never turns.
That is why the Bluetti AC70 fails here. Its 1,000W output is more than the pump’s running draw, but its surge rating for motors is 1,500W. Bluetti also advertises a 2,000W “Power Lifting” mode, but that only suits simple heating devices. The four small units cannot supply 800W at all.
Check the nameplate first
Our figures are typical, not your pump’s. Find the label on the pump or in its manual. It lists amps. Multiply the amps by 120 volts to get the running watts.
A pump marked 1/2 HP runs at roughly 1,050W and has a bigger starting surge. For that size, treat the 2,000Wh class as the starting point.
Runtime depends on the rain
A sump pump does not run nonstop. It switches on when the water in the pit rises, empties the pit, and stops. The table assumes it runs 6 minutes out of every hour, which is a steady rain. That uses 80 watt-hours each hour. A watt-hour is a unit of energy: one watt used for one hour.
A heavy storm changes the math fast. If the pump runs 18 minutes an hour and not 6, every runtime in the table drops to a third. The 10.9 hours from a 1,000Wh unit becomes about 3.6. The 21.8 hours from the EcoFlow Delta 3 Max becomes about 7.3.
To learn which case you are in, time how long the pump runs and how long it rests during a hard rain.
Why UPS mode matters for this job
Storms cause outages, and storms fill sump pits. The pump has to work while you are asleep or away.
UPS stands for uninterruptible power supply. In UPS mode the station plugs into the wall and the pump plugs into the station. Wall power passes through while the grid is up. When the grid drops, the battery takes over. The switchover time is listed in milliseconds, which are thousandths of a second: 10 ms for all three picks.
The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 can start the pump, but Jackery’s product page lists no UPS switchover time for it, so it is not a pick here. The Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 is a close alternative to the Bluetti at $499.99, with a 3,000W surge rating, a 2,000W outlet rating and a 10 ms switchover.
Where a power station falls short
A battery is a fixed amount of energy. A storm that cuts power for two days and keeps the pump busy will outlast every 1,000Wh and 2,000Wh unit in the table. The longest runtimes are the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 at 43.5 hours for $2,799 and the Anker Solix F3800 at 40.8 hours for $1,979.99.
Set the power station on a shelf above any possible water line, never on the basement floor.
The picks in detail
Bluetti Elite 100 V2
- 10.9 hr
- 1/3 HP sump pump
- $489
- $0.48 per Wh
- 25 lb
- Weight
The pump's 1,800W start is the test, and this unit's 3,600W surge rating is double that. Its 1,800W outlet rating is more than twice the 800W running draw. Left plugged in between the wall and the pump, it takes over in 10 ms when the power fails. At 6 minutes of pumping an hour it lasts 10.9 hours, and it refills to 80% in 45 minutes once the grid is back. At $489 it is the lowest-priced unit that can start the pump.
What fits
- 3,600W surge, double the pump's 1,800W start
- 10 ms UPS switchover
- $489, the lowest price of any unit that can start the pump
What does not
- 10.9 hours becomes about 3.6 if the pump runs three times as often
- Cannot be expanded with extra batteries
Sale prices under $400 have appeared.
EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus
- 10.9 hr
- 1/3 HP sump pump
- $669
- $0.65 per Wh
- 27.6 lb
- Weight
This matches the Bluetti where it counts for a pump: a 3,600W surge rating, a 10 ms switchover and the same 10.9 hours. What it adds is room to grow. Add-on batteries take it up to 5kWh, which is the fix if one long storm shows that 10.9 hours is not enough. You pay for the option. $669 is $0.65 per watt-hour, and $180 more than the Bluetti.
What fits
- Expandable up to 5kWh with add-on batteries
- 3,600W surge, double the pump's starting need
- 10 ms UPS switchover
What does not
- $180 more than the Bluetti for the same 10.9 hours
- 27.6 lb, the heaviest of the 1,000Wh units
EcoFlow's list price is $799.
EcoFlow Delta 3 Max
- 21.8 hr
- 1/3 HP sump pump
- $879
- $0.43 per Wh
- 44.8 lb
- Weight
A 1/2 HP pump runs at roughly 1,050W and starts harder than a 1/3 HP one. This unit's 4,800W surge rating is the highest in the 2,000Wh class, and its 2,400W outlet rating is more than double that running draw. On the 1/3 HP pump in our table it lasts 21.8 hours, and it switches over in 10 ms. At $879, or $0.43 per watt-hour, it ties for the cheapest storage we track.
What fits
- 4,800W surge, the highest of the 2,000Wh units
- 21.8 hours at 6 minutes of pumping an hour
- 10 ms UPS switchover
What does not
- $390 more than the Bluetti, which a 1/3 HP pump does not need
- Cannot be expanded with extra batteries
EcoFlow's list price is $1,199. The Delta 3 Max Plus is a separate, pricier model.
Verdict
Buy the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 if you have a 1/3 HP pump and your outages usually end within a night. Pick the EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus if you want the same starting margin with room to add batteries later. For a 1/2 HP pump, or storms that last a full day, step up to the EcoFlow Delta 3 Max. Skip every unit under 1,000Wh. The Bluetti AC70 has the running watts, but its 1,500W surge rating cannot start the pump.
How these numbers were worked out. Runtime = battery capacity × efficiency ÷ average watts. We use 85% efficiency for AC outlets and 90% for DC and USB ports, because some energy is lost as heat on the way out. A model is marked "can't run it" when the device needs more watts than the outlet gives, or a bigger startup surge than the unit is rated for. Your own device may draw more or less than our assumed load, so treat these as estimates. Prices were checked on 2026-10-04 and change often. Full method
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