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Short answer: yes. A typical 1/3 HP sump pump needs roughly 800 W to run and about 1,300 W for a split second to start. Any 1,000 Wh-class power station with an 1,800 W inverter handles that. A 1/2 HP pump (about 1,050 W running, ~2,150 W starting) is borderline. Check your unit’s surge rating and test it before the storm.
Sump pumps matter because outages and heavy rain arrive together. The pump that keeps your basement dry is exactly the thing that stops when the grid goes down.
Step 1: Find your pump’s real numbers
Look at the nameplate on the motor or in the manual for volts × amps. That gives running watts. If you can’t find it, these rule-of-thumb figures are a safe starting point:
| Pump size | Running watts (approx.) | Starting watts (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 HP | ~600 W | ~1,000 W |
| 1/3 HP | ~800 W | ~1,300 W |
| 1/2 HP | ~1,050 W | ~2,150 W |
| 3/4 HP | ~1,500 W | ~3,000 W |
Starting surge is the real constraint. The inverter must survive it every time the float switch kicks the pump on.
Step 2: Match surge to the power station
| Model (1 kWh class) | Capacity | Continuous AC | Surge / boost (maker’s figure) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anker SOLIX C1000 | 1,056 Wh | 1,800 W | 2,400 W surge (SurgePad) |
| BLUETTI AC180 | 1,152 Wh | 1,800 W | 2,700 W surge / Power Lifting |
| EcoFlow DELTA 2 | 1,024 Wh | 1,800 W | 2,200 W with X-Boost (check page for surge) |
Specs from each manufacturer’s product page, checked October 26, 2026: Anker, BLUETTI, EcoFlow. Prices change, so check current price before buying.
All three have 1,800 W continuous, so running watts aren’t a problem for a 1/3 or 1/2 HP pump. Surge is where they differ. Note that “SurgePad” (Anker) and “Power Lifting” (BLUETTI) are mainly designed for resistive loads like heaters, so don’t assume they help a motor start. Plug the pump in on a dry day, pour a bucket into the pit, and watch whether the station trips.
Step 3: How long will it run?
A sump pump doesn’t run nonstop. It cycles. The energy you use depends on how often it runs, which depends on how hard it’s raining.
Wh per hour = running watts × fraction of time the pump is on
Worked example: 1/3 HP pump (800 W), heavy storm, pump on 15% of the time:
- 800 W × 0.15 = 120 Wh per hour
- Usable energy on a 1,056 Wh station ≈ 1,056 × 0.85 ≈ 900 Wh (inverter losses)
- 900 ÷ 120 ≈ 7.5 hours of storm protection
In light rain (pump on 5% of the time) the same station lasts about 22 hours. Sharing it with the fridge cuts that roughly in half. See how long a power station runs a refrigerator for that math. For multi-day outages, add an expansion battery, solar, or a generator to recharge (compare options in our guide to power station vs whole-home battery vs generator).
Step 4: Set it up safely
- Plug the pump directly into the station’s AC outlet. Use a short, heavy-gauge extension cord only if you must, and keep the station above any possible water level.
- Many stations can sit plugged into the wall and take over when power drops (UPS or pass-through mode). Check your model’s switchover time. A pump tolerates a brief gap fine.
- Never run a gas generator in a basement or garage. Carbon monoxide kills.
- Consider a dedicated battery backup sump pump as a second line of defense. It’s cheap insurance.
Check current prices: Anker SOLIX C1000 on Amazon · BLUETTI AC180 on Amazon · EcoFlow DELTA 2 on Amazon
What about a well pump?
This is where most portable power stations fall short, and where bad advice is everywhere. Let’s be precise.
Step 1: Identify your pump’s voltage and horsepower
Look at the pressure switch, the control box (for 3-wire pumps), or the pump records from your well driller. You need:
- Voltage: most residential submersible pumps in the US are 240 V. Some shallow-well jet pumps are 120 V or dual-voltage.
- Horsepower: commonly ½, ¾, 1, or 1½ HP.
- Type: 2-wire or 3-wire submersible, or jet pump. A constant-pressure / variable-speed (VFD) pump has a soft start, which dramatically reduces surge.
Step 2: Estimate running and starting watts
Typical rule-of-thumb figures for 240 V submersible pumps (your nameplate amps × volts is the real number):
| Pump size | Approx. running watts | Approx. starting watts (conventional) |
|---|---|---|
| ½ HP | ~1,000 W | ~2,100–3,000 W |
| ¾ HP | ~1,500 W | ~3,000–4,000 W |
| 1 HP | ~2,000 W | ~4,000–5,000 W |
| 1½ HP | ~2,500–3,000 W | ~6,000+ W |
Running watts here are conservative. Measured draw is often lower, but sizing to these keeps you safe. Starting surge is the real constraint, because the inverter must survive it every time the pump kicks on.
Step 3: Match the power station
You need all three of these:
- 240 V output (native split-phase, or two units linked into 240 V).
- Continuous output above the pump’s running watts, plus anything else on at the same time.
- Surge rating above the pump’s starting watts.
Example: the Anker SOLIX F3800 lists 6,000 W continuous output (9,000 W surge) and 120/240 V split-phase on its product page, with 3,840 Wh of capacity (expandable to 26.9 kWh). Note that its 240 V outlets don’t work while it charges from a 120 V wall outlet, so it can’t act as a pass-through UPS for a 240 V pump. On paper that covers a ½–1 HP 240 V pump. Similarly, BLUETTI’s AC300/AC500 and EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro lines offer 240 V when two units are linked through the brand’s hub or home panel. Confirm the exact configuration on the manufacturer’s page. Anker SOLIX F3800 on Amazon · EcoFlow DELTA Pro + Double Voltage Hub on Amazon · BLUETTI AC500 + B300S on Amazon
A 1 kWh, 120 V portable unit cannot run a 240 V well pump. No adapter changes that.
Step 4: Estimate energy use (good news: it’s small)
The pump only runs when the pressure tank needs refilling. A household might run the pump 1–2 hours total per day, often less if you conserve.
Daily pump Wh = running watts × hours of pump runtime
Worked example C, ¾ HP pump:
– 1,500 W × 1 hour/day = 1,500 Wh/day
– F3800: 3,840 Wh × 0.85 ≈ 3,264 Wh usable
– Pump alone: ~2 days. Pump + fridge (1,500 Wh/day) + lights/Wi-Fi (~500 Wh/day) = 3,500 Wh/day → just under 1 day, so add an expansion battery or solar for multi-day outages.
Step 5: Connect it safely
A submersible pump is hardwired, so you can’t just plug it in. Your options:
- Manual transfer switch or generator interlock + power inlet, installed by a licensed electrician. You move the switch to “generator” and the pump circuit runs from the power station.
- The brand’s home panel (e.g. Anker’s Home Power Panel, EcoFlow’s Smart Home Panel), which can switch circuits automatically.
Never backfeed through a dryer outlet with a double-male cord. It can energize utility lines and electrocute line workers.
Step 6: Conserve water to stretch power
- Fill bathtubs and buckets before a forecast storm (for flushing).
- Avoid running the pump for long irrigation or laundry cycles on battery.
- A larger pressure tank means fewer pump starts.
- If you’re replacing a pump anyway, ask about a soft-start or constant-pressure model. Lower surge makes battery backup much easier.
Will a power station run a 120 V jet pump? Possibly. A ½ HP 120 V jet pump needs roughly 1,000 W running and 2,000–3,000 W to start. Check your unit’s surge rating, and test it before an outage.
The bottom line
For a typical 1/3 HP sump pump, a 1 kWh power station starts it easily and protects your basement through most of a stormy night. For 1/2 HP pumps, test the surge first. For well pumps, you need 240 V and serious surge capacity.
Also see: sizing a power station for a CPAP.
Sources: manufacturer product pages linked above (checked October 26, 2026); Anker SOLIX F3800 product page.