How Long Will a Power Station Run an Oxygen Concentrator?

By Hicham M. · Updated October 11, 2026 · How we calculate

Not for long. A home oxygen concentrator runs around the clock, and a 5 L/min unit draws about 310 W. That is ten times a CPAP. A 1,000 Wh power station covers about 2.7 hours and a 2,000 Wh one about 5.5 hours. A power station can bridge a short outage or the gap until you switch to a backup cylinder. It can’t replace one.

The figure comes from the makers’ own manuals, which put 5 L/min units between 275 W and 400 W. Your model decides where you land. Turning the flow down saves little on the models we checked.

Running310 Wtypical range 275–400 W

Starting (surge)1,200 Wfor a split second

Average310 Wwhile on

Per day7.4 kWhat 24 h/day

Calculate with your model Find the right size

Runtime by power station

Nonstop runtime for one oxygen concentrator at 310 W average, with 85% inverter efficiency. Models that can't supply its running or starting power are listed separately below.

How long each power station runs an oxygen concentrator: longest 10
Power station	Battery	Runtime
Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus	5,040 Wh	14 hours
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3	4,096 Wh	11 hours
Goal Zero Yeti PRO 4000	3,994 Wh	11 hours
Anker SOLIX F3800	3,840 Wh	11 hours
Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus	3,840 Wh	11 hours
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Older	3,600 Wh	9.9 hours
Anker SOLIX F3000	3,072 Wh	8.4 hours
BLUETTI Elite 300	3,014 Wh	8.3 hours
BLUETTI Apex 300	2,765 Wh	7.6 hours
BLUETTI Elite 200 V2	2,074 Wh	5.7 hours

Show the other 35 models that can run it

How long each power station runs an oxygen concentrator: the rest
Power station	Battery	Runtime
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max	2,048 Wh	5.6 hours
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus	2,048 Wh	5.6 hours
EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max Older	2,048 Wh	5.6 hours
BLUETTI AC200L	2,048 Wh	5.6 hours
BLUETTI AC200MAX Older	2,048 Wh	5.6 hours
Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2	2,048 Wh	5.6 hours
Anker SOLIX F2000 (767) Older	2,048 Wh	5.6 hours
DJI Power 2000	2,048 Wh	5.6 hours
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2	2,042 Wh	5.6 hours
Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Older	2,042 Wh	5.6 hours
BLUETTI AC200P Older	2,000 Wh	5.5 hours
Jackery Explorer 1500 v2	1,536 Wh	4.2 hours
Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra	1,536 Wh	4.2 hours
Goal Zero Yeti 1500X Older	1,516 Wh	4.2 hours
Goal Zero Yeti 1500	1,505 Wh	4.1 hours
Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus	1,264 Wh	3.5 hours
Anker SOLIX F1200 (757) Older	1,229 Wh	3.4 hours
BLUETTI AC180	1,152 Wh	3.2 hours
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2	1,070 Wh	2.9 hours
Anker SOLIX C1000	1,056 Wh	2.9 hours
EcoFlow DELTA 3	1,024 Wh	2.8 hours
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus	1,024 Wh	2.8 hours
EcoFlow DELTA 2 Older	1,024 Wh	2.8 hours
BLUETTI Elite 100 V2	1,024 Wh	2.8 hours
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2	1,024 Wh	2.8 hours
DJI Power 1000	1,024 Wh	2.8 hours
Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro Older	1,002 Wh	2.7 hours
Jackery Explorer 1000 Older	1,002 Wh	2.7 hours
Goal Zero Yeti 1000	998 Wh	2.7 hours
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro Older	768 Wh	2.1 hours
Anker SOLIX C800 Plus	768 Wh	2.1 hours
BLUETTI EB70S Older	716 Wh	2 hours
DJI Power 500 May not start it: surge not published	512 Wh	1.4 hours
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus	286 Wh	47 min
BLUETTI EB3A Older	269 Wh	44 min

Models that can't run it

Power station	Output	Surge	Why
Goal Zero Yeti 700	600 W	1,000 W	Can’t start it
Jackery Explorer 500	500 W	1,000 W	Can’t start it
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max	500 W	1,000 W	Can’t start it
Jackery Explorer 300	300 W	500 W	Not enough output
Jackery Explorer 300 v2	300 W	600 W	Not enough output
Anker SOLIX C300	300 W	600 W	Not enough output
Jackery Explorer 240 v2	300 W	600 W	Not enough output
EcoFlow RIVER 3	300 W	600 W	Not enough output
Jackery Explorer 240	200 W	400 W	Not enough output

We may earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes our numbers, and every model in our database is included whether or not it pays us. Learn more.

What the makers publish

Published oxygen concentrator power figures
Concentrator	Flow range	Published power draw
Inogen At Home	1–5 L/min	275 W maximum
Caire AirSep VisionAire 5	1–5 L/min	290 W (one figure for all flows)
Drive DeVilbiss 525DS	0.5–5 L/min	310 W average, 275 W at 1.2 L/min or less
Philips Respironics EverFlo	0.5–5 L/min	350 W average
Invacare Platinum 5	0.5–5 L/min	395 W average
Invacare Platinum 10	2–10 L/min	585 W typical
AirSep NewLife Intensity 10	2–10 L/min	600 W

The World Health Organization’s technical specifications put stationary concentrators at roughly 280–600 W and portable ones at 40–130 W. If you use 10 L/min, plan on about 600 W, which halves every runtime on this page.

The startup surge

A concentrator has a compressor, and compressors pull extra power for a moment as they start. The WHO says a concentrator’s starting wattage is “two or three times greater than its rated operating wattage” and that backup power should be sized for it. None of the manuals we read publishes the figure, so we plan on 1,200 W: three times the highest 5 L/min draw we found. That errs on the safe side, and it rules out most small power stations, even ones with enough battery for an hour. For your own unit, multiply its watts by three and pick a station whose surge rating is above that. A 10 L/min unit at 600 W needs about 1,800 W.

How much battery a full outage takes

The WHO’s own sizing example uses a 400 W concentrator for 4 hours, plus 10% for losses: 1,760 Wh. Overnight is a different scale. At 310 W, 8 hours takes about 2,918 Wh from the battery once you count inverter losses, more than most portable power stations hold.

That is why oxygen suppliers provide backup cylinders, and why the FDA asks anyone using a medical device at home to plan for outages, including how long the device runs on battery and supplies for at least 3 days. Many utilities also keep a medical needs registry. Signing up doesn’t keep your power on, but it can put you on a priority list.

Using a power station with a concentrator

Find your unit’s watts in its manual or on its label, then set them in the runtime calculator. 5 L/min units range from 275 W to 400 W.
Plug the concentrator straight into the station. Most manuals we read warn against extension cords.
Several manuals say to power the unit from a UPS or battery if it must keep running through a power cut. A station with UPS or EPS mode can do that, but test the switchover before you rely on it.
Know how to switch to your backup cylinder, and how many hours it lasts at your flow rate. Ask your supplier if you aren’t sure.
If you use a portable concentrator, keep its batteries charged. A power station can recharge it: Inogen One G5 and Philips SimplyGo adapters draw about 120–150 W at most.

Questions

What size power station do I need for an oxygen concentrator?

For a typical 5 L/min unit, each hour takes about 365 Wh from the battery, and the station needs at least 1,200 W of surge to start it safely. A 2,000 Wh station gives about 5.5 hours. For a full night, look at 3,500 Wh or more to leave a margin, and still keep a backup cylinder.

Can a small power station run an oxygen concentrator?

Usually not. A 300 Wh station would last under an hour, and most stations that size can’t supply the startup surge. A portable concentrator running on its own batteries is a better fit for small stations, which can recharge it.

Does turning down the flow save battery?

Not much on the models we checked. DeVilbiss lists its 525DS at 310 W average and 275 W at 1.2 L/min or less, and Caire gives one 290 W figure for its VisionAire 5 at every flow. Never change your prescribed flow to save power.

Sources

Wattage figures are typical values from the sources below. Your appliance may differ, so check its label or measure it with a plug-in watt meter.