Portable power and solar generators

Two Ways to Run a House From a Power Station in an Outage: Extension Cords, or a Sub-Panel an Electrician Installs

Published · By the SolarPanelX editors · Updated · See individual checks and dates below

Summary

With extension cords, the power station feeds the appliances you plug into it and nothing else, without connecting the station to house wiring; follow the device manual and applicable local requirements. With a sub-panel such as EcoFlow's Smart Home Panel 2, up to 12 circuits in the house switch to the battery within 20 ms, but the panel costs $1,599 before installation, requires an electrician, has to meet the National Electrical Code, and requires a supported EcoFlow configuration, including the specific combinations listed below. Rooftop solar does not help in either case unless it has a battery and an inverter configured to island; grid-tied panels alone shut off with the grid.

The extension-cord route

The power station sits indoors, which is the point: unlike a gas generator, it produces no exhaust, and CPSC's warning before the 2026 hurricane season named portable generators as a leading cause of post-storm carbon monoxide deaths. Run cords to the refrigerator, the router, lamps and chargers. Limits:

The sub-panel route, using EcoFlow's as the example

EcoFlow's Smart Home Panel 2 is the one product in this category whose page we have read, so its figures stand in for the approach:

Smart Home Panel 2
Circuits12-circuit sub-panel
Works withDELTA Pro Ultra alone, DELTA Pro Ultra with DELTA Pro or the Double Voltage Hub, and DELTA Pro 3
System ceiling"up to 90kWh with a 21.6kW output"
Switchover20 ms automatic
Installationrequired before use; EcoFlow offers certified electricians
Codemust comply with the National Electrical Code or other applicable codes
Permitapplication fees are the owner's responsibility; the site mentions a $500 permit fee it covers
Price$1,599.00 on October 4, 2026

The appeal is that the circuits you choose keep running without anyone moving a cord, and that 240 V circuits can be included. The cost is the panel, the electrician, the permit, and being tied to one brand's large units; the DELTA Pro 3 alone was $2,799 when we read its page.

What your rooftop solar does during this

Nothing, unless it was built for it. DOE describes grid-tied residential systems as designed to switch off when the grid goes down, for safety. Systems that pair panels with a battery and a suitably configured inverter can detect the outage and switch to an islanded mode. A portable power station is a separate device; it does not turn an ordinary grid-tied array into backup.

Choosing between the two

Pick cords if the goal is the fridge, communication and light for a day or two; our 24-hour outage guide sizes that. Pick a sub-panel if the loads are hardwired or 240 V, you have confirmed the panel supports the exact station and required accessories, and you are prepared for a permitted installation.

What Limits a Home Battery and a Portable Generator During an Outage?

Power Station for a 24-Hour Outage: Fridge, Phones and Lights

Shopping for one? Browse portable power stations →

Sources

  1. EcoFlow US — Smart Home Panel 2
  2. EcoFlow US — DELTA Pro 3 Portable Power Station
  3. U.S. Department of Energy — Solar Integration: Inverters and Grid Services Basics
  4. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission — CPSC Warns of Generator Carbon Monoxide and Fire Hazards Ahead of Hurricane Season (May 27, 2026)
  5. Anker SOLIX — F3800 Portable Power Station
  6. Jackery — Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station

We have not tested these products. Specs, prices, stock and terms are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.

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