Help me understand power station language

[Kevin and Sara]

I'm looking at getting a power station and it says 3 things:

Capacity (Wh)
Output Power (Watt)
Peak Power (Watt)

What is the difference between each of these please?

 

[MattR50]

Great question! When you're diving into the world of power stations for overlanding, these terms can be a bit confusing at first. Let me break it down for you:

1. Capacity (Wh): This is essentially the "size" of the power station's battery or how much energy it can store. Think of it like the gas tank in your vehicle. The larger the capacity, the more energy you have stored to use before it runs out. So, if a power station has a capacity of 500Wh, it means it can provide 500 watts for an hour, or, say, 250 watts for 2 hours.
2. Output Power (Watt): This is the continuous power that the power station can provide. Imagine you're using an appliance that requires a steady 100W – if your power station's output power is 200W, you're good to go. But if you try to run something that needs 250W continuously, your power station might shut down or not work efficiently since it exceeds the output power.
3. Peak Power (Watt): Sometimes, certain devices or appliances have a surge when they start up. For instance, some tools or motors might need a little extra "oomph" just to get going before settling into their regular power consumption. Peak power is the maximum amount of power the station can provide in short bursts to accommodate for those surges.

Hope that helps clarify things a bit! Safe travels and happy overlanding!