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Can you use a power station while it is charging?
Updated
Yes. The power stations on this site can power your devices while they charge from the wall or from solar. This is called pass-through charging. Some models go a step further with a UPS mode, which switches to battery power in a fraction of a second if the grid drops.
Pass-through and UPS are not the same thing
- Pass-through means the outlets work while the unit is charging. That is all.
- UPS mode means the unit sends wall power straight to your device and keeps its battery full. When the wall power fails, it switches to battery fast enough that most devices never notice.
Switchover speed, per the listings we checked: the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 claims under 10 ms. The BLUETTI AC180 claims 20 ms. The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 listing also shows a UPS function. A modem, a laptop, a CPAP and a fridge are fine with either speed. A desktop PC usually is too, but some sensitive gear is not, so test yours by unplugging the power station from the wall while the device is on.
Will the battery still fill up?
Only if more power is coming in than going out. The math is simple:
| Power in | Power out | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1,440W from the wall | 150W fridge | Battery fills nearly as fast as normal |
| 140W from a 200W solar panel | 60W laptop | About 70W is left to charge the battery after overhead |
| 70W from a 100W solar panel | 100W TV | Battery still drains, only slower |
The solar rows assume panels make about 70% of their rating in good sun, plus about 10W of inverter overhead. See our solar sizing page for more.
Is it bad for the battery?
All five units on this site list LiFePO4 cells, which handle being held near full better than older lithium chemistries. Heat is the bigger enemy. Charging and discharging at once makes more heat, so give the unit space on all sides, keep it out of direct sun, and do not cover it. It is normal for the fan to run.
Good ways to use it
- Leave a UPS model plugged in between the wall and your modem, router or CPAP, so an outage at night changes nothing.
- At a campsite, charge from solar all day while a car fridge runs from the DC port.
- During rolling blackouts, leave everything plugged in. The unit refills each time the grid comes back.
Picks
- Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2: the fastest stated switchover of our picks, and a 2,000W output. Caveat: 24.9 lb, so it tends to stay in one spot.
- BLUETTI AC180: built for this job, with 1,152Wh behind it. Caveat: some owners report it shutting off now and then. Test it for a week before you trust it.
- Anker SOLIX C300 and Jackery Explorer 300: we did not see a UPS mode on either listing. Treat them as grab-and-go units, and check the manual before charging and using one at the same time.
Put your own numbers into the runtime calculator, or compare all five units on the best picks page.
A consumer UPS mode is not medical-grade backup. If you rely on powered medical equipment, talk to your equipment provider about a backup plan.