The numbers

Per day0.2–1.5 kWh
While running300–800 W while pumping (⅓–½ hp)
Starting surge (plan for)up to about 2,000 W

Needs power most during storms, exactly when the grid tends to fail.

Tip: Check its startup surge against your power station's rating.

Answer a few taps in a guide and every page like this shows the numbers for your own setup. Start

Running it on solar

At typical use (about 0.9 kWh a day), it takes about 2 400-watt panels to keep up through a dark winter, plus batteries for the nights.

Sized for a dark winter. Set your location · Size a whole system

How long a battery runs it

On its own, at typical use:

  • 1 kWh power stationNeeds at least 2,000 W of output to start it 21 hours
  • 2 kWh power station 1.8 days
  • 3.6 kWh power station 3.2 days
  • One 5 kWh rack battery 4.5 days

Add your other appliances

On a power station you have

Questions people ask

How long will a power station run a sump pump?

A 2 kWh power station runs it for about 1.8 days on its own, at typical use. Bigger batteries scale up from there.

How much solar does a sump pump need?

About 420 W of panels covers it in a typical US winter month, on its own.

Power it for good

Want it running through outages, or off-grid for good? The guides size everything around what you run.

Typical ranges for planning, from US Department of Energy appliance estimates, nameplate ratings and owner measurements. Your model's label or a plug-in meter gives your exact number. More: How much power do you use?