Place your Christmas lights anywhere without needing to worry about tripping on extension cords. How? Use a portable power station. If you're away from electricity entirely, you can even recharge your power station using a solar panel.

What is a portable power station? Sometimes known as a “gasless generator” or “battery-powered inverter generator”, a portable power station is a rechargeable, mobile source of electrical power. Portable power stations are usually more powerful than power banks but less powerful than generators. They range in size from 100 to 2,000 watts. 

Why Use a Portable Power Station for Christmas Lights?

A portable power station gives you complete flexibility regarding where to put your Christmas tree and other Christmas lights. You no longer need to select a place close to a power outlet or run extension cords, which can be a tripping hazard at worst and unattractive at best.

Using Solar Panels to Recharge a Power Station for Christmas Lights

You can use solar panels to power your power station during the daytime, and then use your power station to power Christmas lights during the day and night.

How Solar Panels Work With Portable Power Stations

Solar-powered charging is easy. Just unfold your solar panel, connect it to your power station and point the panel at the sun to access clean and reliable power. Kickstand included for easy, quick assembly. The Duracell G350 and G800 Power Stations are compatible with the G-Solar Panel, a 100W solar panel.

Benefits of Solar Charging

Solar charging is eco-friendly and cost effective.

Optimal Sunlight and Charging Tips

At the risk of stating the obvious, you need to have a sunlight to use a solar panel. Your power station will charge more quickly on sunny days. It takes the G-Solar Panel 5-8 hours at full sun to fully charge the G350 and 10-12 hours at full sun to fully charge the G800. 

Power Stations vs. Battery-Powered Christmas Lights: Pros and Cons

Why a portable power station is more reliable for long-term indoor lighting setups

Traditional “battery-powered Christmas lights” are individual strings with a pack powered by AA or AAA batteries. Traditional battery-operated Christmas lights require frequent changes of the battery packs. In contrast, power stations can power multiple light strings without having to rotate or recharge smaller individual battery packs. Power stations also offer a wider compatibility with plugin lights. When using battery-operated Christmas lights, you may need multiple batteries for larger displays, even if you're using rechargeable batteries. In sum, power stations are more powerful than traditional battery packs. 

What Size Power Station Do I Need to Power my Christmas Lights?

Choose your portable power station based on the number and wattage of the lights. Select a power station that has at least twice the wattage capacity as your total lights. Most standard LED Christmas light strands use around 5-7 watts per strand or bulb. So, for a few hundred lights, you'll generally need a portable power station with at least 800 watts. Make sure to get one with enough AC and/or DC outlets to plug in all your lights. Check the specifications of your lights and add up their total wattage to determine the right size power station for your Christmas light display.

What do I Need to Consider When Setting up My Portable Power Station to Power Christmas Lights?

To determine how long a PPS will run, take the energy capacity of the unit, which is measured in watt hours (Wh), and divide by the power used, which is measured in watts (W).

For example, let’s say you want to power 3 light stands that have a total power usage of 20 watts and you are using a power station like the Duracell Power 1000 Power Station that has 1050 watthours. You would be able to power these lights for 52.5 hours (1050 watthours divided by 20 watts) before the power station runs out of charge.

For typical Christmas lights, the Duracell G350 Power Station lasts 10-12 hours whereas the Duracell G800 lasts about 30 hours. You will need to recharge you power station when it runs out of power. You can do this by plugging it into a wall or car outlet or by connecting it to a solar panel. Duracell G-Series power stations are compatible with Duracell G-Solar Panels.

Portable power stations are safe to use, both indoors and outdoors. However, note they are not waterproof. They need to be kept dry. If it rains, bring your power station inside or protect it with a waterproof covering.

The Best Portable Power Stations for Christmas Light Setups

The Top Features to Look For

When considering which power station to purchase, look for wattage, watt-hours, cycle life, solar panel compatibility, and portability. Also consider other secondary features like the look and whether the handle is soft grip. If you are using it for camping or outdoor picnics, you may also want to consider options that have a ring light for mood lighting as opposed to a spotlight.

Top Brands and Models

Duracell offers several thoughtfully designed options that will allow you to run your existing plug-in Christmas lights on battery power. Select the model that best meets your needs using the chart below.