With a wide variety of portable power stations offered by Bluetti, you might wonder which can power a TV?
All Bluetti portable power stations can run a TV. However, the run time will depend on the battery capacity and the required output to power the TV. The smallest Bluetti EB3A will run an average 50-inch TV for over 3 hours, while the AC200MAX would last nearly 28 hours.
But with so many different TVs and reasons you might need to power one, what is the best Bluetti for running a TV? Let's explore this in greater detail.
Table of contents
Different TVs have different power needs, and various models of Bluetti have varying capacities. So how long will an average TV run?
| Model |
TV Runtime |
| EB3A | 3 hours, 13 minutes |
| EB55 | 7 hours, 11 minutes |
| EB70 | 8 hours, 55 minutes |
| AC60 | 5 hours, 16 minutes |
| AC180 | 14 hours, 53 minutes |
| AC200P | 27 hours, 05 minutes |
| AC200MAX | 27 hours, 44 minutes |
Based on an average 50" LED TV requiring 65 watts.
How do you calculate how long your TV will run?
To calculate how long your Bluetti will run a TV, you will need the following:
- The battery capacity of the power station,
- the power consumption of the TV, and,
- the power station efficiency (values here).
To help, I built a simple calculator for each model of Bluetti. I have used 65 watts power requirement for the TV. You can change this value to meet your TV's wattage.
How long will a Bluetti power a TV?
Alternatively, you can use the following calculation to determine how long your TV will run for any portable power station.
Run-time calculation
Battery capacity (watt-hours) / TV power (watts) * Power Station efficiency (%) = run-time (hours)
To build my calculator, I used the following details.
Bluetti Power Station battery capacity
| Model |
Battery Capacity |
| EB3A | 268Wh |
| EB55 | 537Wh |
| EB70 | 716Wh |
| AC60 | 403Wh |
| AC180 | 1,152Wh |
| AC200P | 2,000Wh |
| AC200MAX | 2,048Wh |
TV power consumption
Your TV should have a sticker indicating its power consumption, or you should be able to find the power required from the manufacturer's website. But if you can't find out what yours needs, we have a handy table below showing examples of what different TVs need:
| TV |
Power |
| 50" LED |
65 watts |
| 50" LCD |
70 watts |
| 50" OLED |
95 watts |
| 50" CRT |
190 watts |
But we need to consider not just the TV's wattage. You may also need to consider other devices, including:
- WiFi router
- DVD player
- Satellite/Cable box
- Games consoles
Each device will draw its power which you should consider for your setup.
Different Bluetti's will have varying efficiencies, and there will be a difference between AC and DC powering.
But most TVs will need to be powered by AC, so let's look at the AC inverter efficiencies by each model:
| Model |
AC Inverter Efficiency |
| EB3A | 78% |
| EB55 | 87% |
| EB70 | 81% |
| AC60 | 85% |
| AC180 | 84% |
| AC200P | 88% |
| AC200MAX | 88% |
Bluetti EB3A TV Runtime
I ran the 43-inch TV in my bedroom with my EB3A, drawing just over 50 watts continuously.
The display shows that I could run my TV for over 4.5 hours.
This looks optimistic, though, considering the overall efficiency of the power station.
Also, the TV's rated at 110W, so expect the output to increase from 52W as the TV runs over time.
Straight out of the box, your Bluetti should be configured to run A/C appliances, including a TV.
But, before using your Bluetti to power your TV, you should first charge its internal battery.
Your user guide will explain how to charge your specific power station. You can find a digital copy of your user guide on the Bluetti website here.
In general, one of the easiest ways to charge your Bluetti will be using the included power cable in a wall outlet tied to the grid.
Once your power station is charged, you can plug your TV straight into the A/C outlet on the Bluetti.
However, if you are planning to power multiple devices, you may choose to plug an extension cord with multiple outlets into your Bluetti. This could allow you to power additional ancillaries needed for use with your TV, including:
- WiFi router
- DVD player
- Satellite/Cable box
- Games consoles
Want to learn more? See my article exploring running a games console with a Bluetti.
Even the smallest Bluetti is capable of powering a TV. However, you might find its battery lacking, which is why we recommend the Bluetti EB55 as the best portable power station for a TV.
Bliuetti EB55
We recommend the EB55 when choosing a Bluetti to run a TV.
Boasting a 700W output and a 537Wh battery, it can run a full-size TV with many accessories for more than 6 hours!
But how does the Bluetti stack up with its competition?
Bluetti makes some fantastic portable power stations, all of which are more than capable of running a TV. However, you may consider cheaper alternatives or other brands which offer more features for your money.
We have tested models from the leading portable power station brands, Bluetti, EcoFlow, and Jackery.
| Portable Power Station |
Inverter Power |
Battery Size |
| Bluetti EB55 |
700 watts |
537 Wh |
| EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max |
500 watts |
512 Wh |
| Jackery 500 |
500 watts |
518 Wh |
Based on its inverter output, battery capacity, build quality and price, the Bluetti EB55 is the best in its class.
However, if you were not looking at running other more power-hungry appliances, I would also strongly consider the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max, especially if it were on sale cheaper than the Bluetti EB55.
You will often find Bluetti and EcoFlow products on sale. Check out their latest prices below:
Bluetti EB55 Latest Price
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max Latest Price
Jackery 500 Latest Price
A great feature of a Bluetti is that you can charge your battery while powering a TV. If you are at home, you can use your mains power to keep your Bluetti fully charged while using your TV.
This can be a great option to use your BLuetti as a UPS to keep your TV running during a power outage.
But what if you are on the road or don't have access to mains power?
Two other great ways to keep your power station charged are:
- Solar power
- DC power
Solar power
Bluetti works excellently with solar panels. Whether you have yours hard mounted on the roof of your house or portable for camping, using the sun's rays to charge your battery is a great way to boost performance.
Your power station will include a solar charge cable pre-terminated to MC4, a widespread solar connector.
While Bluetti sells solar panels specifically for their power stations, they can be expensive compared to others on the market.
Bluetti PV200 Solar Panel
The PV200 Solar Panel is compatible with all their portable power stations and provides 200W of solar power. However, they cost more than double what you can pay for a similar-performing panel from other manufacturers.
But, if you use your own solar panels, be careful; you must ensure that they are within the specification of your Bluetti.
Important!
Ensure you refer to the owner's guide, which will tell you the Open Current Voltage (OCV), maximum input current, and maximum input power.
Do not exceed these parameters, or you will damage your power station!
DC power
Charging your portable power station with DC power is one of my favourite ways to extend its run-time.
Bluetti offers pass-through charging, meaning you can charge your power station while simultaneously powering a TV.
So, even if you own their baby EB3A, you can get hours of extra run-time by charging with DC.
You can charge your Bluetti with:
- Cigarette Lighter Port (12V/24V) or,
- 8A max, 200W max DC (Solar input, but can take DC from any source)
Powering by another DC battery is one of my favourite ways to add extra battery capacity cheaply!
My setup allows me to more than double my battery capacity for much less than buying the next model up.
This allows me to charge my Bluetti EB3A at 152w, which is more than enough to extend the battery on the EB3A while powering a TV.
Even better, I get to use the EB3A's improved screen to see exactly what percentage of the battery remains (the EB55 lacks this). Plus, I can use it for other projects too!
To replicate, you will need the following:
While powering your TV off-grid with a portable power station is a great solution, it will only be suitable for some.
Some other alternative ways to power your TV include:
- solar
- diesel generator
- gas (propane) generator
- buy a TV which has a battery built-in
- UPS
To stay as green as possible, we always recommend, where possible, powering your devices using solar power.
About the author
Andy Vickery has been DIY'ing energy projects for years. From solar and home electrics, to car rewires, Andy is passionate about sharing his personal experiences.