With a wide variety of portable power stations offered by Bluetti, you might be wondering which can power a fan.
All Bluetti portable power stations can run a fan. However, the run time will depend on the battery capacity and the required energy output to power the fan. The smallest Bluetti EB3A will run an oscillating pedestal fan for 4 hours 39 minutes, while the AC200MAX would last over 40 hours.
There are many types of fan and sizes, so let's take a look at some of the most common ones, and which Bluetti would be best for running them.
Table of contents
Different fans have different power needs, and various models of Bluetti have varying capacities. So how long will some of the most common types last?
9 inch desk fan - 30 watts
| Model |
Desk fan Runtime |
| EB3A | 6 hours, 58 minutes |
| EB55 | 15 hours, 34 minutes |
| EB70 | 19 hours, 20 minutes |
| AC60 | 11 hours, 25 minutes |
| AC180 | 32 hours, 15 minutes |
| AC200P | 58 hours, 40 minutes |
| AC200MAX | 60 hours, 04 minutes |
52" Ceiling fan - 65 watts
| Model |
Ceiling fan 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 |
30cm (11.8") box fan - 50 watts
| Model |
Box fan Runtime |
| EB3A | 4 hours, 11 minutes |
| EB55 | 9 hours, 21 minutes |
| EB70 | 11 hours, 36 minutes |
| AC60 | 6 hours, 51 minutes |
| AC180 | 19 hours, 21 minutes |
| AC200P | 35 hours, 12 minutes |
| AC200MAX | 36 hours, 03 minutes |
16" Oscillating Pedestal Fan (industry standard) - 45 watts
| Model |
Oscillating Pedestal fan Runtime |
| EB3A | 4 hours, 39 minutes |
| EB55 | 10 hours, 23 minutes |
| EB70 | 12 hours, 53 minutes |
| AC60 | 7 hours, 37 minutes |
| AC180 | 21 hours, 30 minutes |
| AC200P | 39 hours, 07 minutes |
| AC200MAX | 40 hours, 03 minutes |
75cm (29.5") industrial grade fan - 280 watts
| Model |
Industrial grade fan Runtime |
| EB3A | 0 hours, 45 minutes |
| EB55 | 1 hours, 40 minutes |
| EB70 | 2 hours, 04 minutes |
| AC60 | 1 hours, 13 minutes |
| AC180 | 3 hours, 27 minutes |
| AC200P | 6 hours, 17 minutes |
| AC200MAX | 6 hours, 26 minutes |
29" Tower fan - 50 watts
| Model |
Tower fan Runtime |
| EB3A | 4 hours, 11 minutes |
| EB55 | 9 hours, 21 minutes |
| EB70 | 11 hours, 36 minutes |
| AC60 | 6 hours, 51 minutes |
| AC180 | 19 hours, 21 minutes |
| AC200P | 35 hours, 12 minutes |
| AC200MAX | 36 hours, 03 minutes |
These are based on estimated power consumption when the fan is set to average speed.
If you are using it at lower speeds, the fan will last for longer, as less wattage is required. In contrast, if you are using the fan at higher speeds, the fan will not last as long, as more wattage is required.
How do you calculate how long your fan will run?
To calculate how long your fan will run, you will need the following:
- The battery capacity of the power station,
- the power consumption of the fan, and,
- the power station efficiency.
To help, I built a simple calculator for each model of Bluetti.
Alternatively, you can use the following calculation to determine how long your fan will run for any portable power station.
Run-time calculation
Battery capacity (watt-hours) / Fan 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 |
Fan power consumption
Your fan will likely have a sticker indicating its power consumption. However, if there isn't, you can also find the power consumption in the user manual which you can often download online if you have no longer got yours to hand.
Remember, your fan wattage will vary depending on the speed of the fan. As the speed increases, so will the wattage. Most fans will state their wattage based on the average speed. For all of the estimates below, I am using the wattage while at the average speed.
Fans need:
| Fan |
Power |
| 9" desk fan |
30 watts |
| 52" Ceiling fan |
65 watts |
| 30cm (11.8") box fan |
50 watts |
| 16" Oscillating Pedestal Fan (industry standard) |
45 watts |
| 75cm (29.5") industrial grade fan |
280 watts |
| 29" Tower fan |
50 watts |
Different Bluetti's will have varying efficiencies, and there will be a difference between AC and DC powering.
But, most fans 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 desk fan Runtime
I ran my 9" desk fan with my EB3A, and was surprised by the results. While the fan stated it uses 30 watts, at the lowest speed it drew 43 watts, while at the highest speed, it continuously drew 59 watts.
The display suggested I could run the fan at the highest speed for 4 hours.
Bluetti EB3A tower fan Runtime
As a second test with the EB3A, I plugged in my tower fan. The sticker indicated 50 watts. However, it drew from 25 watts on the lowest speed to 38 watts continuously at the highest speed.
The display suggested I could run the fan at the highest speed for 6 hours.
So while the wattage ratings can be helpful, I wouldn't rely on them entirely and allow for extra wattage if you plan to use them at the highest speeds.
Straight out of the box, your Bluetti should be configured to run A/C appliances, including a fan.
But, before using your Bluetti to power your fan, 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 fan straight into the A/C outlet on the Bluetti.
Even the smallest Bluetti EB3A is capable of powering a fan. However, you might find the battery lacking, which is why we recommend the Bluetti EB55 as the best portable power station for a fan.
Bliuetti EB55
We recommend the EB55 when choosing a Bluetti to run a fan.
During the hot summer days, I want my fan to last for eight hours straight while I sleep, which the EB55 can comfortably do with most fans' highest speeds.
Boasting a 700W output and a 537Wh battery, it can run a standard tower fan for more than 9 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 fan. 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 fan. If you are at home, you can use your mains power to keep your Bluetti fully charged while using your fan.
This can be a great option to use your BLuetti as a UPS to keep your fan 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 fan.
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:
- 12V (100W) vehicle adapter, or,
- 12-28V (8A max, 200W max) DC
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 fan.
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 fan 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 fan include:
- solar
- diesel generator
- gas (propane) generator
- 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.