Power station vs generator for blackouts in Australia
For a one or two day blackout in most homes, a 1kWh power station is the easier and safer pick because it runs inside with no fumes. A petrol generator wins when outages stretch past a couple of days, as long as it runs outdoors and never feeds the house without a changeover switch.
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Buy a power station if your outages usually last a day or so and you mainly need the fridge, modem, lights and phones. It runs inside, makes almost no noise and gives off no fumes. A petrol generator makes more sense once outages stretch past two or three days, because you can keep topping it up with fuel, but it must run outdoors and it brings carbon monoxide, noise and fuel storage with it.
The specs below come from EcoFlow's Australian page for the DELTA 3 Plus and Honda Australia's page and owner's manual for the EU22i, a common 2.2kVA inverter generator. The safety rules come from Energex, the Queensland Electrical Safety Office and the Queensland Government's health advice. All are linked at the bottom. We haven't run either machine through an outage ourselves, so the runtimes here are sums from the makers' figures.
The two side by side
| Option | Where it runs | Best for | Main catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power station | Inside the house | Outages of a day or so | Runs flat, then needs sun or a recharge |
| Petrol generator | Outdoors only, away from windows | Outages of several days | Carbon monoxide, noise and fuel |
| Both together | Generator outside, station inside | Long cyclone outages | Two things to buy and maintain |
The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus has a 1,024Wh battery, 1,800W of AC output (3,600W surge) and weighs up to 12.5kg, according to EcoFlow Australia. Honda lists the EU22i at 2,200W maximum and 1,800VA rated output, with a 3.6 litre tank and a dry weight of about 21kg.
How far each one gets you
Our blackout and cyclone season guide works through a typical day of fridge, modem, lights, a fan and phones and lands at about 1,850Wh. Allowing 15% for inverter losses, the DELTA 3 Plus gives roughly 1,024 x 0.85 = 870Wh at its outlets. That's about half the day, or a full day if you cut the fan and run the fridge in blocks. The 0.85 is our assumption, since makers don't all publish an AC efficiency figure.
A generator's limit is fuel, not a battery. Honda says the EU22i runs up to 8 hours on a full 3.6 litre tank with Eco Throttle on at a quarter of its output, which is about 450W. That's 3.6 / 8 = 0.45 litres an hour at that light load. Energex says to turn a generator off at night and when you're away, so say you run it for three 2-hour blocks a day: 6 x 0.45 = 2.7 litres a day, or about 8 litres for a three-day outage. A heavier load burns fuel faster, so treat that as the low end.
To size the station side for your own appliances, use the runtime calculator. The fridge is usually the big one, and our guide to running a fridge in a blackout covers how long food stays safe between blocks.
Fumes and noise
This is where the power station wins outright. The Queensland Government's health advice says not to run a portable generator inside a garage, carport, basement or any enclosed or partly enclosed area, even with ventilation, and that opening doors and windows won't stop carbon monoxide building up in the house. It's colourless, has no smell and can kill. Energex adds that the generator should sit away from open windows, including your neighbours', and suggests a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm.
Noise figures aren't easy to compare. EcoFlow says the DELTA 3 Plus runs under 30dB below 600W. Honda quotes the EU22i as LwA 91dB(A), which is a sound power figure measured at rated load and isn't the same scale as a plain dB reading. Either way, one hums quietly in the kitchen and the other is an engine running in the yard, and Energex asks generator owners to place it where it bothers the neighbours least.
Fuel storage and upkeep
A power station needs a charge before storm season and somewhere cool to sit. A generator needs more looking after. Energex suggests that at the start of each storm season you drain the tank, refill it with fresh fuel, check the fuel line for cracks and give it a test run.
The same advice says to store petrol outside the home in a locked shed or other protected spot, and not near a fuel-burning appliance or a car in the garage. Resources Safety and Health Queensland recommends labelled, non-glass safety containers. Only refuel when the generator is off and cool, since petrol spilt on a hot engine can catch fire.
Connecting either one to the house
Never feed your house wiring from a power point. Energex and the Electrical Safety Office both warn that a "suicide lead" from a generator or power station into a power point can back-feed the street lines and give a lethal shock to you, your neighbours or line crews. The only safe connection is a changeover (isolating) switch and inlet installed by a licensed electrician.
Energex also says not to turn that switch on if the house has been damaged. Without one, plug appliances straight into the generator or station using heavy-duty leads rated for the load. For a generator, Energex says to use one that complies with AS 2970, earth it the way the maker says, keep it dry and allow for motors drawing three to four times their running watts as they start.
Why many people end up with both
In a long outage the two work well together. EcoFlow says the DELTA 3 Plus takes up to 1,500W from a generator through its AC input and charges from flat in about 56 minutes. So you can run the generator outside for an hour or two in daylight, refill the station, then switch the generator off and let the station carry the fridge and modem quietly overnight. That 1,500W is close to the EU22i's 1,800VA rating, so expect it to use fuel well above the quarter-load figure while it charges.
If you can't store fuel, solar does the same job more slowly. Our solar pairing guide shows how to match panels to a station. Whichever way you charge it, the Queensland Fire Department says to charge lithium batteries on a hard, non-combustible surface in a ventilated spot, not unattended, and never use one that's hot, swollen or damaged. Don't leave the station in a closed car in the sun either.
If someone at home relies on medical equipment, plan with their doctor or supplier first. Our CPAP and power station guide covers one common case.
Sources (checked October 2026): EcoFlow AU: DELTA 3 Plus · Honda Australia: EU22i generator · Honda: EU22i owner's manual (AUS) · Energex: Electrical generator safety · Electrical Safety Office Qld: Electrical safety during storms · Queensland Government: Using alternative fuel and electricity generation safely during power outages · Resources Safety and Health Queensland: Safe use of portable generators · Queensland Fire Department: Lithium-ion battery safety
Where to buy in Australia
Buying from the brand's Australian store means 230V AU outlets, the local warranty and local support. Prices move around a lot, so check on the day.
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus (1,024Wh, takes generator charging)EcoFlow AustraliaSee it at EcoFlow Australia
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