Appliance · Water
How many watts does a 1/3 HP sump pump use — and what can run it?
A 1/3 HP sump pump (Franklin FBSE33): 400 W running, about 1,600 W to start. Which power stations and generators can run it in an outage, and how long.
Runs only when the float switch calls for it; hours per day depend on water inflow.
The representative model is the Franklin Electric FBSE33, a 1/3 HP submersible sump pump. Franklin's spec sheet gives both amps and watts — 4.3 A and 400 W at 115 V — so the running figure is the maker's own wattage. Franklin publishes no locked-rotor current for this pump; the 1,600 W starting figure is the top of the 1,000–1,600 W range for a 1/3 HP sump pump on the Champion generator wattage chart.
What changes the draw
A sump pump runs only when its float switch calls for it. In a dry week it may barely run; in a storm with a high water table it can cycle on and off for hours. How hard it works also depends on how high it lifts the water to the discharge. The page assumes two hours of pumping a day, which is 800 Wh; your inflow decides the real number.
Why the starting draw matters
Every float cycle is a motor start, and a motor draws several times its running current for a moment as it starts. A station has to cover that peak each time — the 400 W running draw is easy, the start is not. That is why the Bluetti AC70 fails here despite a 1,000 W continuous rating: its 1,500 W peak is under 1,600 W. Anything else running on the station is added on top (how loads are added).
Reading the tables
Runtime is for nonstop pumping at 400 W, the worst case. Example: the EcoFlow DELTA 3 record has no maker factor, so the default 0.85 applies: 1,024 Wh × 0.85 ÷ 400 W = 2.2 hours of continuous pumping.
Power stations that can run it
Pass = continuous output ≥ 400 W and peak output ≥ 1600 W. Runtime = capacity × maker's factor ÷ 400 W, nothing else plugged in. Method.
| Model | Fits | Runtime at 400 W | Capacity | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARBERO 88Wh Portable Power Station (M82) | No | — | 89 Wh | $119.99 |
| DARAN R100 (89.6Wh) | No | — | 90 Wh | $149.99 |
| Bluetti EB3A | No | — | 269 Wh | $219 |
| EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus | No | — | 286 Wh | $299 |
| Anker SOLIX C300 | No | — | 288 Wh | $429.99 |
| Anker SOLIX C300 DC | No | — | 288 Wh | $349.99 |
| Jackery Explorer 300 | No | — | 292 Wh | $289 |
| Goal Zero Yeti 500 | No | — | 499 Wh | $499.95 |
| Bluetti AC70 | No | — | 768 Wh | $359 |
| Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 | Yes | 2.2 h | 1,024 Wh | $499.99 |
| EcoFlow DELTA 3 | Yes | 2.2 h | 1,024 Wh | $699 |
| EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic | Yes | 2.2 h | 1,024 Wh | $599 |
| EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus | Yes | 2.2 h | 1,024 Wh | $799 |
| Anker SOLIX C1000X | Unclear — no peak figure | — | 1,056 Wh | $469.99 |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | Yes | 2.3 h | 1,070 Wh | $559 |
| Bluetti AC180 | Unclear — no peak figure | — | 1,152 Wh | $499 |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus | Yes | 2.7 h | 1,264 Wh | $699 |
| Goal Zero Yeti 1500 | Yes | 3.2 h | 1,505 Wh | $1,499.95 |
| Goal Zero Yeti 1500X | Yes | 3.2 h | 1,516 Wh | $1,124.89 |
| EcoFlow DELTA Max (2000) | Unclear — no peak figure | — | 2,016 Wh | — |
| Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 | Yes | 4.3 h | 2,042 Wh | $999 |
| Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus | Yes | 4.3 h | 2,043 Wh | — |
| Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 | Yes | 4.4 h | 2,048 Wh | $899.99 |
| Bluetti AC200L | Yes | 4.4 h | 2,048 Wh | $899 |
| EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max | Yes | 4.4 h | 2,048 Wh | $1,299 |
| EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max | Yes | 4.4 h | 2,048 Wh | $1,199 |
| EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus | Yes | 4.4 h | 2,048 Wh | $1,599 |
| Bluetti Elite 200 V2 | Unclear — no peak figure | — | 2,074 Wh | $899 |
| Jackery HomePower 3000 | Yes | 6.5 h | 3,072 Wh | $1,499 |
| Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus | Unclear — no peak figure | — | 3,840 Wh | $2,599.99 |
| EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 | Yes | 8.7 h | 4,096 Wh | $3,299 |
Generators that can run it
| Model | Fits | Load | Published run time | CO sensor | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion 100396 3400W Electric Start Dual Fuel Inverter | Yes | 13 % (gasoline) | 7.5 h @ 25 % | No | — |
| Champion 201241 13,500W Electric Start Tri Fuel Generator | Yes | 3 % (gasoline) | 8 h @ 50 % | Yes | — |
| Champion 201319 4500W Electric Start Dual Fuel Inverter | Yes | 11 % (gasoline) | 14 h @ 25 % | Yes | — |
| DuroMax XP13000EH | Yes | 4 % (gasoline) | 17 h @ 25 % · 8 h @ 50 % | Yes | $1,299 |
| DuroMax XP9500iH | Yes | 5 % (gasoline) | 21 h @ 25 % · 11 h @ 50 % | Yes | $1,999 |
| Generac GP8000E (with COsense, model 7715) | Yes | 5 % (gasoline) | 10 h @ 50 % | Yes | — |
| Generac iQ3500 (with COsense) | Yes | 13 % (gasoline) | 14.1 h @ 25 % · 8.9 h @ 50 % | Yes | — |
| Honda EU2200i | Yes | 22 % (gasoline) | 8.1 h @ 25 % · 3.2 h @ 100 % | Yes | $1,199 |
| Honda EU3200i | Yes | 15 % (gasoline) | 8.6 h @ 25 % · 3.3 h @ 100 % | Yes | $2,799 |
| Honda EU7000iS | Yes | 7 % (gasoline) | 16 h @ 25 % · 6.4 h @ 100 % | Yes | $4,899 |
| WEN DF680iX | Yes | 8 % (gasoline) | 6.1 h @ 50 % | Yes | $803.40 |
| WEN GN400i | Yes | 11 % (gasoline) | 7 h @ 50 % | No | $479.99 |
| Westinghouse WGen7500DFc | Yes | 5 % (gasoline) | 11 h @ 25 % | Yes | $1,299 |
| Westinghouse WGen9500DF | Yes | 4 % (gasoline) | 12 h @ 25 % · 8 h @ 50 % | No | $1,249 |
| Westinghouse WGen9500DFc | Yes | 4 % (gasoline) | 12 h @ 25 % · 8 h @ 50 % | Yes | $1,399 |
| Westinghouse WGen9500DFc EFI | Yes | 4 % (gasoline) | 15 h @ 25 % · 10 h @ 50 % | Yes | $1,549 |
Frequently asked questions
How many watts does a 1/3 HP sump pump use?
Can a 1,000 W power station run a 1/3 HP sump pump?
How long will a power station run a sump pump?
What size generator do I need for a sump pump?
Sources
Page updated 2026-10-31.