Safety Disclaimer

Last updated: November 7, 2026.

The guides on this site are general information. They aren’t professional electrical, engineering, or safety advice, and they can’t account for your equipment or your home. Always follow the manual for your product, and the codes that apply where you live.

Estimates aren’t guarantees

Runtime, charging, and sizing figures on this site are estimates based on published specs and stated assumptions. Real results will vary. Test your setup before you rely on it, and don’t depend on our estimates for equipment that a person’s safety relies on. Keep a backup plan for that equipment and ask its maker what it needs.

Home wiring

Don’t connect a power station or generator to your home’s wiring yourself. Connecting to home circuits needs a proper transfer switch or compatible system, installed by a licensed electrician. Never plug a power source into a wall outlet to feed your home, because this can injure you and utility workers.

Batteries and power stations

Lithium batteries store a lot of energy in a small space. The National Fire Protection Association warns that they can catch fire or explode if they’re damaged or used incorrectly, and that a small number are defective.

Before you buy

• Search for the model on CPSC’s recall page and on SaferProducts.gov.
• Look for the mark of a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory on the product and its packaging. OSHA keeps the current list of these labs. Our guides don’t confirm this for each model, so check it yourself.

Charging and storage

• Stay within the maker’s limits for load, charging, and temperature. NFPA’s general advice is not to charge lithium-ion batteries below 32°F or above 105°F. Your manual may set tighter limits, and those come first.
• Use the charger and cables that came with the unit.
• Plug the charger straight into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip, as the U.S. Fire Administration advises.
• Don’t charge a unit on a bed or couch.
• Keep the unit dry unless the maker says otherwise, and keep vents clear.
• Store it away from anything that can catch fire.
• Don’t open or repair the battery yourself. Ask the maker, or use a certified repair facility.
• Check the rules before you fly or ship a battery, because airlines and carriers set limits.

If something goes wrong

• Stop using the unit if you notice an odd smell, a change in color or shape, too much heat, leaking, or odd noises. If it’s safe to do so, move it away from anything that can catch fire, and call 911.
• If the battery is burning, don’t try to put it out. Get out and call 911 right away.

When you’re done with a battery

• Don’t put a lithium-ion battery in household trash or recycling bins. EPA says to use a battery recycler, a retailer takeback program, or a household hazardous waste program.
• A power station is much bigger than a household battery, so call ahead to confirm that the site accepts it. You can also ask the maker.
• If a battery is damaged, ask the maker how to handle it. Even a used battery can hold enough energy to start a fire.

Solar panels

• Check that your panels stay within the voltage, current, and connector limits of your power station.
• Panels can produce power whenever they’re in light, so take care when you connect them.
• Have a qualified installer handle any permanent or rooftop system.

Gas generators

Some guides compare power stations with gas generators. Gas generators produce carbon monoxide, which can kill. Never run one indoors, or in a garage, basement, or other enclosed space, and keep it well away from doors, windows, and vents.

Your responsibility

You’re responsible for how you use your equipment and the information on this site. To the extent the law allows, PowerPicked isn’t liable for any loss or injury that results from using it. Product details can change, so confirm them with the maker or seller. If you’re not sure something is safe, ask a qualified professional.