How long will a power station run in standby?

[jdege]

I'm refitting a boat. Because of this I've pulled both starter and house batteries. Eventually these will be replaced, but for now I've wired the 12V DC output of my power station to the house bank distribution blocks. There's nothing running on the house bank except the bilge pumps, but the boat is in the water and I want the pumps powered.

The pumps are mechanically switched, they draw zero power unless there is water present. But the power station uses power to run, and more if the either or both of the DC or AC output is turned on.

As a result, even with zero draw, these parasitic loads will drain the power station in three or four days.

Of course, a lot of power stations have an eco shutoff mode, and will turn themselves off after a period of no load. In my use case, that's exactly what I don't want.

It seems to me that mine isn't the only use case where someone might want to use a power station to provide a very low current over an extended period, and in that case the parasitic loads become the predominant determinant of how long the power station will run between charges.

But this is something I've never seen addressed in reviews.

How many people when they're sizing a power station take its own parasitic loads into consideration?

Can we start asking reviewers to address this in their reviews?

 

[sunshine_eggo]

But this is something I've never seen addressed in reviews.

It is, but it's hard to pick out.

How many people when they're sizing a power station take its own parasitic loads into consideration?

Almost none.

Can we start asking reviewers to address this in their reviews?

Sure, but you're going to be disappointed at every review.

Cheap Chinese AiO always have high idle drain. Period. A power station is an AiO.

How do you recharge the AiO?

Why not reinstall the batteries in parallel and add a suitable PWM controller and whatever wattage PV panel is needed?

 

[jdege]

How do you recharge the AiO?

Why not reinstall the batteries in parallel and add a suitable PWM controller and whatever wattage PV panel is needed?

The boat is currently in a slip and the power station's charger is connected to shore power.

All of this is temporary, I will be installing a proper house bank, with inverter, PV charging, etc. It's just not first on my list.

 

[Supervstech]

Best plan would be a large 12V LFP bank connected to the bilge switch

Nearly zero parasitic drain, and low wattage pump action.
I had my houseboat with large deck holes handled by a pair of 12V bilge pumps and switches tied to a basic 12V deep cycle battery tied to Only a 5 W solar panel, and it rains here A LOT...

 

[jdege]

Best plan would be a large 12V LFP bank connected to the bilge switch

Nearly zero parasitic drain, and low wattage pump action.
I had my houseboat with large deck holes handled by a pair of 12V bilge pumps and switches. Only a 5 W solar panel, and it rains here A LOT...

There will be a 12V house bank. A lot of people prefer separate standalone batteries for their bilge pumps, independent of the house bank. I may consider that, someday.