How long will an EcoFlow RIVER Pro run festoon / string lights?
About 20 hours — 19 h 50 min typically, from 18 h 40 min in the worst case to 21 h at best. That assumes festoon / string lights pulling 15 W continuously, plus the station's 10 W AC mains socket overhead — 25 W in total out of 496 usable watt-hours.
Note how much of that draw is the station rather than the appliance: 40% of the energy goes on keeping the inverter awake. On a load this small, the idle draw matters more than the capacity does.
The numbers
| Setup | Average draw | Cautious | Typical | Best case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 × festoon / string lights, UK 230 V | 25 W | 18 h 40 min | 19 h 50 min | 21 h |
| 2 × festoon / string lights, UK 230 V | 40 W | 11 h 40 min | 12 h 23 min | 13 h 7 min |
| 1 × festoon / string lights, US 120 V | 25 W | 18 h 40 min | 19 h 50 min | 21 h |
- 2.5 nights of eight hours, or 0.83 days of continuous running.
- Usable energy: 496 Wh of the 720 Wh on the box, after chemistry, inverter losses and the reserve.
- To keep it going for a full 24 hours you would need about 826 Wh of rated capacity — 1.1× this station.
- Start-up: the festoon / string lights asks for 15 W at switch-on against this station's 1,200 W peak — comfortable.
Buy the EcoFlow RIVER Pro
Where to buy
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If this is for a power cut
For light alone, you do not need a power station at all.
Without a power station: a 20,000 mAh power bank runs a USB LED lantern for about 18 h 30 min. See the power bank numbers.
Plug-in power failure lights. They live in a socket as a night light, charge themselves, and switch on the moment the mains goes off, so you are never hunting for a torch in the dark.
Look for: A built-in battery you can pull out and carry as a torch, and a UK three-pin plug if you are in the UK.
Battery motion-sensor lights. Stick-on lights on the stairs and landing come on when someone walks past, so nobody climbs stairs in the dark, which is when older people fall.
Look for: Rechargeable or AA batteries, and a warm white setting that is not too bright at night.
Amazon links are affiliate searches for a type of product, not endorsements of a model; the site may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
More: the power cut essentials list (US edition).
What changes the answer
| If instead… | Typical runtime | Change |
|---|---|---|
| The pack is two years old | 18 h 14 min | -8% |
| The pack is five years old | 15 h 52 min | -20% |
| It is −10 °C outside | 15 h 52 min | -20% |
| You run it flat, no reserve | 22 h 2 min | +11% |
| You keep 20% back | 17 h 38 min | -11% |
Mains festoon lighting still pays the inverter idle penalty — 12 V strings do not.
If you need it to run longer
These run festoon / string lights for at least twice as long as the EcoFlow RIVER Pro does, cheapest first.
| Station | Wh | Typical | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 | 2,042 | 2 days 5 h | £849 / $999 |
| OUKITEL P2001 Ultimate | 2,000 | 2 days 4 h | £999 / $1,099 |
| OUKITEL BP2000 | 2,048 | 2 days 5 h | £1,099 / $1,199 |
| EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max | 2,048 | 2 days 3 h | £1,199 / $1,399 |
The cheapest step up: Jackery Explorer 2000 v2
Amazon and approved-programme links are affiliate links; the site may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Links marked “official site” are untracked. Prices and stock change constantly — check before you buy.
Smaller options that still work
| Station | Wh | Typical | Weight | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetti EB70S | 716 | 20 h 49 min | 9.7 kg | £449 / $429 |
| UGREEN PowerRoam 600 | 680 | 20 h 35 min | 8.4 kg | £449 / $499 |
| Goal Zero Yeti 700 | 677 | 20 h 30 min | 9.2 kg | — / $700 |
| Jackery Explorer 600 Plus | 632 | 19 h 58 min | 7.3 kg | — |
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