How to Power an Automatic Feeder and Pet Camera During Blackouts (Simple Capacity Guide)

Blackouts and Pets: the stress no family needs — and a simple fix

When the power goes out, your biggest worries are not just food in the pantry but whether the automatic feeder will dispense breakfast, the pet camera will keep an eye on your dog, and the water bowl heater won't freeze. Families juggling kids, pets, and work-from-home responsibilities need reliable, compact backup power — fast. This guide walks you through real, 2026-tested calculations for watt-hours, helps you size the right portable power station or solar panel bundle, and points to models like the Jackery HomePower family and EcoFlow deals that made headlines in early 2026.

Why watt-hours matter (not just watts)

Watts measure power at an instant; watt-hours (Wh) measure energy over time. For outages you care about Wh. If your pet camera pulls 5 watts continuously, that is 5 watts × 24 hours = 120 Wh per day. The battery in a portable power station is usually rated in Wh — that number tells you how long it can run a device. In 2026, as high-capacity portable stations became more affordable, shoppers shifted from “will this start my fridge?” to “how many days will this keep my pet setup running?” That shift makes Wh-first planning essential.

Quick rule of thumb

• Step 1: Add device watt draw × hours/day → device Wh/day.
• Step 2: Add all devices’ Wh/day → total Wh/day.
• Step 3: Divide the battery’s usable Wh by total Wh/day → days of runtime.

Common pet devices and realistic watt ranges (2026)

Below are practical, conservative ranges you’ll see in real homes in 2026. If your model has a spec sheet, use those exact numbers.

• Pet camera (Wi‑Fi, 1080p): 3–8 W continuous. Higher-res or PTZ cameras hit 10–15 W when active.
• Automatic feeder (motor + electronics): Standby 0.2–1 W; dispense bursts 5–30 W for seconds. Average daily energy is often under 5 Wh unless it has a heater or refrigeration.
• Wi‑Fi router / hotspot: 6–12 W continuous — essential if your camera relies on the internet.
• Water bowl heater: 10–40 W continuous when actively heating (thermostat-controlled will cycle).
• Phone/tablet charging: 5–20 W when charging.
• LED night lights, smart hubs: 1–5 W each.

Example calculations — real scenarios

Follow these examples to calculate your household needs. We include inverter and efficiency notes so you don’t get a surprise.

Scenario A: Minimal backup — camera + feeder + router (24 hours)

Devices and assumed draws:

• Pet camera: 5 W continuous
• Automatic feeder: standby 0.5 W + 6 × 15 second dispense bursts @ 20 W = tiny energy
• Router: 8 W continuous

Calculate Wh/day:

1. Camera: 5 W × 24 h = 120 Wh
2. Router: 8 W × 24 h = 192 Wh
3. Feeder standby: 0.5 W × 24 h = 12 Wh. Dispense bursts: 6 × (20 W × 0.0042 h) ≈ 0.5 Wh — negligible
4. Total: 120 + 192 + 12 + 0.5 ≈ 325 Wh/day

Account for inverter efficiency if you use AC output (assume 88%): required Wh from battery = 325 ÷ 0.88 ≈ 369 Wh.

What this means: a 500 Wh power station can run that setup for ~1.25 days; a 1500 Wh station for ~4 days.

Scenario B: Cold-region setup — camera + heated bowl + feeder + router (24 hours)

• Camera: 6 W → 144 Wh
• Heated bowl: cycling average 20 W → 480 Wh
• Router: 8 W → 192 Wh
• Feeder: 15 Wh/day

Total raw: 831 Wh/day. With inverter overhead (÷0.88) ≈ 944 Wh/day.

Meaning: for a 3-day outage you'd need ≈ 2,832 Wh usable. A unit with 3,200–3,600 Wh gross capacity and LiFePO4 chemistry is a good target for reliability and cycle life.

Choosing the right power station — features to prioritize

When you compare models in 2026, look beyond sticker Wh. Prioritize these:

• Usable Wh: Some manufacturers rate gross capacity but reserve a protective buffer. Check usable Wh or read the manual.
• AC inverter efficiency: Higher efficiency saves energy. Use DC outputs when devices support them.
• Charge input options: AC wall, car, and solar (MPPT) — MPPT with higher watt input speeds solar recharge.
• Battery chemistry: LiFePO4 offers longer life and safer thermal performance; NMC gives higher energy density but shorter cycles.
• Peak/surge watt rating: Important for motor-driven feeders or devices with startup surges.
• Expandability and ecosystem: In 2026 many brands offer modular stacks or compatible extra batteries and neat solar bundles.

Spotlight: Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus and 2026 solar bundle trends

In January 2026, the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus and similar high-capacity models surfaced in deals, reflecting two trends: greater affordability for 3kWh-class units and common inclusion of 500W-class panels in bundles. For many families, a 3,000–3,600 Wh station paired with a 500W panel gives a strong multi-day safety net and daily recharge capability during sunny winter days.

Practical takeaway: a 3,600 Wh station with a 500W panel and ~4–5 peak sun hours yields roughly 2,000–2,500 Wh reclaimed per day — enough to keep cameras and light loads running while slowly topping the battery.

Solar recharging math (simple)

Use this formula: Daily solar energy (Wh) ≈ panel wattage × peak sun hours × system efficiency (about 75–85% including MPPT and wiring).

Example: 500W panel × 5 peak hours × 0.80 ≈ 2,000 Wh/day. That will cover our Scenario A easily and, with conservative use, reduce the days a battery must fully support loads without sun.

Model recommendations by use case (2026 market snapshot)

These suggestions pair real-world needs (from the calculations above) with trending 2025–26 pricing and bundles. Always check current specs and promos.

• Short outages / basic camera + feeder: 500–1,200 Wh units (compact). Look for Explorer‑class or similar. Great for 24–48 hour peace of mind.
• Multi-day autonomy without solar: 1,500–2,500 Wh. Good for families who need several days of power for cameras, routers, and small heaters.
• Long outages + solar recharge: 3,000–4,000+ Wh paired with 300–600W of panels (e.g., Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus + 500W). This class is now a mainstream choice in 2026 and balances capacity with portability.
• Whole-home resilience: Modular systems with expandability and high continuous AC output — consider ecosystems from larger brands if you want to power refrigerators or medical devices in addition to pet gear.

Practical setup tips to stretch battery life

• Reduce camera draw: Lower resolution to 720p or enable motion-triggered streaming. A 1080p camera can double the power draw of a 720p unit.
• Use wired local recording: If your camera supports microSD, record locally and disable continuous cloud streaming — same footage, lower upload energy for Wi‑Fi.
• Prefer DC outputs: If your feeder or heated bowl can run on 12V DC, plug them into the power station’s DC port to avoid inverter losses.
• Router efficiency: Use a low-power travel router or a battery-friendly hotspot during outages.
• Stagger heavy loads: Avoid running water heaters or high-watt devices simultaneously with charging the battery.
• Test before you need it: Run a simulation for a day to confirm run times and to discover startup surges that specs don’t show.

Safety, maintenance, and real-world experience

In 2026, more families reported that LiFePO4-based stations gave the best long-term return for home backup because of 3,000+ cycle lives and stable performance in cooler weather. Key safety steps:

• Keep the station in a cool, dry area and avoid stacking things on it.
• Use manufacturer-approved solar panels and cables to preserve warranty.
• Keep firmware up to date — many models gained smarter power-management updates in late 2025 that improved efficiency.
• Label critical loads and document a simple outage plan for caregivers or family members.

“The modern pet parent needs resilience, not just gadgets.” — Practical takeaway from 2026 backup power trends.

Checklist: How to size your backup in 5 minutes

1. List devices to power during an outage and note watt ratings (or estimate from ranges above).
2. Multiply each device watt × hours used per day → Wh/day per device.
3. Add device Wh/day → total Wh/day.
4. Apply inverter overhead for AC loads (divide by 0.85–0.9) to get battery Wh/day need.
5. Decide desired autonomy (1 day, 3 days, 7 days) and multiply: battery Wh = battery Wh/day × days. Add a 10–20% safety margin.
6. Choose a power station with usable Wh near or above that number, and pair with solar panels sized to recharge the station during daylight hours if you plan extended outages.

Buying tips and where deals matter (January 2026 context)

Smart shoppers in early 2026 found that brands were bundling larger panels with 3kWh-class stations and running frequent flash sales — including notable discounts on Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus bundles and EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max models. If you need immediate coverage, prioritize capacity over bells and choose a model with an MPPT solar input so panels actually boost your run time during short sunny windows.

Final actionable plan — example for a family with two pets

Goal: Keep camera + router + feeder + heated bowl running for 3 days with solar recharge.

1. Calculate expected Wh/day (use Scenario B as baseline ≈ 944 Wh/day after inverter). For 3 days you need ≈ 2,832 Wh usable.
2. Choose a 3,600 Wh gross station (Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus class) — usable Wh typically covers the need and gives headroom for extra devices.
3. Pair with a 500W solar panel bundle — expect ~2,000 Wh or more per sunny day to top up and extend runtime.
4. Adjust camera to motion-only to reduce draw and plug heated bowl into DC if supported.

Closing: Why this is the best time to prepare

Late 2025 and early 2026 brought two important shifts: larger-capacity portable stations became price-accessible, and solar bundles improved in portability and MPPT effectiveness. For families, that means affordable, reliable backup to protect your pet care routines and peace of mind. Use the simple watt-hour math in this guide to pick the right capacity for your real needs — and test your setup now, not in the dark.

Actionable takeaways

• Start with watt-hours, not watt ratings.
• Camera + router usually dominate daily energy; feeders are often negligible unless heated.
• A 3,000–3,600 Wh station with a 500W panel is a practical family-grade backup in 2026.
• Lower camera resolution and use DC outputs to extend runtime.

Ready to build your blackout pet power kit? If you want, tell me the model names of your camera, feeder, and any heaters — I’ll run the exact watt-hour math and recommend 2–3 specific power station + solar panel combinations (budget, mid-range, and long-term) that fit your family.

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