Why does a power station switch off with a small device?

By the Ferncharge team · Figures last checked 21 October 2026

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The short answer: it's usually an energy-saving setting, not a fault and not a flat battery. BLUETTI's manual says its ECO modes are on by default and shut off the AC or DC output "after a period of low or no load", and advises turning them off for small devices under 60 W and for appliances such as lights and fridges (BLUETTI manual). Other makers have similar timers.

Based on manufacturers' manuals. Ferncharge has not tested these products.

The settings that switch things off

Maker (manual)	What it does	Where to change it
Anker (SOLIX C1000 UK user guide)	AC outlets turn off if no plug is detected for more than 15 minutes. With the outputs off and no load, the unit powers off after 12 hours ("standby duration")	Standby duration in the Anker app (Anker UK user guide)
BLUETTI (Elite 100 V2 manual)	AC-ECO and DC-ECO, on by default, shut off the AC or DC output after a period of low or no load	ECO button, or each mode separately in the BLUETTI app (BLUETTI manual)
Jackery (Explorer 1000 v2 manual)	Default standby time of 2 hours: shuts down after 2 hours without charging or discharging. In Energy Saving mode, after 12 hours with no input or output	Automatic shutdown time in the Jackery app (Jackery manual)

Alphabetical. Settings differ between models, even from the same maker: check your manual.

The screen going off is different. Anker's screen turns off after 30 seconds and Jackery's after 2 minutes without use (Anker UK user guide; Jackery manual). The outputs can still be on.

Why small devices trigger it

A phone charger, a router or an LED lamp draws only a few watts. To the power station, that can look like "low or no load", the condition BLUETTI describes. A phone that finishes charging draws even less (our inference). The output switches off, and the device stops, even though the battery has plenty left.

Devices that switch themselves on and off, such as a fridge's compressor, can also leave an output idle long enough to trigger a timer (our inference). BLUETTI names refrigerators among the appliances to turn ECO mode off for (BLUETTI manual).

What to do

Turn off the ECO or auto-off setting for the output you're using, in the app or on the unit, as your manual describes. BLUETTI advises this for small devices under 60 W and for lights and fridges.
Use the right output. A phone or laptop on a USB port, or a 12 V cool box on the car socket, uses the DC side, which may have its own setting (BLUETTI has separate AC-ECO and DC-ECO).
Turn the setting back on afterwards if you want the power station to save energy when nothing is plugged in. A switched-on output with nothing running still uses some power. See why your power station runs out faster than expected.

For a power cut: if a router or medical device must stay on overnight, change the setting before you need it, and check it holds with the device plugged in.

Could it be something else?

Overload: too many watts, or a start-up surge, can also switch an output off. That's the opposite problem. See what is surge power?
Low battery or temperature: BLUETTI's manual lists a "discharging temperature too low" error, with a discharging range of -20 °C to 40 °C for the Elite 100 V2 (BLUETTI manual). See your manual's error codes.

FAQs

Why does my power station turn off when charging my phone?

Probably an ECO or auto-off setting: a phone draws so little that the power station treats it as low or no load. Turn the setting off for that output.

How do I stop my power station switching off?

Change the ECO, auto-off or standby setting, usually in the maker's app. BLUETTI advises turning ECO mode off for devices under 60 W.

Is it bad to turn ECO mode off?

It means the output stays on, which uses a little power even with little or nothing running. Turn it back on when you don't need it.

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