A writer ran a home Wi-Fi router off a Ryobi tool battery during a 2-hour outage. Here is how it works and what to know before trying it.
A Ryobi power tool battery can keep your home internet running when the power goes out. A writer at How-To Geek plugged a router into a Ryobi power source accessory during a scheduled neighborhood outage. It worked, and the router stayed online for the full 2 hours without a second battery.
Ryobi sells accessories that turn its tool batteries into a portable power station. The writer bought the 40V 300W Power Source. Ryobi also sells a smaller 18V ONE+ 200W Power Source and Charger. The bigger model has an AC outlet like a wall socket, two USB-C ports, a USB-A port and an LED light. It also recharges Ryobi battery packs.
Most home networks need little power. Depending on your modem and router, especially an all-in-one unit, the draw is about 15W. The 40V power source can deliver over 300W, so a router barely taxes it.
There is another reason this works. In a blackout, the cable or fiber line to your house is often still up. You mainly need to power the router.
The writer plugged in the router, waited for it to boot, and the internet came back. The battery was a 40V 6Ah pack. Ryobi says a smaller 18V 4Ah battery can run a home router for around 7 hours. The writer expects the bigger pack to last longer, though that was not tested beyond the 2-hour outage.
The writer already owns a UPS, a battery backup box built to keep devices on during outages. The Ryobi setup is an extra, a way to use gear already on the shelf. The writer owns many 18V and 40V packs. In a long outage, the same setup can run lights and fans, and recharge phones. When one battery runs out, swap in another.
If you already own Ryobi batteries, a power source accessory can keep your router and phone going in an outage. Keep the batteries charged and indoors.
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