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How Many Watts Does a Fan Use? Ceiling Fan and Box Fan Watts
A ceiling fan uses about 30 watts on high and about 3 watts on low, and a 20 inch box fan uses about 55 to 100 watts. Those are the medians across 1,457 ENERGY STAR certified ceiling fans and the ratings Lasko lists for its box fans. Fans are one of the cheapest ways to stay cool, and one of the easiest loads to run on a power station during a summer outage.
Ceiling fan watts (ENERGY STAR data)
| Blade size | Models | Typical watts on high |
|---|---|---|
| 44 inch | 115 | 21.3 W |
| 52 inch | 637 | 28.6 W |
| 60 inch | 265 | 31.4 W |
| All certified ceiling fans | 1,457 | 29.8 W (3.4 W on low) |
Source: ENERGY STAR Certified Ceiling Fans data set, US market, as of October 2026. Typical = median. Light kits add more if they are on.
Box fan and air circulator watts
| Model | Watts | Amps |
|---|---|---|
| Lasko B20801 Power Plus 20" box fan | 73 to 102 W | 0.6 to 0.9 A |
| Lasko B20548 Pro Power 20" box fan | 65 to 90 W | 0.6 to 1 A |
| Lasko B20308 Cool Colors 20" box fan | 56 to 83 W | Not listed |
| Vornado 660 air circulator (4 speeds) | 53 / 41 / 33 / 27 W | 0.45 / 0.35 / 0.29 / 0.24 A |
Sources: Lasko and Vornado product specifications. Lasko lists a watt range for each fan.
Find your own number: the label on the fan's motor housing or base lists watts or amps.
How much does it cost to run a fan?
Watts x hours / 1,000 = kWh. A 102 W box fan on high for 8 hours uses about 0.82 kWh, about 14 cents at 17 cents per kWh. A 30 W ceiling fan for 8 hours uses about 0.24 kWh, about 4 cents.
How long will a power station run a fan?
| Power station | Capacity / output | Box fan (102 W) | Vornado 660 on high (53 W) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,070 Wh / 1,500 W | About 9.4 hours | About 18 hours | From $499 |
| Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 | 2,042 Wh / 2,200 W | About 18 hours | About 35 hours | From $899 |
| Jackery HomePower 3000 | 3,072 Wh / 3,600 W | About 27 hours | About 52 hours | From $1,349 |
Hours = capacity x 0.9 / watts. Capacity and output are from each product page. Lower speeds stretch these times. Ceiling fans are hard-wired, so they run on backup power only through a transfer switch or interlock kit; see How to Hook Up a Generator to Your House.
Can you run a fan on solar?
Yes. At about 0.82 kWh a day for a box fan on high for 8 hours, roughly 240 watts of solar covers it at 4.5 peak sun hours (820 Wh / (4.5 x 0.75)). The Explorer 1000 v2 is available with a SolarSaga 200W panel from $699. By the same formula, 200 W of panels makes about 675 Wh on a sunny day, enough for a 53 W air circulator for about 12 hours. See What Can a 100 Watt Solar Panel Run?
Need more cooling than a fan? Read How Many Watts Does a Window AC Use? and How Many Watts Does a Portable AC Use?
Need help sizing? Call 1-888-855-7286. Tell us what you want to keep running and for how long, and we will match you to a power station.
Fan wattage FAQ
How many watts does a fan use? About 30 W for a typical ceiling fan on high, and about 55 to 100 W for a 20 inch box fan.
How many watts does a box fan use? Lasko rates its 20 inch box fans at about 56 to 102 W depending on model and speed.
How many watts does a ceiling fan use? A median of 29.8 W on high and 3.4 W on low across ENERGY STAR certified models.
How much does it cost to run a fan all night? About 14 cents for a 102 W box fan for 8 hours, or about 4 cents for a ceiling fan, at 17 cents per kWh.
Can a power station run a fan all night? Yes. The Explorer 1000 v2 runs a 102 W box fan for about 9 hours on high, and longer on low.