What size power station do I need for camping?
It depends on what you plug in, and one thing in particular: an electric fridge. Below are three worked examples for a two-night weekend with no solar, using the same method as our power sizer.
The method
- Multiply each item's watts by the hours you use it each day, then add them up. That's your daily watt-hours.
- Multiply by the number of days.
- Divide by about 0.77 to allow for conversion losses and the part of the battery you can't use. That's the capacity to look for.
New to the units? Read watts vs watt-hours first.
Three weekends compared
| What you take | Per day | Two days | Capacity needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light: 3 phones (2 h each), 2 LED lights (4 h each) | 140 Wh | 280 Wh | about 370 Wh |
| Plus a laptop: the above, plus a 60 W laptop for 4 h | 380 Wh | 760 Wh | about 990 Wh |
| Plus a fridge: the above, plus a 45 W fridge running 8 h a day | 740 Wh | 1,480 Wh | about 1,940 Wh |
What stands out
- The fridge doubles the battery you need. If you can use an ice-packed cool box instead, you may be able to drop two sizes.
- Output isn't the problem here. Each of these loads peaks well under 200 W, so even a 300 W unit has enough output. Capacity is what matters.
- A projector adds a lot. At 150 W for 2 hours it adds 300 Wh a day, which is more than double the lights and phones combined (140 Wh).
- Solar can shrink the battery. If you add panels, the battery only has to cover about a day, and the panels refill it. The power sizer works this out for you.
Check the figures against your own kit
The wattages above are typical examples. Look at the label on your own items, and see typical wattage for 16 common items. Cold weather can also reduce what a battery can deliver, so leave some margin for winter trips.
Open the power sizer with a camping weekend loaded, change it to match your trip, and see every unit that fits.