I'm gearing up for a 2–3 day camping trip with my family and need advice on figuring out the appropriate size power station. We plan on running a few devices like a kettle, an induction cooker, a projector, plus charging our phones and laptops, and maybe even using a portable AC or fan. If anyone has experience with similar setups, what size power station (in Wh capacity and W output) worked for you? Did you ever think you needed a bigger one, or did you find you could've gotten away with something smaller? It would be super helpful if you could also share what devices you powered, how long they lasted, and if you ran into any issues with surge or startup power.
3 Answers
For your needs, I’d lean towards a power station that has a capacity of at least 2000 Wh if you want to run the kettle, induction cooker, and especially the AC. Those appliances really drain power quickly! If you ditch the AC, you could manage with something closer to 500-1000 Wh. Rechargeable fans could be a solid backup too.
The toughest part will be managing power usage. A kettle generally consumes around 1200-1500W, and an induction cooker can range from 800-1400W depending on what you’re cooking. No lie, for a family setup, something like a Jackery Explorer 1500 model is going to be needed if you want to do everything comfortably. I also suggest testing your exact devices at home to know their real power draw. That way you can make a more informed decision.
Yeah, it's super handy to track usage beforehand to avoid surprises on your trip!
Honestly, for just cooking, I’d recommend going for something that can give you at least 2 kWh. The kettle and induction cooktop are both high consumers. You might want to consider a portable gas generator just to keep things simple. If you need to run multiple devices at once, you'll burn through power way faster than you think.
Totally agree! If it’s mainly for cooking, cutting out the AC can save you a ton on power needs. Those small gas generators are lifesavers for camping trips.
Also, if you have a reliable sun, you could look into solar charging options. But yeah, it’s all about how much you plan on using those high-wattage devices.
Great shout! Also, carrying a watt meter while you test at home could help you figure out the exact power you'll need out in the wild.