What size generator do you need for a camper or cabin?

A van or small camper uses about 1 kWh a day at the essential level, so a weekend without hookups wants roughly 2 kWh of battery — in practice a 2,048 Wh power station, the most common "large" size. With a 200 W portable solar panel recharging by day, a 1 kWh unit often suffices. Add the air conditioner and everything changes: AC alone drinks 3-5 kWh per night.

Yes, but size for the surge: a typical rooftop RV air conditioner runs at 1,200-1,700 W and spikes to 2,500-3,500 W at compressor start. A 2,800-3,500 W inverter generator handles it with room for the fridge; a 2,000 W unit generally won’t start it unless the AC has a soft-starter installed — a popular upgrade that cuts the spike roughly in half.

The espresso machine is the tyrant: a single-group unit draws 1,400-2,000 W on its own. A stall with a fridge, lights, till and coffee machine lands around 2,500-3,500 W continuous; add a display fridge or a griddle and you’re at 4,000-5,000 W. For food service, prefer an inverter generator — stable power protects electronics in modern tills and machines — and check the venue’s noise rules before buying.

If the house has no grid connection at all, the long-term answer is usually a hybrid: battery storage (power station or wall batteries) for silent nights, solar for the day, and a generator only as backup for cloudy weeks — running a fuel generator every day gets expensive and tedious fast. If the house just suffers occasional outages, a 3,000-4,000 W generator covering fridge, pump, lights and boiler is the simple, cheap answer.