Home & DIY
What size generator do you need for a camper or cabin?
Generator watts and power station capacity based on what you power: van, RV, vacation home or small shop, by size.
Quick answer
Sizing power for a camper, a cabin or a market stall is a different problem from the blackout-at-home case: you are not asking which of your appliances survive, you are asking how much power this kind of life consumes. The profiles turn out to be surprisingly consistent.
Recommended generator
2,500 W
- Estimated continuous load
- 500 W
- Peak with starting surge
- 2,200 W
- Power station for 1 day
- 2,200 Wh
Indicative profiles: a van needs ~300 W continuous, a large motorhome ~700 W, a vacation home ~400 W + 4 W/m², a small shop ~800 W + 10 W/m² (fridges, lighting, till, espresso machine). The surge covers the largest motor start. The power station figure is daily energy + 20% margin — halve it if you recharge with solar during the day. For an exact appliance-by-appliance count, use our generator wattage calculator.
How it works
| Setup | Continuous | Per day |
|---|---|---|
| Van — lights, compressor fridge, phone and laptop | ~300 W | ~1 kWh |
| Full motorhome | ~600 W | ~2 kWh |
| Vacation home | ~400 W + 4 W per m² | |
| Small shop or bar | ~800 W + 10 W per m² |
The jump at the bottom row is not the lighting: it is commercial refrigeration and an espresso machine, neither of which ever really rests. That is also why a shop profile tolerates far less optimism about the average than a van does.
Two numbers matter when you buy: continuous watts (what the generator sustains) and the starting surge — fridges, pumps and air conditioners briefly draw 2-3× their running power, and the calculator adds the largest surge on top. The result is rounded up, because a generator loafing at 60-70% load is quieter, more frugal and lives longer. The power station figure answers the modern version of the question: how many watt-hours of battery you need to get through a day without an engine running — halve it if solar panels recharge you during daylight.
Two conditions shrink a generator's real output and neither is on the label. A petrol engine loses roughly 3% of its power for every 300 metres of altitude, so a machine sized at sea level for a mountain cabin at 1,500 m arrives with about 15% missing — enough to turn a comfortable margin into a unit that stalls when the fridge kicks in. Heat costs a little more on top. If the destination is high or hot, size up one step rather than trusting the box.
Frequently asked questions
What size power station do I need for a camper weekend?+
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.
Can a generator run a camper air conditioner?+
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.
How much power does a market stall or small bar need?+
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.
Generator or power station for a vacation home?+
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.
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