Match the battery to the trip. Here's the right capacity for everything from a weekend in a tent to a week off-grid in a van.
| Setup | What you're powering | Recommended size |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend tent camping | Phones, lights, a fan, camera/drone charging | 300–500 Wh |
| Tent + cooler or CPAP | Above + a 12V cooler or CPAP overnight | 500–1000 Wh |
| Van life / RV | Compressor fridge, lights, laptop, water pump, fans | 1000–2000 Wh + solar |
| Week off-grid | All of the above, several days, no hookups | 2000 Wh+ & 200W solar |
Output (watts) must clear the highest-wattage thing you'll plug in at once — usually a small kettle, induction cooktop, or hair dryer if you bring one. Capacity (watt-hours) decides how many nights you last between charges. For camping, capacity is almost always the one that matters, because most camp gear is low-wattage but runs for hours.
A 100–200W portable solar panel turns a power station into a refillable tank: it recharges during the day so a fridge or CPAP can run indefinitely. For any trip longer than ~2 days off-grid, solar is the difference between rationing power and forgetting about it.
List what you're actually bringing and the power station calculator gives you the precise capacity and output to look for — surge included.
Open the calculator →Related: power station for CPAP · running a fridge · power station vs generator
Weekend tent: 300–500Wh. With a cooler or CPAP: 500–1000Wh. Van/RV with a fridge: 1000–2000Wh plus solar.
Yes — a 12V cooler uses ~300–600Wh/day, so a 1000Wh unit lasts ~1.5–3 days, or indefinitely with a 100W solar panel.
Not for a night or two. For longer off-grid trips, a 100–200W panel recharges you daily so you never run out.