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Power stations for an RV air conditioner: which are enough

Of the 54 power stations in the Enough Watts data set, none are enough for one day with 8 hours of cooling, 33 run it but not long enough, and 21 cannot power it. The nearest is the EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X: 18.3 h of this routine, about 6.1 h with everything running nonstop.

Updated

The setup in numbers

  • 1,714W

    Running, all at once

  • 3,150W

    Starting watts needed

  • 13,712Wh

    Energy a day

  • 0 of 54

    Enough for 24 h

The setup

The loads, with the goal of one day with 8 hours of cooling
ApplianceHow manyRunningEnergy a day
RV rooftop air conditioner (13,500 BTU)11,714 W1,714 W × 8 h = 13,712 Wh
Running, everything on at once
1,714 W
Starting watts needed
1,714 - 1,714 + 3,150 = 3,150 W
Watt hours a day
13,712 Wh
Goal
one day with 8 hours of cooling (24 h)

Change this setup in the calculator

  • Assumes the motor runs the whole time; real use is often less.
  • Watts vary by model and age. Check the label on your own appliance and enter it for an exact answer.

None of the 54 stations is enough

The 54 power stations in the data set, ranked smallest capacity first (the closest fit), then lower price, then lighter. Whether a link can earn us money never changes the order.

No station in the data is enough for one day with 8 hours of cooling. The groups below show how close each one gets.

Runs it, but not long enough33 of 54 stations

They pass the output, surge and voltage checks but run out before the goal. Longest runtime first.

Stations that run the setup but not for 24 hours
Power stationCapacityRuntime of this routineEverything nonstop
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X12,288 Wh18.3 h6.1 h
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra6,144 Wh9.1 h3.0 h
Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus5,040 Wh7.5 h2.5 h
OUPES Guardian 6000 V24,608 Wh6.9 h2.3 h
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 34,096 Wh6.1 h2.0 h
Goal Zero Yeti PRO 40003,994 Wh5.9 h2.0 h
BLUETTI Elite 4003,840 Wh5.7 h1.9 h
Anker SOLIX F38003,840 Wh5.7 h1.9 h
Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus3,840 Wh5.7 h1.9 h
ALLPOWERS R40003,456 Wh5.1 h1.7 h
ALLPOWERS R35003,168 Wh4.7 h1.6 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra3,072 Wh4.6 h1.5 h
Anker SOLIX F30003,072 Wh4.6 h1.5 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus3,072 Wh4.6 h1.5 h
Pecron E3600LFP3,072 Wh4.6 h1.5 h
BLUETTI Elite 3003,014 Wh4.5 h1.5 h
BLUETTI Apex 3002,765 Wh4.1 h1.4 h
Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v22,048 Wh3.0 h1.0 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max2,048 Wh3.0 h1.0 h
Pecron E2400LFP2,048 Wh3.0 h1.0 h
Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 22,048 Wh3.0 h1.0 h
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus2,048 Wh3.0 h1.0 h
Jackery Explorer 2000 v22,042 Wh3.0 h1.0 h
ALLPOWERS R2500 V21,920 Wh2.9 h57 min
Jackery Explorer 1500 v21,536 Wh2.3 h46 min
Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra1,536 Wh2.3 h46 min
Goal Zero Yeti 15001,505 Wh2.2 h45 min
Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus1,265 Wh1.9 h38 min
BLUETTI Elite 100 V21,024 Wh1.5 h30 min
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic1,024 Wh1.5 h30 min
EcoFlow DELTA 31,024 Wh1.5 h30 min
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus1,024 Wh1.5 h30 min
DJI Power 10001,024 Wh1.5 h30 min

Cannot power it21 of 54 stations

Show the 21 stations and the number each one fails on
  • BLUETTI Elite 10 Mini Needs 1,714 W running at once; this station gives 200 W. Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 300 W.
  • Jackery Explorer 240 v2 Needs 1,714 W running at once; this station gives 300 W. Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.
  • EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus Needs 1,714 W running at once; this station gives 600 W. Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 1,200 W.
  • BLUETTI Elite 30 V2 Needs 1,714 W running at once; this station gives 600 W. Needs 3,150 W to start. Its surge rating is not published, and its 600 W continuous rating is lower.
  • Jackery Explorer 300 v2 Needs 1,714 W running at once; this station gives 300 W. Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.
  • Goal Zero Yeti 300 Needs 1,714 W running at once; this station gives 350 W. Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 600 W.
  • Goal Zero Yeti 500 Needs 1,714 W running at once; this station gives 500 W. Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 1,000 W.
  • DJI Power 500 Needs 1,714 W running at once; this station gives 1,000 W. Needs 3,150 W to start. Its surge rating is not published, and its 1,000 W continuous rating is lower.
  • Jackery Explorer 600 v2 Needs 1,714 W running at once; this station gives 500 W. Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 1,000 W.
  • Goal Zero Yeti 700 Needs 1,714 W running at once; this station gives 600 W. Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 1,000 W.
  • BLUETTI Elite 100 mini Needs 1,714 W running at once; this station gives 700 W. Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 1,050 W.
  • Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 3,000 W.
  • Pecron E1000LFP Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 3,000 W.
  • Anker SOLIX C1000 Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 2,400 W.
  • Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Needs 1,714 W running at once; this station gives 1,500 W. Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 3,000 W.
  • BLUETTI AC180 Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 2,700 W.
  • ALLPOWERS R1500 Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 3,000 W.
  • OUPES Mega 2 Pro Needs 3,150 W to start. Its surge rating is not published, and its 2,500 W continuous rating is lower.
  • DJI Power 2000 Needs 3,150 W to start. Its surge rating is not published, and its 3,000 W continuous rating is lower.
  • BLUETTI Elite 200 V2 Needs 3,150 W to start. Its surge rating is not published, and its 2,600 W continuous rating is lower.
  • Anker SOLIX F2600 Needs 3,150 W to start; this station peaks at 2,800 W.

What to know

No station in the data is enough for this goal. A 13,500 BTU rooftop air conditioner is the hardest common load in an RV: about 1,714 W running and 3,150 W to start. 42 of the 54 stations have the output, and 33 also clear the start.

Energy is the wall. Eight hours of compressor run time take 13,712 Wh a day, more than the largest station in the data holds: the EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X has 10,445 Wh usable. The closest one still runs out after 18.3 h of this routine, about 6.1 h of nonstop cooling.

The hours count the compressor running flat out, the cautious case. On a mild evening it cycles and uses less; enter the hours it really runs in the calculator.

Short bursts of cooling work on the largest stations. For whole days of air conditioning, shore power or a generator covers what a battery cannot, as the generator guide works out. A small window unit in a van or a trailer is a different story, and the question below works one out.

Read more: Watts vs watt hours, explained, Why you get less than the rated capacity, Starting watts explained and Power station or generator?.

Questions

What size power station do you need for an RV air conditioner?
This setup uses 13,712 Wh a day. Lasting 24 hours takes 13,712 Wh usable, about 16,132 Wh of rated capacity at 85% efficiency. It also needs 1,714 W of continuous output and a surge rating of 3,150 W for the start.
Which is the smallest power station that is enough?
None of the 54 is. The longest runtime in the data is 18.3 h, short of the 24 hour goal.
What about a 5,000 BTU window air conditioner?
With a window air conditioner (5,000 BTU) in place of an RV rooftop air conditioner (13,500 BTU), the setup uses 4,200 Wh a day and needs 525 W running and 1,050 W to start. 3 of the 54 power stations are enough for one day with 8 hours of cooling, against 0 for the setup above. The closest fit is the Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus (5,040 Wh).