A winding mountain road at sunset, the long drive between campgrounds when your rig needs its own power

Guide

Portable power station for RV and van life

Updated October 15, 2026

Your van fridge runs all day, every day. So size for a full parked day first, then decide whether you really need a 30A socket.

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If your van already has a house battery and you only need AC for a laptop and a blender, a 500Wh station is plenty. We’d go up to about 1,000Wh if you’re running a compressor fridge, charging tools, or sitting a day without driving.

The EcoFlow DELTA 3 has 1,024 Wh and 1,800 W continuous, and it takes up to 500 W of solar. That’s the useful extra when you’re parked up: a pair of 200–220W panels can put back a good chunk of a fridge day in decent sun.

See current price on Amazon — EcoFlow DELTA 3 on amazon.com

When the 30A outlet matters

You only need one if your rig plugs in through a TT-30 (30A) inlet, as some RV air conditioners and onboard chargers do. Most 1kWh stations just have household 15A outlets. The BLUETTI AC200PL has a 30A RV outlet, 2,304 Wh, 2,400 W continuous and 1,200 W of solar input. At 63.5 lb, it lives in the bay.

See current price on Amazon — BLUETTI AC200PL on amazon.com

Skip if

If you don’t have a 30A inlet and won’t run a roof air conditioner, we’d skip this size. For a 12V fridge, it’s just extra weight. And if you do want AC, your unit still has to fit inside 2,400 W running and the listed surge, which plenty of them don’t.

Stations for this trip

EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro — 768 Wh, 800 W, 18.2 lb
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 — 1,070 Wh, 1,500 W, 23.8 lb
EcoFlow DELTA 3 — 1,024 Wh, 1,800 W, 27.6 lb
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 — 1,024 Wh, 2,000 W, 24.9 lb
BLUETTI AC180 — 1,152 Wh, 1,800 W, 35.3 lb
BLUETTI AC200PL — 2,304 Wh, 2,400 W, 63.5 lb
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus — 1,024 Wh, 1,800 W, 27.6 lb
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 — 2,042 Wh, 2,200 W, 39.5 lb
Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 — 2,048 Wh, 2,400 W, 41.7 lb

Common questions

What size portable power station for a van fridge?: About 1,000Wh, if you also want AC for a laptop or tools. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 has 1,024 Wh, 1,800 W continuous and 500 W of solar input, which covers a 12V fridge through a parked day.
When does an RV need a TT-30 outlet?: Only if your rig plugs in through a TT-30 (30A) inlet, as some rooftop air conditioners and onboard chargers do. Most 1kWh stations just have household outlets. The BLUETTI AC200PL has a TT-30 outlet and 2,400 W continuous.
How much solar input matters in a parked van?: A lot, because it’s the most your panels can put back. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 takes up to 500 W and the BLUETTI AC200PL up to 1,200 W. Real panels give you less than that in heat and cloud.
Where should a 2kWh station live?: In the bay or on the floor. The BLUETTI AC200PL weighs 63.5 lb, so it’s not one you’d carry to a tent.

See current price on Amazon — BLUETTI AC200PL on amazon.com Find a station

What size power station do you need for an RV?

Short answer: 2,000Wh or more if you want a fridge, fans, lights and a microwave in the same day, and a 30A TT-30 outlet if you want to plug in the shore cable. A 1kWh station suits a small van that runs a 12V fridge and lights.

The Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 and the BLUETTI AC200PL both have a TT-30 outlet and 2,400W continuous. We’ve compared them here.

Can a portable power station run an RV air conditioner?

Sometimes, and only briefly. A rooftop RV unit usually draws well over 1,000W while running, with a higher start-up surge, so you need the inverter and surge rating to cover both numbers on your unit’s label. Even then, a 2kWh station lasts roughly an hour or two of steady cooling, so we’d treat it as a short-burst option, not overnight comfort.