A portable generator serves many purposes. While it’s always available as a vital backup storage during unforeseen blackouts, it is impossible to imagine a camping trip in the great outdoors without a small portable generator. Powering your RV and campsite has never been easier, as you can take the convenience of electricity with you wherever you go.
You need all the power you can get to power your electric cooking equipment, lights, cell phones, and speakers, to attain a convenient experience. Luckily for you, you can make your heavenly retreat in lush landscapes quite comfortable with a portable backup battery, which is beefy enough to last you a whole week.
Why Do You Need a Small Portable Generator for Camping?
To sum it up: carry the comfort offered by your home wherever you go with a small portable generator, allowing you to make the most out of your trip. And, with the latest innovations in the world of backup batteries, your battery will cover everything for you, including:
- Multiple socket types for various devices.
- Ease of charging with numerous charging options.
- Enough power output to run all your devices and appliances at full capacity.
Who is a Portable Generator Good For?
Portable generators and batteries are often used by tradesmen, powering their tools when a main socket is not nearby. RV owners always have them on board, making these portable energy carriers imperative for them and every long-distance traveler because of their immense application in charging devices and powering appliances.
How Do You Charge a Small Portable Generator for Camping?
A small portable generator can be charged with plenty of options, including:
- Solar energy
- Main power supply
- And, dual-charging (a combination of solar and main electricity energy)
Starting and Running Watts of Typical Household Appliances
You are highly advised to identify the starting and running watts of the appliances that you will carry with you on your camping trip. After identifying and adding each appliance’s power output, only then should you purchase a battery/generator that will fulfill your energy requirements. The table below will give you a better idea of how to calculate these values.
|
Household Appliance |
Related Watts |
Starting Watts |
|
Light Bulb |
25-100 |
0 |
|
Ceiling Fan |
75 |
0 |
|
Television |
80 |
0 |
|
Microwave |
600-1000 |
0 |
|
Refrigerator |
700 |
2200 |
|
Air Conditioner |
1500 |
2200 |
|
Washing Machine |
1200 |
2300 |
But, for greater accuracy, you should look for the power rating on all your relevant appliances; these ratings can be found on the product itself.
These are the Pros of a Small Portable Generator for Camping
The pros certainly outweigh the cons and are greater in number as well. If you’re going picnicking for a week, it is crucial that you take a power source with you.
It’s Always Good to Have a Backup Power Source
When you’re out in the wilderness, far away from civilization, you need power to stay connected to the world in case of an emergency. According to the US National Park Service, the chances of being injured, specifically, breaking a bone and spraining your ankle, are terribly common. In such daunting situations, a backup power source can be your lifesaver, as you can charge your phone and contact the authorities for help.
Freedom to Fully Discover
The ability to pave your own journey into unchartered territories, living the true spirit of adventure, is every adventurer’s desire. A power source will allow you this freedom since you won’t be bound to camping sites with crowds. You will never have to worry about a plug-in given you’ll be carrying the plug-in with you.
BLUETTI AC500 + B300S is the perfect example of an electric backup battery that allows you to explore freely with its 5,000 W power rating, which is enough to power all your devices for days. And, if you want more energy storage, AC500 offers you 100% modularity, which enables the addition of extra capacity from 3,072 Wh to 18,432 Wh. And, don’t worry about carrying tons of weight with you because a single AC500 battery pack weighs only 66.2 lbs.
Power Multiple Devices Simultaneously
Recent advances in battery/generator technology allow them to include all types of charging ports, allowing you to charge all your devices simultaneously. AC500 has 16 versatile charging outlets for 99% devices.
Ease of Usage
The era of carrying loads of fuel with you for your diesel-powered generator is over. Freeing you from the hassle, modern generators include a simple on/off switch that starts the action by pressing a button.
In this regard, AC500 excels with its ability to charge in 6 different ways that include:
- AC charging (Max. 5,000 W)
- Solar charging (Max. 3,000 W)
- Generator (Max. 5,000 W)
- Lead-acid charging (12V/24V)
- Multi-charging, AC+Solar (Max. 8,000 W)
- And, you can even charge it with your car’s cigarette lighter
So, realistically, you will never run out of power due to the immense practicality.
The Several Advantages of Battery-Powered Options
Electric battery-powered options have numerous advantages over conventional gas-powered generators. Since they do not produce any CO2, they can be easily used indoors when you want to escape the cold and those pesky creepy crawlies while being inside your RV or camp. Not to mention, being eco-friendly too. Virtually, battery-powered options, such as AC500, require no maintenance and long-term preparation in buying and storing extra gasoline or diesel.
Since they do not produce any exhaust, they are noiseless. The quietness has immeasurable importance during a camping trip in the wilderness because peace is the whole purpose to begin with. Plus, you will never annoy other fellow campers on the campsite with your noisy generators.
Innovative batteries, such as BLUETTI’S AC500, also have a multitude of smart features that are absent in conventional generators. For instance, the ability to connect your phone to your battery via Bluetooth or WiFi, which allows you to easily monitor and control your battery’s performance and capacity with your smartphone.
These are the Cons of a Small Portable Generator for Camping
It’s not all perfect with portable generators. They produce a lot of noise, which is counterproductive to the peaceful experience of camping outdoors. Also, the emission of carbon monoxide from generators limits your experience to a well-ventilated area only.
Limited Fuel Supply
Carrying a weighty jerry can with you while hiking is a tumultuous task. Fuel supply is also limited, forcing you to be extremely calculated with your energy consumption while camping. This limitation is easily solved by a solar panel, which runs on an endless energy source: the sun. There is no harm in packing a solar panel with you for the long trip, given the endless amounts of energy on offer.
The emissions produced by generators is another major issue, which is not only detrimental to the environment, but your health too.
A common misconception about solar panels is their excessive time lag in producing energy. That is simply not the case, as modern and efficient solar panels produce energy in real time. AC500 can be charged with a solar panel up to 3,000 W, practically allowing you to never run out of energy.
Noise
Considerable noise pollution produced by fuel-powered generators, up to 60 decibels, is extremely annoying, not only for you, but the others around you as well. Battery-powered options take the win here too, since they are noiseless.
Size and Weight
Although they are supposedly portable and small, an average gas-powered generator weighs around 120 lbs. Now, picture yourself having to haul this chunky piece of metal wherever you go. On the more innovative side, batteries are way lighter; AC500 has half the weight of an average generator at 66.2 lbs.
Shortcomings of Battery-Powered Options
Like all things, battery-powered options are not perfect. They store a finite amount of energy, which is difficult to replenish once it finishes. Recharging your batteries with solar power or a main plug can take more time compared to simply filling your generator with gas. However, every situation is different, what works for you might not work for others.
Final Thoughts
To truly enjoy and experience mother nature at her finest, it is pivotal to have access to consistent, safe, and convenient power. While fuel-powered generators have their perks, most adventurers have now started to dabble with battery-powered, sustainable options, and they are over the moon with the results.
Batteries, such as BLUETTI’s AC500, are cost-effective, clean, and powerful options that should be considered.
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