Towing a small pop-up camper or driving a 40-foot diesel pusher, a power station with multiple ports could be a useful integration to the RV. Yes, even if your RV has multiple options to power AC and DC supply, a power station for campers offers many ports to run and charge the devices, which could be invaluable.
Scroll down to find out how to choose the best power station. The reasons to consider power stations and the best power stations available in the market.
5 Reasons Every RV Owner Needs Portable Power Stations
Well, a portable power station for the RV might sound like an expensive and unnecessary purchase — but as you will discover, that is far from the truth. Every RV owner should consider a portable power station because:
1. Your RV doesn’t have enough outlets
Regardless of the number of ports your RV has, it is unlikely to keep every member of the family on-grid simultaneously. Today, everyone has a phone, tablet, smartwatch, and other gadgets that need charging at regular intervals. So, the addition of ports could go a long way in keeping everyone’s needs at bay.
And in case you’re in an RV that is a decade old, there might be good chances that the ports are limited to the kitchen and bathroom areas, rather than a place where you want to sit and wait for your devices to charge.
2. It’s hot outside and your air conditioner needs help
Another most obvious reason to consider portable power stations is to run things that take up much power and put a load on critical pieces of equipment. One example being — an ice cream maker or air conditioner — which is just an addition but draws up much power. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use them at all. Instead, be smart while utilizing them. Consider a portable power station for campers to run them when needed while not compromising on things that are of utmost vitality.
3. You don’t stay inside all the time
If you have been on earlier RV trips, you know well that RVing is not all about driving for endless hours. Being outdoors at any place is one of the reasons why people consider RVing instead of regular traveling. And that is where the use of portable power stations comes in — having a portable power station means you could step off the vehicle at any point without going off-grid even for a minute. And you could charge everything whenever needed.
4. You are tired of using so many adapters
Gone are days when everything used to run two-prong AC plugs. Today, almost all the devices use some type of prototype — an adapter — to convert AC power to something digestible to the USB ports. And while the recent additions of RVs bring functions to accommodate users, the older models do not have any such features.
5. In need of something silent?
Well, no one likes the annoying loud noises that come from fuel generators. And that is where the power stations for campers come in — being completely silent, they allow you to enjoy the comfort of nature as it is.
How to Find the Best Power Station for Camping?
If you search in the market or on the internet, you’ll find tons of power stations for you. However, not all of them are suitable for campers for different reasons, like not enough battery capacity. And that is why you should always look for the following features before selecting the best power station for camping:
1. Power Type
A power station could be available in numerous ways, i.e., via battery-based, or gas. You could consider the battery-based power station as it is portable, small, and renders continuous power without any noise like the gas-powered machines.
2. Size
Given that there’s a lot of other stuff that needs space, you might always look for a power station that is small and compact. Being lightweight, they could also be used as a source of power when you step out of the vehicle.
3. Price
Can you afford it? The most cost-efficient systems out there are the battery-based power stations, like the ones mentioned later.
4. Capacity
Again, the power delivered by the battery bank should satisfy all your needs. Be it to run the air conditioner or refrigerator — it must have the capability to run it for multiple hours.
Recommended Products
Here are two of the best power stations for campers:
Being portable, lightweight, and capable of delivering up to 12228W of power at full capacity, BLUETTI’s AC300+2*B300 COMBO is one of the best power station for campers out there. You could run and charge anything, anywhere if only you have access to these power banks.
In addition, the BLUETTI AC300 can now receive 2,400 watts of unparalleled solar charging input. Using BLUETTI's advanced MPPT controller, you can charge the B300 (3,072Wh) battery module in 1.5 hours with solar panels.
BLUETTI PV200 200W SOLAR PANEL
Also, in need of a solar panel? Well, consider BLUETTI’s PV200 Solar Panel is monocrystalline, meaning it renders high efficiency when compared against any other solar panels in the market. With features like anti-scratch, the transmittance of up to 95% — the solar panels are durable (with a one-year warranty).
The foldable design with a folded size of 20.7*20.5inch makes it convenient to carry wherever you go. Plus, weighing only 14.3lbs — BLUETTI’s SP200 200W Solar Panels is great for travelers.
Who is a Power Station not suitable for?
A power station may not add any value to the owners who have an electrical installation in their vehicles and think it is adequate to satisfy all their needs.
Moreover, some owners might not need electricity when outside of their vehicle in that case, too — the portable lithium battery-based modules do not add any value to your camping. In case you purchase an inverter, a solar charge controller, and battery as individual parts — you have the liberty to choose the specification for each part, whereas a power station has everything decided by the manufacturer and might not be sufficient to satisfy all your needs.
Additionally, a power station can be heavy sometimes, especially if you are not with your car. A power station will only be handy when you have your vehicle to carry the lithium-based modules for the power.
FAQ
Q1: Can I plug my RV into a portable power station?
Yes. Today, most of the portable power stations in the market have the capability to run everything accommodated in the RV. So in case you want to watch your favorite show or heat up the food, you do not have to run the noisy fuel-powered generators to do that.
Q2: How do I power my camper?
You could consider Alternators, RV Hookups, Generators, Solar Powered Power Stations to power your camper. Of course, as mentioned, one of the best ways to power up the camper is the solar-powered power stations. As — they are silent, capable of powering up all the devices altogether, as well as do not need you to stop anything you want to charge the batteries incorporated within the RV.
Q3: Can you use a car battery as a power source?
Yes, with the addition of an inverter — you could convert the 12-volt electrical current into a 120-volt current that could power up many things. So, yes a car battery could be used as a power source.
Q4: Can a power bank run an RV fridge?
Yes. A power bank — depending on the battery capacity — could not only run an RV fridge but could also run other things simultaneously.
Conclusion
A power station for campers could be advantageous in numerous ways. First of all, you’ll have extra wattage whenever required and will not go off-grid whenever you want to step out of the RV. Moreover, be it a TV, refrigerator, or an air conditioner for that matter — there is nothing that the power station couldn’t run for multiple hours.
In all, you could consider the above-mentioned finest power station from BLUETTI’s capable of rendering power for all your needs — in case you think a power station could be useful for you.
