Which is better: solar, generator, or power station?

Lots of new Airstream owners want to find ways to extend their camping time while “boondocking” (which means off-grid camping, away from electrical hookups). So inevitably the question comes up: which is better, a generator, solar panels, or a power station?

The answer depends on how you camp and the things you use when you travel. Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of each:

POWER STATION

A power station is a big portable battery with an inverter. It will have household power outlets on it, so you can plug in your laptop, Starlink, CPAP machine, hair dryer, or even the entire RV.

Power stations come in a wide range of capabilities, and they're rated by two measures:

• How much power they can put out at any given moment. This is measured in watts. Most power outlets in your house are rated for 1,800 watts, so all the appliances you have are designed to need less than that. Your toaster, microwave oven, vacuum cleaner, and everything else will be happy with a power station that can provide at least 1,800 watts.
• How long they can provide that power. Think of this as the "size" of the battery. The size is measured in watt-hours. For example, if you need to run an appliance that uses 1,500 watts for an hour, that's 1500 watt-hours (Wh) or 1.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh).

Comparing those two specs will tell you a lot about which power station you need. Keep in mind that while more watt-hour capacity means the battery will last longer, it also means the power station will get heavier—and more expensive. 

So, when shopping for a power station, buy only as much as you really need, or look for a power station that is modular so it can be expanded later.

FUELED GENERATOR

Typical gasoline- or propane-powered generators were once the preferred choice for powering high wattage appliances like:

• air conditioner
• microwave oven
• or anything else that requires a lot of AC power for more than a few minutes (generally things with big electric motors or heating elements).

For the air conditioner, your generator will need to be capable of at least 2,200 watts peak output. (The Micro-Air EasyStart helps with this.)

With power stations becoming commonplace, the justifications for a generator have become fewer. The big advantage of a generator is simply that you can run it for as long as you have fuel, whereas a power station has a fixed capacity, and then it has to be recharged. Consider your personal needs before choosing between the two.

 At the same time, keep in mind the disadvantages of generators:

• You usually have to carry fuel cans.
• Generators pollute. Be sure to keep your generator as far away from the Airstream as possible, to avoid the possibility of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.  
• They're noisy. Even "quiet" generators can shatter the tranquility of camping, which brings us to the next downside ...
• You can't always use them. Campgrounds usually limit "generator hours" to preserve the peace for other campers.

Whatever you do, don't buy a generator strictly for the purpose of recharging your Airstream's batteries. Generators are very inefficient at charging batteries. Batteries typically take hours to gain a full charge, which means you're wasting a lot of gas waiting for the batteries' slow charge rate. Bigger generators can't speed up the process, so they just waste more fuel. 

Generally, we recommend fueled generators to people only when there's no other choice.

SOLAR PANELS

Solar panels are best when you are primarily interested in re-charging the Airstream's batteries and keeping them topped up during travel. Solar panels only provide power to charge the batteries. They don’t directly power anything—the batteries do that. For more about solar, read our blog "Solar—simplified!"

For many people solar is the ideal solution, because:

• Solar panels are silent
  
• No refueling needed
• They're virtually maintenance free
• Zero pollution
• You can always add capacity with more panels

Rather than pumping out large amounts of power in short time periods like a generator, solar provides a steady all-day charge will have a much better chance of getting your batteries up to 100%. With batteries, slow and steady wins the race.

Solar's disadvantage is that it doesn't charge your batteries on cloudy days, or if the panels are in the shade—such as when you are parked under trees. A portable solar system can solve the latter issue because you can place the system's panels in the sun and leave the RV parked in the shade.

If you're wondering whether portable solar is right for you, check out this guide.

If your RV doesn't have an inverter built in, you should consider installing one so you can use the batteries to power laptops, Starlink, CPAP machine, or other electronics that need a wall plug. Most Airstreams made since 2014 have 1,000 or 2,000 watt inverters factory-installed (except Basecamp, Bambi and Sport).

Even if you have a factory-installed inverter, you might want to upgrade to a higher capacity. A 3,000 watt inverter is recommended to be able to run the microwave oven from the batteries. You can read more about inverters here.

COMBINATION: Solar + Power Station

Combining solar panels with a power station is a highly effective way to go. You get all the advantages of both, with the blissful silence that a generator can't offer.

The solar panels can replace the energy in your power station whenever the sun shines. This effectively makes the batteries last longer. The power station gives you a reliable backup for cloudy days.

Choosing portable solar and a portable power station is also very cost-effective, since neither requires any installation. You just plug and play. When you don't need them, you can leave them at home, which saves weight, too.

Regardless of which solution you choose, adding electrical gear to give you more boondocking time is a great advantage. It will open up new travel options for you and eliminate worries about running out of power when away from hookups.