Camping Power Calculator
Built for campers: fridge, phones, lights, camera, laptop, speaker, fan, Starlink and coffee machine are preloaded as a starting point. Edit, remove or add anything, set your trip length, and get a recommended power station size plus optional solar.
| Appliance | Watts | Hours/day | Qty | Wh/day | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12V camping fridge (small, ~20–40L)DC (12V) | 1,080 Wh | ||||
| Smartphone chargingDC (12V) | 20 Wh | ||||
| LED camp light / lanternDC (12V) | 20 Wh | ||||
| Camera battery chargerDC (12V) | 15 Wh | ||||
| LaptopAC (via inverter) | 260 Wh | ||||
| Portable speakerDC (12V) | 45 Wh | ||||
| 12V or USB fanDC (12V) | 150 Wh | ||||
| Starlink (standard kit)AC (via inverter) | 440 Wh | ||||
| Coffee machineAC (via inverter) | 120 Wh |
Appliance library
Wattages shown are estimates. Check the rating label or manual of your actual appliance for the most accurate value — every field is editable once added.
A reserve helps account for conversion losses, temperature, battery aging and differences between estimated and actual appliance consumption. Default is 20%.
Applied to AC appliances only, to approximate inverter conversion losses — theoretical battery capacity is not the same as real usable AC energy. Default is 85%. DC (12V) appliances are not adjusted.
Sizing power for a camping trip
Camping loads are usually dominated by one thing: your fridge, which runs continuously rather than for a few hours a day. Everything else — phones, lights, a speaker, occasional laptop use — tends to be small by comparison. Starlink and coffee machines are the two most common surprises, since both draw meaningfully more than most other camping gear.
Worked example
A 12V camping fridge estimated at 45W average over 24 hours uses roughly 45 × 24 = 1,080Wh/day. Add two phones charging (≈20Wh/day each), a few hours of LED lighting (≈20Wh/day) and occasional Starlink use (≈440Wh/day for 8 hours), and a 4-day trip with a 20% reserve lands well over 6,000Wh — which is why campers running Starlink and a fridge together usually pair a power station with solar rather than relying on capacity alone.
Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission if you buy through links on this site, at no extra cost to you. Recommendations are based on product suitability and published specifications, not commission rates. Read our full affiliate disclosure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much solar do I need for camping?+
Enough to offset your daily use during however many peak sun hours you realistically get — the calculator above estimates a practical wattage range once you've added your appliances. See the dedicated Solar Panel Size Calculator for more detail.
Does Starlink really use that much power camping?+
Starlink's standard kit typically draws somewhere in the 40–75W range once running, which adds up over several hours a day — noticeably more than phone or light charging, and worth accounting for separately rather than lumping in with 'electronics'.
How long will my camping fridge run on a portable power station?+
That depends on the power station's usable capacity and your fridge's real average consumption — see the dedicated 12V Fridge Runtime Calculator for a focused answer.
Related Calculators
Off-Grid Days Calculator
Estimate how many days you can camp off-grid based on your battery capacity, daily energy use, and solar input under different sun scenarios.
Power Station Size Calculator
Work out what size portable power station you need in Wh, based on the devices you want to run, how many hours per day, and how many days off-grid.
Caravan Power Calculator
Size your caravan's 12V and AC appliance load, battery bank, solar array and inverter for extended off-grid touring.
RV Power Calculator
Size your RV's 12V and AC appliance load, battery bank, solar array and inverter for boondocking and off-grid RV travel.