Start from daily draw, not price
An RV is an arithmetic problem. Add up what you run in a day and the answer tells you what to buy. Most setups land between 1,000 and 1,500Wh per day, which is why 2,000Wh is the common recommendation — it gives you a day and a half of buffer for bad weather.
| Item | Draw | Per day |
|---|---|---|
| 12V compressor fridge | 40–60W cycling | 300–600Wh |
| Starlink Mini | ~40W | ~400Wh (10h) |
| Laptop | 45–65W | ~250Wh |
| LED lighting | 5–20W | ~60Wh |
| Phone charging | 10–20W | ~50Wh |
| Diesel heater | 10–30W running | ~150Wh |
| Water pump | 50–100W bursts | ~40Wh |
Starlink is the load people forget. At 40W continuous it does not cycle off the way a fridge does, so it is often the single largest draw in the van. Detail in best power station for Starlink.
What to buy
- Weekends: around 1,000Wh. EcoFlow Delta 2 — recharges fast between trips.
- Full-time: 2,000Wh plus 400W of solar. Bluetti AC200LCheck price at BLUETTI is the default.
- Big rig, heavy use: expandable. Bluetti Apex 300Check price at BLUETTI.
Charging on the road
Three sources, and you want at least two. Solar handles daytime; alternator charging tops up while driving and is far quicker than a 12V socket; shore power when you have it. Relying on solar alone in winter does not work at northern latitudes — see sizing solar.
More: off-grid and RV power.