- 20W
- while running, 40W to start
- 480Wh
- used over a full day
- 15 of 15
- models we track can run it
- Best for overnight onlyEcoFlow River 3 Plus0.5 days$299Check price
- Longest between chargesBluetti Elite 200 V23.9 days$899Check price
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Runtime for every model
| Model | Runtime | Capacity | Output | Weight | Price | Per Wh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow River 3 | 0.5 days | 245Wh | 300W | 7.8 lb | $239 | $0.98 |
| Jackery Explorer 300 v2 | 0.5 days | 288Wh | 300W | 8.2 lb | $299 | $1.04 |
| Anker Solix C300 | 0.5 days | 288Wh | 300W | 9.1 lb | $249 | $0.86 |
| EcoFlow River 3 Plus | 0.5 days | 286Wh | 600W | 10.4 lb | $299 | $1.05 |
| Bluetti AC70 | 1.4 days | 768Wh | 1,000W | 22.5 lb | $359 | $0.47 |
| EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus | 1.9 days | 1,024Wh | 1,800W | 27.6 lb | $669 | $0.65 |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 2.0 days | 1,070Wh | 1,500W | 23.8 lb | $499 | $0.47 |
| Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 | 1.9 days | 1,024Wh | 2,000W | 24.9 lb | $499.99 | $0.49 |
| Bluetti Elite 100 V2 | 1.9 days | 1,024Wh | 1,800W | 25 lb | $489 | $0.48 |
| EcoFlow Delta 3 Max | 3.8 days | 2,048Wh | 2,400W | 44.8 lb | $879 | $0.43 |
| Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 | 3.8 days | 2,042Wh | 2,200W | 39.5 lb | $899 | $0.44 |
| Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 | 3.8 days | 2,048Wh | 2,400W | 41.7 lb | $899.99 | $0.44 |
| Bluetti Elite 200 V2 | 3.9 days | 2,073Wh | 2,600W | 53.4 lb | $899 | $0.43 |
| EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 | 7.7 days | 4,096Wh | 4,000W | 113.5 lb | $2,799 | $0.68 |
| Anker Solix F3800 | 7.2 days | 3,840Wh | 6,000W | 132.3 lb | $1,979.99 | $0.52 |
Shaded rows are our picks. Assumed load: A 12V roof vent fan on a middle speed, pulling 20W around the clock.
What a roof fan draws
A 12V roof vent fan, such as a Maxxair, is a small motor turning a blade. On a middle speed it pulls about 20 watts. It uses less on low and more on high. That makes it one of the lightest loads in a van.
For scale, a rooftop RV air conditioner pulls about 1,400W while its compressor runs. That is 70 times as much. The RV air conditioner guide shows what that takes. The fan is cheap to run because it does not cool the air. It only moves it, pushing hot air out so cooler air can come in through an open window.
A watt-hour counts energy: one watt, used for one hour. A 20W fan running for 24 hours uses 480 watt-hours a day.
Days per charge
Runtime here is counted in days, with the fan on around the clock. In our math, a station delivers 90% of its energy from its 12V output.
The 300Wh-class units give 11 to 13 hours, about half a day. The 768Wh unit gives 1.4 days. The 1,000Wh class gives 1.9 to 2.0 days, and the 2,000Wh class gives 3.8 to 3.9.
Overnight only roughly triples it
Around the clock is the worst case. Many people run the fan only while they sleep. Eight hours at 20W is 160Wh, a third of the full-day figure. So the same battery lasts about three times as many nights as it does days.
A 1,024Wh unit that gives 1.9 days nonstop gives 5.8 eight-hour nights. A small unit that gives 13 hours covers one night with 5 hours to spare.
Speed moves the number
The table assumes a middle speed. To check your own fan, find its amps at each speed in the manual. Watts are volts times amps, so a fan pulling 2 amps at 12 volts uses 24W.
Drop a speed at night when the air outside is cooler. If your fan has a thermostat setting, it can switch itself off once the van cools down, and that saves more.
Hooking it to a power station
The fan runs on 12V DC, the same kind of power the battery stores. That means it can skip the inverter, the part that makes household AC and loses some energy doing it. Leave the AC outlets switched off.
The car-style 12V socket on these stations is rated 120W or more. That is six times the fan’s draw, so a short pull of 40W at startup is no problem.
The catch is the wiring. A roof fan is normally wired into the van’s 12V fuse panel, not plugged in like a lamp. To feed it from a power station, it needs a 12V lead with a car-style plug and a fuse. Use the fuse size in the fan’s manual. If you are not sure about the wiring, ask an RV installer.
Solar for full-time use
Solar input is the most power a station can accept from panels. It decides whether a van that never plugs in can keep the fan going.
Nonstop, the fan needs 480Wh a day, which is about 530Wh out of the battery after losses. If roof panels deliver 100W on average for 6 hours of sun, that is 600Wh, enough to cover the fan and little else. A fridge, lights and laptops need more panel on top.
The small units accept 100W to 220W, and the Jackery Explorer 300 v2 lists no solar figure at all. Both Bluetti Elite picks accept 1,000W, which leaves room to add panels later.
The picks in detail
Bluetti Elite 100 V2
- 1.9 days
- 12V roof vent fan
- $489
- $0.48 per Wh
- 25 lb
- Weight
Around the clock, it runs the fan for 1.9 days. Overnight only, that stretches to almost 6 eight-hour nights. What suits full-time use is the 1,000W solar input, tied for the highest in the 1,000Wh class. The fan needs about 480Wh a day, so roof panels can cover it and still fill the battery. It costs $489, or $0.48 per watt-hour, and sale prices under $400 have appeared.
What fits
- 1.9 days nonstop, almost 6 nights
- 1,000W solar input
- $0.48 per watt-hour
What does not
- The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 runs 2 hours longer and weighs 1.2 lb less
- 25 lb
Sale prices under $400 have appeared.
EcoFlow River 3 Plus
- 0.5 days
- 12V roof vent fan
- $299
- $1.05 per Wh
- 10.4 lb
- Weight
If the fan only runs while you sleep, a small unit is enough. This one runs it for 12.9 hours, so an 8-hour night leaves about 5 hours in reserve. Its 220W solar input is the most of the four small units, which gives a panel room to put back a night's use the next day. Add-on batteries take it to 858Wh later. It weighs 10.4 lb and costs $299.
What fits
- 12.9 hours covers one night with reserve
- 220W solar input, the most of the small units
- Expands to 858Wh with add-on batteries
What does not
- Only 0.5 days if the fan runs around the clock
- $1.05 per watt-hour, more than double the larger picks
This is EcoFlow's regular price. It has sold for far less during sales.
Bluetti Elite 200 V2
- 3.9 days
- 12V roof vent fan
- $899
- $0.43 per Wh
- 53.4 lb
- Weight
3.9 days around the clock is the most of the 2,000Wh class, and overnight-only use stretches it past 11 nights. It makes sense when the fan shares the battery with a fridge, lights and laptops. The 1,000W solar input matches the Elite 100 V2, and its 6,000-cycle rating is the highest of the 15 models, which suits a battery used every day. It costs $899, or $0.43 per watt-hour. At 53.4 lb, it is a unit you install and leave.
What fits
- 3.9 days nonstop
- 1,000W solar input
- 6,000 cycles, the most of the 15
What does not
- 53.4 lb, the heaviest 2,000Wh unit
- Far more battery than a fan alone needs
Bluetti's list price is $1,099.
Verdict
Buy the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 if you live in the van and have roof panels or plan to add them. Pick the EcoFlow River 3 Plus if the fan only runs while you sleep on weekend trips and you want something light. Choose the Bluetti Elite 200 V2 if the fan shares the battery with a fridge and other gear and you want days between charges. Before you buy, check how your fan connects. Most are wired to a fuse panel and need a fused 12V lead to run from a power station.
How these numbers were worked out. Runtime = battery capacity × efficiency ÷ average watts. We use 85% efficiency for AC outlets and 90% for DC and USB ports, because some energy is lost as heat on the way out. A model is marked "can't run it" when the device needs more watts than the outlet gives, or a bigger startup surge than the unit is rated for. Your own device may draw more or less than our assumed load, so treat these as estimates. Prices were checked on 2026-10-04 and change often. Full method
Related guides
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- Best Portable Power Station for 12V Car FridgeA 45-litre 12V compressor fridge uses about 380Wh a day. A 768Wh power station runs one for 1.8 days from the 12V socket. Runtime math for 15 models.
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