- 1,400W
- while running, 3,300W to start
- 20,160Wh
- used over a full day
- 7 of 15
- models we track can run it
- Best for an afternoon of coolingAnker Solix F38003.9 hr$1,979.99Check price
- Smallest unit that can growEcoFlow Delta 3 Plus1.0 hr$669Check price
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Runtime for every model
| Model | Runtime | Capacity | Output | Weight | Price | Per Wh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow River 3 | Can't run it | 245Wh | 300W | 7.8 lb | $239 | $0.98 |
| Jackery Explorer 300 v2 | Can't run it | 288Wh | 300W | 8.2 lb | $299 | $1.04 |
| Anker Solix C300 | Can't run it | 288Wh | 300W | 9.1 lb | $249 | $0.86 |
| EcoFlow River 3 Plus | Can't run it | 286Wh | 600W | 10.4 lb | $299 | $1.05 |
| Bluetti AC70 | Can't run it | 768Wh | 1,000W | 22.5 lb | $359 | $0.47 |
| EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus | 1.0 hr | 1,024Wh | 1,800W | 27.6 lb | $669 | $0.65 |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | Can't start it | 1,070Wh | 1,500W | 23.8 lb | $499 | $0.47 |
| Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 | Can't start it | 1,024Wh | 2,000W | 24.9 lb | $499.99 | $0.49 |
| Bluetti Elite 100 V2 | 1.0 hr | 1,024Wh | 1,800W | 25 lb | $489 | $0.48 |
| EcoFlow Delta 3 Max | 2.1 hr | 2,048Wh | 2,400W | 44.8 lb | $879 | $0.43 |
| Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 | 2.1 hr | 2,042Wh | 2,200W | 39.5 lb | $899 | $0.44 |
| Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 | 2.1 hr | 2,048Wh | 2,400W | 41.7 lb | $899.99 | $0.44 |
| Bluetti Elite 200 V2 | Can't start it | 2,073Wh | 2,600W | 53.4 lb | $899 | $0.43 |
| EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 | 4.1 hr | 4,096Wh | 4,000W | 113.5 lb | $2,799 | $0.68 |
| Anker Solix F3800 | 3.9 hr | 3,840Wh | 6,000W | 132.3 lb | $1,979.99 | $0.52 |
Shaded rows are our picks. Assumed load: A 13,500 BTU rooftop RV air conditioner with no soft-start kit, pulling 1,400W with the compressor on, running 60% of the time, with a 3,300W startup surge.
What a rooftop unit draws
An air conditioner’s size is given in BTU, a measure of how much heat it can move in an hour. A 13,500 BTU rooftop unit pulls about 1,400W while its compressor is on. The compressor is the pump inside that does the cooling work.
On a hot day the compressor runs about 60% of the time, so the average draw is about 840W. That is seven times what a fridge, internet, lights and phones average together in a house.
The 3,300W start decides who qualifies
Getting the compressor going takes about 3,300W for an instant, if the unit has no soft-start kit. That burst is called startup surge. A car uses the most fuel pulling away from a stop light, and a compressor is the same with electricity. The burst has to fit under the power station’s surge rating, or the station shuts off.
Five models cannot run the air conditioner at all, because they supply 1,000W or less. Three more have the running watts but cannot start it. The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 and Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 have 3,000W surge ratings, 300W short. Bluetti lists no surge rating for the Elite 200 V2, so our math holds it to its 2,600W output, 700W short.
Seven can start it. The EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus and Bluetti Elite 100 V2 do so with only 300W to spare. The Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 clears it by 700W, the Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 by 1,100W and the EcoFlow Delta 3 Max by 1,500W.
What a soft-start kit changes
A soft-start kit is an add-on part fitted to the air conditioner. It brings the compressor up to speed gradually, which lowers the startup surge. With a lower surge, more models may be able to start the unit, and the ones that only just clear it gain margin.
How much lower depends on the kit and the air conditioner. Check the kit maker’s published figure against the power station’s surge rating before you buy either one. A kit changes the start, not the running draw, so the hours stay the same. Fitting one means working inside the air conditioner, which is a job for an RV technician.
Runtime is short
The table works out to about 1 hour per 1,000Wh: 1.0 hour on a 1,000Wh unit, 2.1 on a 2,000Wh unit, 3.9 on the Anker Solix F3800 and 4.1 on the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3. Wh stands for watt-hours, a unit of energy: one watt used for one hour.
An 8-hour night at the 840W average would take about 7,900Wh out of the battery after losses. That is almost twice what the largest unit here holds.
Shade and a higher thermostat setting let the compressor rest more. If it runs 40% of the time and not 60%, 2.1 hours becomes about 3.1. A 15,000 BTU unit goes the other way. The nameplate lists amps. Multiply them by 120 volts to get watts, then scale our numbers.
A roof fan uses about 20W
A 12V roof vent fan pulls about 20W. The same 1,000Wh unit that runs the air conditioner for 1.0 hour runs that fan for about 46 hours. A workable plan is an hour of air conditioning at bedtime, then the fan until morning. The Maxxair fan guide has the numbers.
Plugging the RV in
The simple hookup uses the RV’s own shore power cord, the thick cord that normally plugs into a campground post. With the right adapter, it plugs into the power station.
Everything in the RV that runs on shore power then draws from the station, not only the air conditioner. Switch off what you do not need, such as an electric water heater, before you start the compressor.
Anything beyond that cord, such as wiring a station into the RV’s electrical system, is a job for an RV technician.
The picks in detail
EcoFlow Delta 3 Max
- 2.1 hr
- 13,500 BTU RV air conditioner
- $879
- $0.43 per Wh
- 44.8 lb
- Weight
The 3,300W start is the test, and this unit's 4,800W surge rating clears it by 1,500W, the most of any 2,000Wh unit. Its 2,400W output is 1,000W above the 1,400W running draw. It lists 2.1 hours on a hot day, enough to cool the RV down before bed, not to run all night. At $879, or $0.43 per watt-hour, it is the lowest-priced 2,000Wh unit. It weighs 44.8 lb.
What fits
- 4,800W surge, 1,500W over the start
- 2.1 hours on a hot day
- $0.43 per watt-hour
What does not
- 500W solar input, below the air conditioner's 840W average
- Cannot be expanded with extra batteries
EcoFlow's list price is $1,199. The Delta 3 Max Plus is a separate, pricier model.
Anker Solix F3800
- 3.9 hr
- 13,500 BTU RV air conditioner
- $1,979.99
- $0.52 per Wh
- 132.3 lb
- Weight
This is the lowest-cost way to get close to four hours. It lists 3.9 hours for $1,979.99, against 4.1 hours for the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 at $2,799. Its 9,000W surge rating is more than two and a half times the 3,300W start. Its 2,400W solar input is well above the air conditioner's 840W average, so a large set of panels could run the unit and still add charge. Expansion batteries are available. At 132.3 lb it is not something to lift in and out.
What fits
- 3.9 hours on a hot day
- 2,400W solar input
- Expansion batteries available
What does not
- 132.3 lb
- $1,979.99 for under four hours of cooling
Anker's list price is $2,199.99. A newer F3800 Plus is sold alongside it for more.
EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus
- 1.0 hr
- 13,500 BTU RV air conditioner
- $669
- $0.65 per Wh
- 27.6 lb
- Weight
This is the cheapest way in that still leaves a path to more. It lists 1.0 hour as sold, and add-on batteries take it up to 5kWh. Its 1,000W solar input is above the air conditioner's 840W average, which no 2,000Wh unit that can start it matches. The catch is the start. Its 3,600W surge rating clears 3,300W by only 300W, so an air conditioner that starts harder than ours may trip it. It costs $669.
What fits
- Expandable up to 5kWh with add-on batteries
- 1,000W solar input, above the 840W average
What does not
- 1.0 hour on a hot day as sold
- Only 300W of room over the 3,300W start
- $0.65 per watt-hour
EcoFlow's list price is $799.
Verdict
Buy the EcoFlow Delta 3 Max if you want to cool the RV for a couple of hours with the most starting room for the money. Buy the Anker Solix F3800 if an afternoon of cooling is the goal and the weight is not a problem. Choose the EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus only if you plan to add batteries and solar later. Skip the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2, Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 and Bluetti Elite 200 V2 unless a soft-start kit brings your unit's start under their limits. For a whole night on battery, use a roof fan.
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
- Best Portable Power Station for Maxxair FanA 12V roof vent fan draws about 20W. A 1,024Wh power station runs it nonstop for 1.9 days, or almost 6 nights. Runtimes for 15 models.
- Best Portable Power Station for Window Air ConditionerA 5,000 BTU window AC averages about 315W on a hot day, so a 2,000Wh power station runs it for about 5.5 hours. The honest math and four picks.
- 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.
- Best Portable Power Station for Diesel HeaterA 12V diesel heater averages 25W, so a 768Wh power station runs it for 3.5 nights. The catch is the 120W glow plug. Math for 15 models.