What size generator for a cabin?
Check, uncheck or adjust the typical device list below — watts, startup surge and battery size update instantly. Numbers come from U.S. DOE, ENERGY STAR and manufacturer spec sheets, not marketing copy.
1. Check what you need to power
Refrigeration & Freezers
- 1
Kitchen
- 1
Heating, Cooling & Fans
Water & Pumps
Laundry & Cleaning
Electronics & Office
Medical Devices
Power Tools & Outdoor
Lighting
- 4
2. Your sizing
3. Best cross-brand matches
No single portable power station covers this load — look at expandable systems (e.g., EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 + extra battery, Anker SOLIX F3800 expansion packs) or a fixed home battery instead.
Static answer (crawlable summary)
Typical device list: Freezer (chest, ~15 cu ft)×1, Refrigerator (freezerless, ~16 cu ft)×1, RV 12V Water Pump (Shurflo 4008 class)×1, LED Bulb (60W equivalent)×4, Coffee Maker×1, Router + Modem×1, Starlink Standard (Gen 3)×1.
| Continuous load | 1,437 W |
|---|---|
| Startup peak | 1,637 W (driven by 1× Refrigerator (freezerless, ~16 cu ft)) |
| Daily energy use | 4,445 Wh |
| Recommended capacity | 5,560 Wh (25% margin included) |
| Minimum inverter | 1,590 W continuous |
Frequently asked questions
What size generator for a cabin?
For a typical setup (freezer (chest, ~15 cu ft), refrigerator (freezerless, ~16 cu ft), rv 12v water pump (shurflo 4008 class), led bulb (60w equivalent) and coffee maker), you need at least 1,437W of continuous power. The single biggest moment is startup: when 1× refrigerator (freezerless, ~16 cu ft) kicks on, the momentary draw peaks at 1,637W. For overnight runtime we recommend at least 5,560Wh of battery capacity (your devices use about 4,445Wh per day, plus a 25% margin).
Which power stations can handle this?
Look for a station whose surge rating covers 1,637W and whose capacity is at least 5,560Wh.
Why is the startup surge higher than the running watts?
Motor-driven devices (fridge compressors, well pumps, air conditioners) draw 2-5× their running power for a split second at startup — measured as locked-rotor amps (LRA). A generator that only meets the running load will trip or stall when the biggest motor starts. Our data sources: U.S. DOE Energy Saver, ENERGY STAR certified product database, and manufacturer spec sheets (Franklin Electric, Goodman, Zoeller).