If you love what we do, please consider “buying us a coffee” to help us fund our endeavour of helping New Zealander’s get outdoors! All donations go towards the running of NZFA.
It’s almost impossible to forget the modern age we all now live in when we head off camping. If it’s wanting to stay connected with your phone or perhaps you want to charge a music speaker, we have some need to have power on hand to charge the devices that we use.
For some campers, it’s more of a medical purpose having to power a CPAP machine at night time which requires something more reliable and powerful, or for those who enjoy glamping, it is having a coffee machine on the go to make you human in the morning.
Whatever it is that requires power while you’re off-grid, there is an option for you. Here are some of the main types you will come across when considering powering up your campsite.
Petrol Generators
These are relatively affordable and reliable when they have a good inverter built into them. The downside is that they are often not allowed in regular campgrounds due to the noise they make. They also require additional fuel to run them and will often be bulky and heavy to transport.
You won’t run these continuously, so it will require you to start and stop them each time you want power. Not a great option if you are charging a phone, for instance.
Portable Power Bank
These can come in a vast range of sizes and capacities. They are useful for charging small devices like cell phones and tablets or USB-powered lights if you have them. The more capacity, the higher the price. The downside to these is that they will run out of power unless you have a way to charge them off-grid.
Lithium ones will definitely be the best choice when considering these, allowing more charges and will handle irregular use patterns better.
Portable Power Station
Much like the above power bank, this will allow you to charge devices as needed. Often these power stations will offer much more battery capacity allowing you more charge time or allowing more power-hungry items to be used, like CPAP machines, small fridge/freezers, more lights, etc.
They will often have more advanced electronics built into them, like fuse switches, incase you accidently overload it or a charge controller allowing you to charge it effectively when off grid with a solar panel. They will offer more connection options like USB, USB-C, 12v, 240v and have connection ports for solar panels ready to go.
The downside to these frankly is the price. They are excellent but not cheap to purchase, especially when you add in solar panels and cables.
How will you know which is right for you?
There are three main things to consider:
- What will you want to power, and how much does that device/s draw when in use (watts) i.e., a standard jug or toaster will use 1200-2000 watts when turned on, often tripping a circuit breaker instantly. Appliances will have the wattage marked on them.
- How long will you require power for when off-grid? (The size/capacity of the battery) a small power pack will charge a standard iPhone 3-5 times.
- How will you charge your power bank or power unit while off-grid?
This can be done with a cable plugged into your car when it’s running, but the best option is to get a good quality, compatible solar panel. This will provide ongoing charge even on cloudy days to your power station.
All of this can seem overwhelming and confusing to some of you, which we totally understand, along with companies who have recognized this have produced all-in-one solutions that make it easier for you to buy and to be able to plug and play. You just have to pay for it.
For others, you may wish to build your own power station set up, which will reduce the cost. We recommend you talk to an expert to ensure you are using all the correct components. Making it safe to use as power outdoors can be dangerous if not correctly put together and used.
Using power when outdoors for many doesn’t mean your not camping. For many of us, we have a requirement to charge phones for emergencies, cameras to capture family memories, laptops for work on the go, or to power fridges to keep food chilled. These devices have been developed so more people can get out and enjoy the outdoors and stay connected.
Ask us if you have any questions, or pop into an outdoor company like Torpedo7 and ask them to show you the options they have.
You can always reach out to us on our Facebook group: NZ Fun Adventures Camping.
If you love what we do, please consider “buying us a coffee” to help us fund our endeavour of helping New Zealander’s get outdoors! All donations go towards the running of NZFA.
Happy adventuring!
Jono & Chloe
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