How to Get Electricity While Camping – 7 Common Ways

Solar power, gas generators, and car batteries are three of the few ways to get electricity while camping. But while they can all be your camping power source, their efficiency, output power, operation costs, safety, and eco-friendliness differ.

Of the 3 camping power sources we stated above, gas generators typically offer the highest maximum power output. But they are more expensive to run than the other two and the least eco-friendly option.

Car batteries offer limited output power. Once the charge they carry is depleted, they are done. But they attract little or no running costs and are pretty safe to use.

Solar power is the most eco-friendly. It attracts no running costs, is safe to use, and has decent output power. However, you will have no power supply without the sun, unless you connect a battery to the system.

7 Most Common Ways to Get Electricity While Camping

1. Portable Solar Panels – Most Eco-friendly
2. Gas Generator – Needs Fuel to Run
3. Car Battery (Power Inverter) – Borrow Electricity from Your Car
4. Portable Battery Packs – A Must Have
5. Pedal Generator – Turns Your Calories into Electrical Power
   
6. Wind and Water Turbine – Runs on Kinetic Energy
7. Thermoelectric Generator – Energy Through Heat

These power sources do not offer the same electricity generation experience like the methods we started with.

A portable power device such as a portable battery has limited output power. But they are easy to carry around and do not attract extra running costs. Pedal generators are pretty effective and relatively inexpensive. But they require a lot of physical energy to run.

Wind and water turbines incur no running costs, and they pose little or no environmental risk. But in the absence of wind or water, they cannot produce electricity for your camping trip.

Best Portable Power Supply With Its Benefits

1. Portable Solar Power Panels for Camping

One way to get camping electricity is via a solar setup. Portable Solar Panels utilize energy from the sun in the form of photons to generate electricity. As the photons hit solar cells, they bounce electrons off the loose atoms of the compounds in the solar cells. These electrons, in turn, move into a circuit and generate camping electricity.

When trying to get a solar electricity camping setup, ensure you opt for a waterproof product that is hardy enough to handle the harsh conditions outdoors. Also, please ensure the said product is lightweight, so you can move it around without sweat.

Benefits

One of the positives of solar power camping setups is that they are noiseless. But apart from that, the energy is clean, and they are free to run.

The amount of power a PV panel can generate depends partly on its number of modules. So, while portable solar panels will be easier to pack for camping trips, you will get more power with larger solar panels.

This is why the solar panels for RVs are typically larger than portable solar panels for camping. When you get a solar panel for your RV, you may choose to install it yourself or opt for professional installation.

Cons

One downside to using a solar power source is their reliance on the sun. The sun does not shine all the time, and when there is no sun, you cannot generate electricity from solar energy. The good news is there is a way around this pitfall.

A solar electricity camping kit will often come with a portable battery pack. The PV panel will charge the power pack when there is sunlight. Then, in the absence of the sun, the power stored by the power pack will be used to run your electronic devices. So, this way, there should always be power to keep your devices running day and night.

Talking about solar electricity camping kits, you could opt for a solar-powered generator. Solar-powered generators are basically like a complete hub for solar electricity generation while camping.

Another con of solar electricity is the high cost of getting solar panels/solar-powered generators. But this initial steep price is balanced out by the zero cost of operation.

2. Gas Generators

Gas generators are one of the first options that come to mind when thinking of off-grid electricity. A gas generator uses a combustion engine and runs on gasoline or gas.

Due to the shortcomings of gas-powered generators, many campsites have banned their use. So, if you are thinking of using one, verify that your intended campsite allows it.

If you are considering using a gas-powered generator on your camping trip, check out the Durostar Gas Powered Portable Generator.

Benefits

The main benefit of using a gasoline generator for electricity while camping is that it will generate more power than most other available options.

Cons

Compared to solar panels, a gasoline generator is very noisy. But apart from that, gas generators emit fumes, which do no good to the environment.

Unlike solar electricity camping setups, gas-powered generators are pretty expensive to run. They can consume as much as 0.75 gallons or more in one hour. Of course, fuel consumption depends on various factors like power output and load.

In many cases, the point of going camping is to enjoy the freshness of nature. But since this type of portable power station emits fumes, it beats the point. Then again, a gasoline generator is powered by a non-renewable source of energy. So, they are not eco-friendly.

3. Car Battery

Another way to get electricity while on a camping trip is through your battery. To access the power on your battery, you will need a power inverter with a car adapter to connect to the cigarette lighter port. The reason for installing a power inverter is to convert the direct current from the car battery to an alternating current, which your devices can use.

Products such as the BESTEK 300W Power Inverter and the FOVAL 150W Car Power Inverter 12V are two options you may consider if you intend to use your battery.

You could get a portable power pack in place of the car battery installed in your car. These types already come with USB ports, 12v lithium-ion batteries, a power inverter, and various other outlets/ports. So, they are basically plug-and-play.

Some 12-volt power packs can also be used to jump-start your car batteries. These types also come with a power inverter. But they are typically heavy and not very portable, so you may not want to opt for them as a power source in camp.

Benefits

Car batteries are pretty portable, especially one already installed in your car. Since you will be camping in your car, the battery will accompany you.

Cons

The downside to using your car battery for power supply is that it can only power small appliances. Plus, if you use it for too long, you may drain the battery till it does not have enough charge to start the car.

4. Portable Power Bank

Portable battery packs are basically battery storage you can easily carry around while on a camping trip. These battery packs are powered by lithium-ion batteries, and they come with USB ports for charging your devices. They also have an inlet power port through which the battery is charged.

A smaller portable power pack typically weighs just about two pounds or less. So, you can carry them around at will.

If you consider getting portable battery storage, check out the Alxum USB Charging Station.

A portable battery bank comes with batteries that have different capacities.

Generally, the higher the battery capacity, the more charge the battery will store. The more charge the battery stores, the more devices it can charge and the longer it can charge the devices.

Note that battery capacity is measured in Ah or mAh. So, look out for the value of this unit when verifying the battery capacity of portable power banks.

Some of the most powerful compact portable batteries for camping are rated at around 26 Ah. However, you can get some with a rating as high as 100 Ah.

Benefits

As the name hints, portable power banks are very easy to carry around. They are also noiseless, reliable, and inexpensive.

Cons

Battery banks are limited by the capacity of their battery. But if you want something that will last for many days while powering many devices, opt for one with a huge battery capacity.

5. 20-Watt Pedal Generator

A pedal generator is another type of generator you can take while going camping. Pedal generators generate electricity from the kinetic energy provided by the person working the pedal.

Unlike other power generators, pedal generators need fuel, heat, or electricity. Therefore, they are basically free to operate. However, if you consider the energy you will expend while pedaling one, they are pretty energy-intensive.

On the bright side, it is a way to keep fit while producing power for yourself.

Since these generators do not store power, you may have to connect portable power storage (a battery). This way, you would not have to pedal every time. Alternatively, look out for portable pedal generators that come with their own batteries.

Benefits

Compared to other generators, pedal generators are relatively inexpensive. Also, they are quite effective, and you can charge multiple devices on them at once.

Cons

Pedal generators do not store power. So, you have to pedal them every time you need electricity, and pedaling can be a bit tiring.

6. Wind and Water Turbine

Wind and water turbines work the same way. They utilize mechanical energy (kinetic energy) from renewable energy sources (water and wind) to generate electricity.

As wind or water collides with the blades of the turbine, they rotate. This rotation, in turn, drives the rotation of the coiled wire cylinder in the generator. Electricity is produced as this cylinder rotates within the magnetic field inside the generator.

These wind turbines come with various power output ratings. But those commonly used for camping typically have a peak output of around 15 watts and come with 2 USB ports.

Benefits

Besides solar camping setups, wind/water turbines are another clean energy source of electricity for camping. Like solar setups, they incur no operation cost and are noiseless.

Cons

In the absence of wind or if the force of the water is insufficient, you may be unable to use the turbine. But since you will be outdoors, the chances of getting a good source of wind or water are pretty high.

7. Thermoelectric Generator

Thermoelectric generators create electricity by utilizing the temperature difference between two points. Temperature differences between the charge carriers in a piece of material create a potential difference, creating voltage.

Compared to gas-powered generators, thermoelectric generators are pretty expensive. But that aside, they are the more efficient option of the two types of generators.

To use a thermoelectric generator while camping, you need a source of heat. Typically, coal and wood are used to generate the needed heat, and the emissions from these materials pollute the environment.

Benefits

Thermoelectric generators are pretty efficient. On average, you can get 5 to 12 watts from them.

Cons

The heat sources (wood and coal) are not quite eco-friendly. Then again, since the said heat sources are set on fire, thermoelectric generators may pose a fire hazard.

Final Thoughts

Our favorite way to get electricity while camping is via wind/water turbines. This is because they offer eco-friendly electricity with free operating costs and no noise.

The gas generator is pretty expensive to run, it is noisy, and it is not so eco-friendly. However, it offers a lot of power.

The portable power supply battery pack and car battery options are noiseless and portable, but they are limited by the capacities of their batteries. Then pedal and thermoelectric generators are limited by the source of the energy that powers them.

Ultimately, you may have to combine two or more of the options we discussed for the best experience.

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