The campsite generator debate has been running since portable gennies got cheap enough for everyone to own one. Hate them, tolerate them, or love them, they're not going anywhere — and modern inverter units have largely solved the worst complaint (the noise).

Here's the practical guide: what they're for, how to size one for your camp, the difference between conventional and inverter, and how to use one without making everyone within 200m want to throw it in the river.

Photo by Lukas Tennie on Unsplash

Solar and dual-battery setups are great. They handle fridges, lights, USB charging, even modest 240V loads via an inverter. But they hit a wall the moment you want serious power: a roof-mount caravan air conditioner, a microwave, a kettle, an electric jaffle iron — these things draw 1500-2500W and there's no battery setup that's going to run them for long.

That's where a petrol generator earns its space. Big draw, on demand, fuel-efficient enough to run for hours on a few litres. Especially relevant for:

• Caravan owners with reverse-cycle aircon
• Long base-camp setups (week+ in one spot, fishing or family camps)
• Motorhomes with multiple appliances running
• Anyone who needs to run power tools at remote camps

Two main types, and the difference is bigger than the price tag suggests.

Conventional generators use a wire-wound alternator running at a constant 3000 rpm to produce 240V AC at 50Hz. The engine has to keep that exact speed regardless of load, so it's running flat out whether you're powering a laptop or a toaster. Cheaper, simpler, noisier, and less fuel-efficient at low loads.

Inverter generators produce DC first, then electronically convert to clean 240V AC. The engine ramps up and down with demand — idles when nothing's drawing, ramps up only when a fridge cuts in. Result: way less fuel use, way less noise, and a cleaner output that's safe for sensitive electronics (laptops, satellite gear, CPAP machines).

Our take: if you can afford it, get an inverter. The fuel and noise difference over the life of the unit is huge, and the cleaner power means you can run anything without worrying about frying it.

Photo: Peter Schulz / Unsplash

Generators are rated in KVA (kilovolt-amperes). For most resistive loads, 1 KVA roughly equals 1 KW — so a 2 KVA unit will run a 2 KW kettle. That's the easy bit.

The catch: motor-driven loads (anything with a compressor — air conditioners, fridges, power tools) draw a startup spike that can be 3-5x the rated running wattage. So a 1.6 KW air conditioner can momentarily need 6.5 KVA to start before settling back to its 1.6 KW running draw.

Real-world sizing for typical setups:

• Tent camp + 12V fridge — 1 KVA inverter (Honda EU10i, Yamaha EF1000iS). Tiny, quiet, sips fuel
• Caravan with small aircon — 2 KVA inverter (Honda EU22i, Yamaha EF2000iS). The sweet spot for most owners
• Caravan with bigger aircon + microwave — 3 KVA inverter (Honda EU30i, parallel-linked 2x EU22i). Heavier but handles everything
• Motorhome with multiple appliances — 6.5 KVA conventional, often built-in

Two-can-be-better-than-one tip: two 2 KVA inverter units that link in parallel (most Honda and Yamaha models support this) give you 4 KVA when you need it and one quiet little unit when you don't. Easier to handle and store too.

Even a properly sized generator has limits. The classic mistake: kettle on, microwave going, hairdryer in the bathroom. Most 2 KVA units will trip out instantly.

Get into the habit of stacking your loads. Boil the kettle, then make the toast, then heat the microwave. Run continuous-draw stuff (fridge, lights, TV) on a constant baseline and add high-draw items one at a time.

Worth knowing the rough wattage of common appliances:

• LED light: 5-10W
• Mobile phone charger: 10W
• Laptop: 60-90W
• 12V fridge running: 50-80W (1500W startup spike)
• Caravan aircon: 1200-2500W running
• Kettle: 2000-2400W
• Microwave: 1500W (rated draw, can spike higher)
• Toaster: 800-1200W
• Hair dryer: 1500-1800W

Photo: Lindsay Doyle / Unsplash

This is what makes the difference between being the camp's quiet generator owner and being the camp's villain. The rules are unwritten but firm:

• Locate it well away from your neighbours. Even a quiet inverter unit isn't silent. Put it on the far side of your van or vehicle, downwind if possible
• Keep running times reasonable. Morning brew (7-9am), afternoon (4-6pm), evening (after dinner if needed). Not 5am, not 11pm
• If you're in a national park, check the rules. Many parks have generator-permitted and generator-free zones. Some ban them outright. Read the signs at the entrance
• If neighbours arrive after you and your generator is going, ask them if it's bothering them. They'll probably say no, but the gesture costs nothing and goes a long way

The reverse: if your neighbour's running one and it's annoying you, don't passive-aggressive it. Just ask if they can turn it off in the evening. Most generator owners are reasonable people who haven't thought about how it sounds from 30m away.

Petrol generators are appliances that produce voltage AND consume fuel. Both can hurt you if you ignore the basics.

• Never run indoors. Tent, awning, garage, caravan storage area — none of them. CO is odourless and kills people every year
• Never run near a campfire — petrol vapour can drift and ignite
• Refuel cold. Stop the unit, let it cool, then refuel. Hot exhaust + petrol vapour = bad combination
• Power leads off walking paths. Especially at night when people are stumbling between vans
• Service it. Oil change every 100 hours minimum. Fuel stabiliser if it'll sit unused for months. Spark plug check yearly

And keep a small fire extinguisher within reach when you're using one — preventable problems become emergency problems faster than you'd think.

For most casual campers, a generator is overkill �� a good 12V battery + 200W of solar will run a fridge and lights indefinitely. But if you've got a caravan with aircon, a long base-camp habit, or just like the comfort, a 2 KVA inverter generator (Honda EU22i is the benchmark, Yamaha EF2000iS the close second) will pay for itself in flexibility many times over.

Buy quality, be considerate, and the genny vs no-genny debate stops mattering — you'll be the camp that nobody can hear and everyone forgets is even using one.