What's a Good Size Generator for Camping?
For most campers, what size generator for camping comes down to 2kVA: enough for a fridge, lights and chargers, light enough to lift. Go 3kVA for caravan aircon. Before buying portable generators, check where you can run one.
Size is only half of it. The other half is the weight you'll lift into the ute, the noise your neighbours hear, and whether the campground lets you start it at all.
Our generator size guide covers every job. This one's just for camping.
Camping Generator Sizes: 1kVA, 2kVA and 3kVA
1kVA for Lights, Phones and a Bar Fridge
Energy Safe Victoria says a 750W to 1,000W generator runs a small bar fridge, computers and camping LED lights. It also says one won't run a small kettle or toaster.
That suits a weekend of lights, phones and a small fridge. The Westinghouse iGen1250 runs at 1,000W and weighs 12.5kg dry.
2kVA for a Fridge and One Cooking Appliance
Step up to 2,000W and the same guide says you can run a standard fridge, a microwave or a kettle, though maybe not all three at once. For most camping, that's the sweet spot.
The Champion 2.5kVA inverter runs at 1,900W and weighs 17kg. The Hyundai HY2000Si runs at 1,600W, weighs 21kg dry and is the cheapest generator we sell at $698.50.
3kVA for Caravan Aircon
Aircon changes the answer. Its start-up surge is the biggest load most campers own, and starting current varies a lot between units. Our sizing guide puts most vans with aircon at 3kVA. That doesn't have to mean a heavy unit. The Hyundai HY3500i runs at 3,000W and weighs 23kg, only 2kg more than the HY2000Si.
Browse the caravan generators, and read the guide to powering a caravan with a generator before you pick.
Camping Loads and Start-Up Watts
These are typical figures from Queensland's Electrical Safety Office. Your own gear's compliance plate beats any table, so check it.
| Camping load | Running watts | Start-up watts |
|---|---|---|
| Light globe | 40W to 100W | - |
| Portable radio | 5W to 45W | - |
| TV | 40W to 180W | - |
| Fridge or freezer | about 180W | about 1,800W |
| Electric frypan | 1,300W | - |
| Microwave | 625W to 2,000W | - |
| Coffee maker | 1,750W to 2,400W | - |
Coffee Machines, Kettles and Microwaves
The coffee maker is what catches campers out. At up to 2,400W, it can need more than a 2kVA inverter's running rating on its own. Either take a 3kVA unit or a smaller machine.
Run your big loads one at a time, and let the fridge compressor start before you switch the microwave on. The Queensland regulator also says a generator shouldn't run continuously above 80% of its rated capacity.
Noise, Weight and National Park Generator Rules
Generator Rules in NSW and Queensland Parks
Plenty of national park campgrounds don't allow generators. Queensland Parks says they aren't permitted in most parks or forests. Where they are, each park page lists its own noise limit and hours.
In NSW, National Parks allows them with restrictions in some designated campgrounds. It limits you to one generator per group and asks you to set it closer to your camp than your neighbours'. Some parks also run noise curfews in their campgrounds. Both states have exemptions for medical devices, and Queensland's calls for a low-decibel generator of 65dB(A).
Check your campground's page before you pack. If the answer's no, Parks Queensland points campers to solar panels and inverters, and portable power stations are worth a look.
Noise at 7 Metres and Carry Weight
| Generator | Running | Noise at 7m, as listed | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westinghouse iGen1250 | 1,000W | 54 dB(A) at quarter load | 12.5kg dry | $949 |
| Champion 2.5kVA inverter | 1,900W | 53 dBA | 17kg | $999 |
| Westinghouse 2400i | 2,100W | 52 dB(A) at 400W | 20kg dry | $1,199 |
| Hyundai HY2000Si | 1,600W | 58 dB(A) | 21kg dry | $698.50 |
| Briggs & Stratton P2500 | 1,800W | 58 dB(A) | 22.7kg | $1,399 |
| Hyundai HY3500i | 3,000W | 60 dB(A) | 23kg | from $1,354.10 |
Brands measure noise at different loads, so read the conditions and not just the number. All six list figures under the 65dB(A) Queensland uses for its medical exemption. Specs and prices were checked on our product pages on 14 September 2026.
Run Time and Safe Setup at Camp
A small inverter sips fuel at camping loads. The Champion 2.5kVA lists up to 11.5 hours at quarter load from its 4 litre tank, and the iGen1250 lists 9.1 hours at quarter load from 3 litres. On our fuel consumption figures, the Champion uses about 0.35 litres an hour at that load.
Set it up well away from the tent or van. Energy Safe Victoria says a generator only runs outside in a well-ventilated area, because carbon monoxide can kill very quickly. It also says never to cover a running generator, because the exhaust gets hot enough to start a fire.
Queensland's regulator adds that it should stay dry. In rain, run it on a dry surface under an open, canopy-style shelter, and switch it off before you refuel.
For most camping, it's a 2kVA inverter, or 3kVA if the van has aircon. The camping generators are all in one place, and the best inverter generator guide compares the quiet ones.
Not sure which one's for you? Tell us your gear list and we'll pick one with you. Ring the store on 03 7056 6732, text 0476 330 590, or try the generator finder.
