Safe
9
Best Power Stations for Portable AC
We tested 33 portable power stations against the Portable AC (12,000 BTU) (1357W running / 4071W surge). 12 passed our True Surge protocol — 36% compatibility rate.
Tight
3
With Soft-Starter
9
Incompatible
12
○ Device source: Engineering Est.
Derived from variant list (max of variants). Worst case = Midea MAP12S1TBL (1357W running, 4071W surge).
Our Top Picks
9 compatible models rankedRanked by value, balance, and endurance from 9 compatible generators.
Best Budget Safe
Explorer 2000 Plus
Running 3,000W
Surge 6,000W
Capacity 2,042 Wh
Weight 61.5 lbs (27.9 kg)
Carry Two-person recommended
Runtime 1.1h
Best Overall Safe
Pecron E3600LFP
Running 3,600W
Surge 7,000W
Capacity 3,072 Wh
Weight 79.4 lbs (36.0 kg)
Carry Two-person recommended
Runtime 1.6h
Best Runtime Safe
Delta Pro Ultra
Running 6,000W
Surge 12,000W
Capacity 6,144 Wh
Weight 182.1 lbs (82.6 kg)
Carry Two-person recommended
Runtime 3.2h
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Our methodology
Runtime at a glance
How long each station runs a Portable AC on a single charge (after 0.70 real-world derate)
Delta Pro Ultra X 6,144 Wh 3.2h
Delta Pro Ultra 6,144 Wh 3.2h
Zendure SuperBase V4600 4,608 Wh 2.4h *
DELTA Pro 3 4,096 Wh 2.1h
Yeti Pro 4000 3,993.6 Wh 2.1h
Anker SOLIX F3800 3,840 Wh 2h
Delta Pro 3,600 Wh 1.9h
Pecron E3600LFP 3,072 Wh 1.6h
Safe
With soft-starter
Showing top 8 by runtime. See full table below for all 21 stations (12 pass, 9 with soft-starter).
* Requires a soft-start device installed. Without one, these stations cannot handle the startup surge.
What to Know About the Portable AC (12,000 BTU)
Power Profile
Running range: 1250W to 1357W across common portable AC designs. Startup range: 3750W to 4071W with standard non-inverter compressors. Voltage: 120V AC. All variants use on/off rotary compressors with 3x estimated startup inrush.
Real-World Usage
Typical usage is 4 hours daily for supplemental or backup cooling. Daily energy consumption ranges from 5000 to 5428Wh depending on the model. Compressor cycling creates repeated surge events throughout operation.
Pro Tip
Portable ACs are among the hardest 120V loads for power stations due to sustained high draw plus compressor surge. Verify both continuous and peak ratings before connecting.
Full Compatibility Matrix
All 33 generators tested against the Portable AC (12,000 BTU) (1357W / 4071W).
| Power Station | Running W | Surge W | Capacity | Weight | Verdict | Runtime | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Pro Ultra X | 12,000 | 24,000 | 6,144 Wh | 187.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 3.2h | View |
| Delta Pro Ultra | 6,000 | 12,000 | 6,144 Wh | 182.1 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 3.2h | View |
| DELTA Pro 3 | 4,000 | 8,000 | 4,096 Wh | 113.5 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 2.1h | View |
| Yeti Pro 4000 | 3,600 | 7,200 | 3,993.6 Wh | 115.7 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 2.1h | View |
| Anker SOLIX F3800 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 3,840 Wh | 132.3 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 2h | View |
| Delta Pro | 3,600 | 7,200 | 3,600 Wh | 99.2 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.9h | View |
| Pecron E3600LFP | 3,600 | 7,000 | 3,072 Wh | 79.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.6h | View |
| Explorer 3000 Pro | 3,000 | 6,000 | 3,024 Wh | 63.9 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.6h | View |
| Explorer 2000 Plus | 3,000 | 6,000 | 2,042 Wh | 61.5 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.1h | View |
| AC200MAX | 2,200 | 4,800 | 2,048 Wh | 61.9 lbs Two-person recommended | Tight | 1.1h | View |
| DELTA 2 Max | 2,400 | 4,800 | 2,048 Wh | 50.7 lbs Heavy carry | Tight | 1.1h | View |
| Explorer 2000 v2 | 2,200 | 4,400 | 2,042 Wh | 39.5 lbs One-person carry | Tight | 1.1h | View |
| Zendure SuperBase V4600 | 3,800 | 3,800 | 4,608 Wh | 121.3 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 2.4h * | View |
| Elite 200 V2 | 2,600 | 3,600 | 2,073 Wh | 53.4 lbs Heavy carry | Soft Start | 1.1h * | View |
| AC200L | 2,400 | 3,600 | 2,048 Wh | 62.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 1.1h * | View |
| Yeti 1500X | 2,000 | 3,500 | 1,516 Wh | 45.6 lbs Heavy carry | Soft Start | 0.8h * | View |
| DELTA (Gen 1) | 1,800 | 3,300 | 1,260 Wh | 30.9 lbs One-person carry | Soft Start | 0.6h * | View |
| AC180 | 1,800 | 2,700 | 1,152 Wh | 36.2 lbs One-person carry | Soft Start | 0.6h * | View |
| SOLIX C1000 | 1,800 | 2,400 | 1,056 Wh | 28.4 lbs One-person carry | Soft Start | 0.5h * | View |
| DELTA 2 | 1,800 | 2,700 | 1,024 Wh | 26.5 lbs One-person carry | Soft Start | 0.5h * | View |
| DELTA 3 Plus | 1,800 | 3,600 | 1,024 Wh | 27.6 lbs One-person carry | Soft Start | 0.5h * | View |
| Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 1,070 Wh | 23.8 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| VTOMAN Jump 1500X | 1,500 | 3,000 | 828 Wh | 36.2 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| SOLIX C800 Plus | 1,200 | 1,600 | 768 Wh | 24.0 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| AC70 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 768 Wh | 22.5 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 2 Pro | 800 | 1,600 | 768 Wh | 18.3 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Explorer 500 | 500 | 1,000 | 518.4 Wh | 13.2 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 2 Max | 500 | 1,000 | 512 Wh | 13.4 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| SOLIX C300 | 300 | 300 | 288 Wh | 9.0 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Explorer 300 Plus | 300 | 600 | 288 Wh | 8.4 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| EB3A | 600 | 1,200 | 268.8 Wh | 10.1 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 2 | 300 | 600 | 256 Wh | 7.7 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 3 | 300 | 600 | 245 Wh | 7.7 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
* Runtime with soft-starter installed. Without a soft-starter, these units cannot handle the startup surge.
Model Variants
Different models have different power requirements. Check the specific report for your exact model.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many power stations can run a Portable AC?
Out of 33 portable power stations we tested, 12 can safely run a Portable AC (9 with full safety margin, 3 at tight margin). 12 are incompatible.
What specs should I look for to run a Portable AC?
Your power station needs at least 1,357W continuous output and 4,071W surge capacity. We recommend a safety buffer of 25% above these minimums for reliable operation.
How do we test compatibility?
Every pairing is evaluated using our True Surge protocol: we compare OEM-verified running watts, surge watts, and voltage requirements against each power station's published specs, with load-profile-specific safety buffers applied. Read our full methodology.
Can a portable AC run on a battery power station?
Only if your power station provides at least 1357W continuous and 4071W surge at 120V. Compressor startup surge is usually the main limiting factor.
Compare these models
Side-by-side comparisons for the top picks on this page.