Safe
2
Best Power Stations for RV Rooftop AC
We tested 33 portable power stations against the RV Rooftop AC (13,500 BTU) (1788W running / 8856W surge). 3 passed our True Surge protocol — 9% compatibility rate.
Tight
1
With Soft-Starter
6
Incompatible
24
○ Device source: Engineering Est.
Derived from variant list (max of variants). Running worst case = Dometic Brisk II B57915.71X (1788W from 120V x (12.4A compressor + 2.5A fan)). Surge worst case = Dometic Brisk II B57915.71X (8856W from 120V x (68.0A compressor LRA + 5.8A fan locked rotor amps) from OEM table).
Our Top Picks
2 compatible models rankedRanked by portability, balance, and endurance from 2 compatible generators.
Best Overall Safe
Delta Pro Ultra X
Running 12,000W
Surge 24,000W
Capacity 6,144 Wh
Weight 187.4 lbs (85.0 kg)
Carry Two-person recommended
Runtime 2.4h
Most Portable & 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
Portability 74.4 Wh/kg
Runtime 2.4h
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Runtime at a glance
How long each station runs a RV Rooftop AC on a single charge (after 0.70 real-world derate)
Delta Pro Ultra X 6,144 Wh 2.4h
Delta Pro Ultra 6,144 Wh 2.4h
DELTA Pro 3 4,096 Wh 1.6h *
Yeti Pro 4000 3,993.6 Wh 1.6h *
Anker SOLIX F3800 3,840 Wh 1.5h
Delta Pro 3,600 Wh 1.4h *
Pecron E3600LFP 3,072 Wh 1.2h *
Explorer 3000 Pro 3,024 Wh 1.2h *
Safe
Tight margin
With soft-starter
Showing top 8 by runtime. See full table below for all 9 stations (3 pass, 6 with soft-starter).
* Requires a soft-start device installed. Without one, these stations cannot handle the startup surge.
What to Know About the RV Rooftop AC (13,500 BTU)
Power Profile
RV rooftop AC is a compressor-dominant 120V load class where both continuous draw and startup behavior matter. This parent profile uses the most demanding variant in the set to prevent under-sizing recommendations.
Real-World Usage
In real RV use, a rooftop AC can run for hours once started, but startup and hot-weather margin are the key electrical constraints. Soft-start capable setups widen compatibility.
Pro Tip
For boondocking decisions, evaluate surge headroom first, then battery runtime for the planned cooling window.
Full Compatibility Matrix
All 33 generators tested against the RV Rooftop AC (13,500 BTU) (1788W / 8856W).
| 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 | 2.4h | View |
| Delta Pro Ultra | 6,000 | 12,000 | 6,144 Wh | 182.1 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 2.4h | View |
| Anker SOLIX F3800 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 3,840 Wh | 132.3 lbs Two-person recommended | Tight | 1.5h | View |
| DELTA Pro 3 | 4,000 | 8,000 | 4,096 Wh | 113.5 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 1.6h * | View |
| Yeti Pro 4000 | 3,600 | 7,200 | 3,993.6 Wh | 115.7 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 1.6h * | View |
| Delta Pro | 3,600 | 7,200 | 3,600 Wh | 99.2 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 1.4h * | View |
| Pecron E3600LFP | 3,600 | 7,000 | 3,072 Wh | 79.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 1.2h * | View |
| Explorer 3000 Pro | 3,000 | 6,000 | 3,024 Wh | 63.9 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 1.2h * | View |
| Explorer 2000 Plus | 3,000 | 6,000 | 2,042 Wh | 61.5 lbs Two-person recommended | Soft Start | 0.8h * | View |
| Zendure SuperBase V4600 | 3,800 | 3,800 | 4,608 Wh | 121.3 lbs Two-person recommended | Fail | N/A | View |
| Elite 200 V2 | 2,600 | 3,600 | 2,073 Wh | 53.4 lbs Heavy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| AC200L | 2,400 | 3,600 | 2,048 Wh | 62.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Fail | N/A | View |
| AC200MAX | 2,200 | 4,800 | 2,048 Wh | 61.9 lbs Two-person recommended | Fail | N/A | View |
| DELTA 2 Max | 2,400 | 4,800 | 2,048 Wh | 50.7 lbs Heavy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Explorer 2000 v2 | 2,200 | 4,400 | 2,042 Wh | 39.5 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Yeti 1500X | 2,000 | 3,500 | 1,516 Wh | 45.6 lbs Heavy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| DELTA (Gen 1) | 1,800 | 3,300 | 1,260 Wh | 30.9 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| AC180 | 1,800 | 2,700 | 1,152 Wh | 36.2 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 1,070 Wh | 23.8 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| SOLIX C1000 | 1,800 | 2,400 | 1,056 Wh | 28.4 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| DELTA 2 | 1,800 | 2,700 | 1,024 Wh | 26.5 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| DELTA 3 Plus | 1,800 | 3,600 | 1,024 Wh | 27.6 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.
Why 73% of Power Stations Fail
24 of 33 generators tested cannot safely run this device. Here's why.
Startup surge too high
The RV Rooftop AC (13,500 BTU) draws 8,856W at startup, 5.0× its running watts. Most portable power stations can't handle this inrush.
What to consider instead
- ▸ A soft-start device could make 6 additional power stations compatible Soft-start guide →
- ▸ Only 3 stations can handle this device. Check our top picks above for the best options
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 RV Rooftop AC?
Out of 33 portable power stations we tested, 3 can safely run a RV Rooftop AC (2 with full safety margin, 1 at tight margin). 24 are incompatible.
What specs should I look for to run a RV Rooftop AC?
Your power station needs at least 1,788W continuous output and 8,856W 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 power station run a 13,500 BTU RV rooftop AC?
Only if it can cover this profile at 120V: 1788W running and 8856W startup (or equivalent soft-start handling). In practice, startup headroom is usually the limiting factor.
Compare these models
Side-by-side comparisons for the top picks on this page.