Best RV Inverter Generators for Camping and Boondocking

A compressor motor draws far more current the instant it starts than it does once it is spinning at speed, because there is no back electromotive force yet to limit the inrush. For a typical 13,500 BTU rooftop RV air conditioner, published figures put running draw around 1,400 watts but starting draw around 3,000 watts, roughly double. A 15,000 BTU unit runs higher on both numbers. That gap between running and starting watts is the entire reason generator sizing charts look conservative next to a unit's running wattage alone, and it is the single most common reason a new generator will not start the AC even though its running wattage rating looked like plenty on paper.

We did not run these generators ourselves. These picks are built from each manufacturer's published starting and running watt ratings, listed outlet types, and verified owner reviews describing real-world starting performance with RV air conditioners and other loads. Your own air conditioner's data plate is the final word on what it actually needs; use it alongside the figures here.

Starting watts is the number to shop by. The table below lists each pick's rated starting watts alongside its outlet and fuel setup.

A soft starter cuts the compressor's inrush current substantially, often enough to let a rooftop air conditioner start on a generator that could not manage it before, and it usually costs less than stepping up to the next generator size. That tradeoff, a soft starter against a bigger generator, is common enough that it is worth working through deliberately rather than defaulting to more watts. See the soft starter picks and the soft starter versus bigger generator comparison before spending on either one.

A generator needs to cover the air conditioner's starting surge plus whatever else is actually running at that same moment: the converter charging the battery bank, the refrigerator, maybe a microwave. The generator size calculator and the air conditioner startup load calculator both walk through that math using your own appliance list rather than a generic rule of thumb, and they are worth running before you commit to a specific wattage class.

A dual fuel generator burns either gasoline or propane, and each has a real tradeoff worth knowing before choosing between the dual fuel models on this page and the single fuel ones. Gasoline generally delivers slightly more power per unit of fuel and is easier to find on the road, but it degrades in the tank over stretches of storage unless treated, which matters for a generator that sits unused between trips. Propane stores indefinitely without degrading, burns cleaner, and is often already onboard for the furnace and water heater, but a generator running on propane typically produces a bit less power than the same unit running on gasoline. For a generator used every trip, gasoline's efficiency edge often wins; for one that sits in a bay for weeks between uses, propane's shelf stability is the more practical choice.

A generator that is too heavy to lift comfortably tends to stay in the garage instead of getting deployed, which makes weight a real functional spec, not just a shipping detail. The lightest unit on this page is built specifically around portability, trading some starting capacity for a size one person can move without a hand truck or a second set of arms. The heavier dual fuel units trade that portability for higher starting watts and the flexibility of two fuel types, which is the right trade for a rig that regularly needs two air conditioners running but a poor one for an occasional weekend trip where a smaller, lighter unit will actually get used.

Some inverter generators support parallel operation, combining two smaller units into one larger power source through a dedicated parallel kit, which is worth considering if you already own one compatible generator and only occasionally need more capacity. This approach adds complexity, cost and another unit to store and maintain, so for most owners a single larger dual fuel generator is the simpler path to covering two air conditioners, with parallel capability worth checking on a specific model's spec sheet only if you already have a reason to own two units.

Match the generator to your starting surge, not your running watts, and confirm the figure against your own air conditioner's data plate before you buy.