Powering my truck camper with a portable power station | Anker Solix C1000

It’s been almost two years since I’ve owned my OVRLND Campers truck camper, and the entire time it’s been powered by the Anker Solix C1000 portable power station. I’ll give you some details about how all this works, but first here’s a quick rundown of what electrical items are running in my camper.

Product Link: Anker Solix C1000
Newer version: Anker Solix C1000 v2

Electrical appliances running in my truck camper:

Portable 12v fridge running 24/7
Maxxair Deluxe rooftop fan, daily usage
Charge phones, USB-C powered lights, computers
Powers a computer monitor, Google TV streaming stick
Powers a microwave, used about 2 minutes per day.
Occasionally powers 12v electric kettle
Powers a small 250 watt electric heater for cold mornings

If you have already been following this blog you know how I use my camper. While I don’t live in it, I use it daily for work breaks and kids sporting events. It’s not just a camping rig — more like a hangout rig when we’re out and about and need to kill time.

Why I chose the Anker Solix C1000

I wanted a portable power station running my truck camper because of one thing — simplicity. It has the solar controller built-in, fast-charging from a wall outlet, 1800 watt inverter. Plenty of outlets. A fantastic Bluetooth app. The list goes on and on.

Key Features of the Anker Solix C1000

1800 watt inverter will power just about any appliance I throw at it. It even runs a standard household vacuum cleaner, let alone the microwave I keep in the camper.
Charges up to 1,300 watts speed from a wall plug and 600 watts from solar/alternator charger. And boy do I use it!
6 power AC power outlets.
2 USB-C plugs and 2 USB-A plugs. Plenty of devices can be charged at once.
12v cigarette lighter style plug. I have a splitter and use this to power the Maxxair fan and portable fridge. No issues after a year.
1056wh of power. I could use more, but it’s no biggy since I can recharge quickly.

Obviously running the 1800 inverter will drain the battery, but that’s only turned on occasionally. Only the 12v plug is turned on 24/7.

I really didn’t want a ton of cords and components cluttering up my camper. The fan inside this power station is fantastic. I can use it in the house when there is a power outage. If I need more power I just bring along my trusty old Jackery 300.

When I’m on the road or camping I recharge the power station with the Etaker F1000 alternator charger, which sends up to 500 watts while driving. At the same time my Renogy 100 watt flat solar panel is on the roof sending power through the alternator charger, then to the power station. It’s a great setup. If I am parked, the alternator stops sending power but it allows solar power to pass through.

That’s not to say I don’t occasionally plug into the wall charger on the side of my house for a quick juice-up. If I am parked for a few days and it’s cloudy, the 100 watt solar struggles to keep up with the power needs of my 24/7 fridge. After about 4-5 days I’ll plug it into the wall and bring everything back up to 100%. No biggie.

Will any portable power station work for this setup?

Absolutely. Just look for one that has a very powerful inverter in case you want to run some high powered items at the same time. For instance, I watch TV on the computer monitor while running the microwave. Never an issue. I can run that little 250 watt heater while watching TV or running the microwave. No issues. This thing truly is a beast.

Product Link: Anker Solix C1000
Newer version: Anker Solix C1000 v2

Will it last? Not sure. But for under $500 on sale, I’d be fine buying one every 3-4 years. The LiFeP04 battery should last awhile. I’m more worried about other internal components failing before the battery degrades. But until then, I am going to keep enjoying my super simple truck camper power setup. It kinda goes along with the simplicity of these 100% aluminum OVRLND Campers.