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Batteries for Starlink: power bank, power station or 12 V battery?

Three battery types, three different jobs. Pick the type first, then the size.

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Quick answer

For a Mini (25–40 W Official spec): a 100 W USB-C power bank for a few hours, a power station for a day, a 12 V LiFePO4 battery for a permanent install. For a Standard dish (75–100 W Official spec): a power station or UPS with an AC outlet. Size it with the calculator.

The three types

TypeTypical sizePorts for StarlinkBest forWrong when
USB-C PD power bankup to ~99 Wh (airline limit)USB-C PD 100 W (Mini only)A few hours, flying, hikingAll day, or a Standard dish
Power station~250 to 2,000+ WhUSB-C PD, 12 V, ACA workday to a weekend; outages; no wiringYou want the most Wh per dollar in a fixed install
12 V LiFePO4 battery~1,280 Wh per 100 Ah12 V DC (Mini), inverter (Standard)Vans, cabins, solar systemsYou don’t want to wire, fuse and charge it yourself

Where the energy goes

Planning assumptions Planning assumption: 80% / 85% / 90% of the label is usable (bank / station / LiFePO4), then the conversion to the dish:

Where a battery's energy goes on the way to the dishUSB-C PD: of 100 label watt-hours, about 85 are usable and about 77 reach the dish. 12 V DC: of 100 label watt-hours, about 85 are usable and about 77 reach the dish. AC: of 100 label watt-hours, about 85 are usable and about 74 reach the dish.Of 100 Wh on the label (planning assumptions)USB-C PDPD output + cable77 Wh reach the dishcutoff −15 · conversion −912 V DC12 V port + cable77 Wh reach the dishcutoff −15 · conversion −9ACInverter (12 V → 120 V AC)74 Wh reach the dishcutoff −15 · conversion −11
Planning assumptions, not measurements: usable share of label capacity 85% for a power station; conversion 90% on USB-C PD and 12 V DC, 87% through an inverter. The AC path loses more than this picture shows: the dish's own power supply adds a loss, which Starlink's AC-input watt figures already include, so on AC the dish also draws more (see the community readings on /watts/). Our bench tests (/bench/) will replace these.

Battery guides

Questions people ask

What kind of battery do I need for Starlink?

For a few hours of a Mini: a 100 W USB-C PD power bank. For a day: a power station with a 100 W USB-C or 12 V port. For permanent van or cabin use: a 12 V LiFePO4 battery you wire and fuse yourself. For a Standard dish: a power station or UPS with a pure-sine AC outlet.

Which port should I use on a power station?

For a Mini, USB-C PD (100 W) or 12 V DC. The AC outlet works but wastes energy in the inverter.

Sources

  1. Starlink Mini Specifications (PDF) · checked Oct 5, 2026
  2. Standard 4 X Specifications (PDF) · checked Oct 5, 2026