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Batteries · inverter vs DC

Starlink on an inverter vs DC: what the conversion costs you

Every conversion between the battery and the dish costs watts. An inverter adds two: DC to AC, then the dish’s own power supply back to DC.

  • Numbers checked
Quick answer

For a Mini, skip the inverter: use 100 W USB-C PD or 12 V DC. An inverter loses energy converting, and keeps drawing several watts even at light load: a 500 VA inverter’s idle draw alone is about 144 Wh a day. The Standard dish needs AC (or Starlink’s DC-DC supply).

What it costs, on a 512 Wh station

Mini at 40 W viaConversion (planning)Runtime
USB-C PD90%9 h 48 min
12 V DC90%9 h 48 min
AC inverter87%9 h 30 min

That understates the gap. Starlink’s watt figures are measured at the AC input (Starlink says its power figures include the dish, router, power supply and cables, are based on AC input averages, and vary with temperature, location and use.), so on DC the dish skips its power-supply loss entirely. Owner readings: 20 W Community report on USB-C, 20.3 W Community report day-average on 12 V, 20 W Community report through AC. They were measured by different people in different conditions, so they don’t isolate the loss. Our bench will (protocol).

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.

Inverter idle draw

From Victron’s Phoenix 12 V datasheet Standard:

  • Victron Phoenix 12/250: 4.2 W zero-load (idle) draw; 0.8 W in ECO mode. Peak efficiency: 87 %.
  • Victron Phoenix 12/500: 6 W zero-load, 90% max efficiency.
  • Victron Phoenix 12/1200: 10 W zero-load, 91% max efficiency.

A seller of DC supplies claims bigger losses: unverified Vendor claim The lesson either way: if you need an inverter, use the smallest one that runs the load.

DC paths

  • Mini: USB-C PD (100 W) or 12–48 V DC. See USB-C and 12 V.
  • Standard: its power supply takes The Standard 4 X power supply is AC: 100-240 V, 2.5 A, 50-60 Hz. Starlink sells a Standard DC-DC Power Supply (select markets) to run Standard 4 / 4 X from a DC source without an inverter; it uses XT60 connectors and 12 AWG wire. Input: The Standard DC-DC Power Supply accepts 12-48 V DC at up to 30 A and outputs 56 V at 3.57 A. We haven’t confirmed US availability.

When this is the wrong choice

  • An inverter is the wrong choice for a Mini whenever the battery has a 100 W USB-C or 12 V port.
  • A large inverter is the wrong choice for a 20–100 W load: its idle draw eats a big share of the battery.

Questions people ask

Do I need an inverter for Starlink?

For the Mini, no: it runs on 12–48 V DC or 100 W USB-C PD. For the Standard dish, yes, unless you use Starlink’s DC-DC power supply (sold in select markets): its power supply is AC-only.

How much power does an inverter waste?

Two ways: conversion loss (small inverters peak around 87–91% efficiency in Victron’s datasheet, and are less efficient at light loads) and idle draw (4–10 W for Victron’s 250–1200 VA 12 V models, even with little plugged in). Over a day, idle alone can be 100–240 Wh.

Pure sine or modified sine?

Pure sine. Electronics’ power supplies are designed for it.

Sources

  1. Victron Phoenix Inverter VE.Direct 250VA-1200VA datasheet · checked Oct 5, 2026
  2. Standard 4 X Specifications (PDF) · checked Oct 5, 2026
  3. Does Starlink offer DC-input power supply options? · checked Oct 5, 2026
  4. DC-DC Power Supply Specifications, Standard Kit (PDF) · checked Oct 5, 2026
  5. Starlink Gen 3 12V Power Supply (Trio Flat Mount product page) · checked Oct 5, 2026
  6. How much power does my Starlink need? · checked Oct 5, 2026
  7. Starlink Mini Specifications (PDF) · checked Oct 5, 2026
  8. StarLink Mini measured power consumption (Escape Trailer Owners forum, user gklott) · checked Oct 5, 2026
  9. Show us your Starlink Mini setup! page 3 (TacomaWorld) · checked Oct 5, 2026