Starlink keeps working when the grid goes down. You just need power in the house. That’s the detail people discover during an ice storm, when the cell network is out too. Here’s what a dish actually draws, what battery capacity you need, and why the math changes completely in winter.
About 1000 Wh gets you through an evening outage
A Standard dish draws roughly 50 to 75 W continuously. The Mini, far less. But winter de-icing pushes consumption up exactly when you need the connection most.
What it actually draws
Figures vary with generation, temperature and network load, so treat these as orders of magnitude rather than guarantees.
| Situation | Approximate draw | On a 1000 Wh battery |
|---|---|---|
| Standard dish, normal use | 50 to 75 W | Around ten hours |
| Standard dish, de-icing active | Considerably more | Much less, sometimes half |
| Starlink Mini | Roughly 20 to 40 W | A full day or more |
Two practical conclusions. First, the Mini is far easier to run off-grid, which is a real argument if you’re choosing between models for a cabin with no power. Second, a battery sized for summer will disappoint you in February.
De-icing kicks in on its own when it snows. A storm is precisely when you’re likely to lose power, so it’s the worst possible time to discover your battery only lasts four hours. Cold also reduces usable battery capacity.
Which solution for which need
Getting through a few-hour outage
A 500 to 1000 Wh power station is enough. It’s the simplest approach: plug the Starlink router into it like a normal outlet, no modifications. The common brands in Canada are Jackery, Anker, EcoFlow and Bluetti.
What to look at beyond capacity:
- LiFePO4 chemistry rather than standard lithium-ion. More cycles, better cold tolerance, safer.
- Continuous output of at least 300 W. More than enough for Starlink, useful if you plug in other things.
- Automatic pass-through so the connection doesn’t drop even for a second when the power cuts.
LiFePO4 power station around 1,000 Wh
The capacity you need to run a Standard dish for about ten hours. LiFePO4 chemistry, so many more cycles and better cold tolerance than standard lithium-ion. Check that it offers automatic pass-through if you want the connection to survive the moment power cuts.
Compact power station around 300 Wh
Too small for the Standard dish, but ideal for the Mini, which draws about a third as much. Over ten thousand reviews: a safe bet for camping.
Running a cabin or camp with no grid power
Now you’re building a system: bigger battery, solar panels, and ideally 12 V direct power rather than going through an inverter.
The detail that saves energy: converting 12 V up to 120 V only to convert it back down inside the power brick wastes a meaningful amount. Feeding 12 V directly, where possible, noticeably improves runtime. That’s easier with the Mini than with the Standard dish.
See 12 V solar panels on Amazon.ca →
RV, boat, truck
Vehicle 12 V does the job, but watch your starting battery. On a long stop, an auxiliary battery prevents an unpleasant surprise when it’s time to leave. See our 12 V guide →
See 12 V batteries on Amazon.ca →
The calculation in three lines
To estimate runtime without being off by a factor of two:
- Take the average draw of your model, in watts.
- Divide battery capacity (in Wh) by that number.
- Subtract 20% for conversion losses, and another 20 to 30% if it’s winter.
Concrete example: a 1000 Wh station, a Standard dish at 60 W. That’s about 16 hours on paper, around 13 in practice in summer, and considerably less during a snowstorm.
Three common mistakes
- Sizing for the dish alone. During an outage you’ll also want to charge phones, maybe run a mesh router or a light. Leave margin.
- Never testing it. A power station that sits in a closet for six months self-discharges. Check its charge twice a year, alongside the smoke detectors.
- Buying too small to save money. A 300 Wh battery on a Standard dish is four or five hours. That doesn’t even cover an evening outage.
Frequently asked questions
Is a computer UPS enough?
For a few minutes only. A standard UPS is designed to let you save your work, not to run for hours. For a real outage you need a power station.
Can I run Starlink from a generator?
Yes, but go through a surge protector: small gas generators produce dirtier power than the grid.
How many solar panels to be self-sufficient?
It depends on sunlight, season and latitude. In Canada, winter combines the shortest days with the highest consumption, so size for December rather than July.
Does standby mode save electricity?
No, it’s a billing setting, not a power-saving mode. To stop consumption, unplug it. See how standby works →
Connecting somewhere off-grid
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Starlink off-grid · Standard dish accessories · Mini accessories
This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Power figures are orders of magnitude that vary by model and temperature. Last updated: September 16, 2026.
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