Power · Starlink Mini
How much power does a Starlink Mini use? About 20–40W.
That’s Starlink’s average for the Mini, and about 15W when it’s idle. Below: what that adds up to over a day, what can power it, and how long a battery lasts.
Starlink’s figures, checked against its support articles. Run times calculated, not tested by Seekstead.
The short answer
Small dish, steady draw.
- About 20–40W on average, 15W idle. Starlink says these include the router, power supply and cables, are averages measured at the AC input, and vary with temperature, location and how busy the connection is (Starlink: how much power does my Starlink need?).
- Left on all day, that’s about 480–960Wh, or roughly 40–80 Ah from a 12V battery before conversion losses.
- That’s about 2 to 3 times a 12V fridge. At typical use a Mini left on for 24 hours uses about 60 Ah; a 40–60 L fridge uses 18.2–28.8 Ah a day by its maker’s figures (see our 100Ah fridge guide).
- It needs the right power source: a USB-C port that gives 100W (20V/5A), a 12–48V DC supply of 60W, or Starlink’s own power supply.
Per hour and per day
What it adds up to.
Starlink gives a range, not a single figure. Typical use here is the middle of it, 30W.
| Use | Power | 8 hours | 24 hours | 24 hours from 12V |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idle | 15W | 120Wh | 360Wh | about 30 Ah |
| Light use | 20W | 160Wh | 480Wh | about 40 Ah |
| Typical use | 30W | 240Wh | 720Wh | about 60 Ah |
| Heavy use | 40W | 320Wh | 960Wh | about 80 Ah |
Amp-hours at 12V are watt-hours ÷ 12, before any conversion losses.
What can power it
Three ways to run a Mini.
USB-C, 100W from one port
Starlink says a USB-C source needs a minimum rating of 100W (20V/5A), and the Mini won’t work at 65W or lower (Starlink: USB power rating). A USB-C to DC cable connects it.
12V, through its DC input
The Mini also runs on 12–48V DC at 60W (Starlink: how can I power my Starlink Mini?). A 12V car cable runs it from a vehicle or power station 12V outlet.
Starlink’s own power supply
From a mains socket or a power station’s AC outlet, through Starlink’s power supply.
How long a battery lasts
Run time by battery size.
From a 12V outlet or DC lead, allowing 90% of the battery to reach the dish, the same as our Starlink calculator. Capacity is the battery’s rated watt-hours (Wh).
| Battery | Light (20W) | Typical (30W) | Heavy (40W) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100Wh | 4 hours 30 minutes | 3 hours | 2 hours 15 minutes |
| 250Wh | 11 hours 15 minutes | 7 hours 30 minutes | 5 hours 40 minutes |
| 500Wh | 22 hours 30 minutes | 15 hours | 11 hours 15 minutes |
| 1000Wh | 1 day 21 hours | 1 day 6 hours | 22 hours 30 minutes |
| 2000Wh | 3 days 18 hours | 2 days 12 hours | 1 day 21 hours |
A 99Wh power bank by USB-C (allowing 85%) runs it for about 2 hours 50 minutes at typical use, if its USB-C port gives 100W. Our power bank guide ranks real models.
Keep going
Related on Seekstead.
Calculator
Starlink Mini power bank calculator
Check whether yours can run a Mini, and for how long.
Open the calculator →
Guide
Best power bank for Starlink Mini
Power banks and power stations ranked by run time.
Read more →Gear
Anker SOLIX C300 DC
A 288Wh power station with a 12V outlet for the Mini.
Take a look →
Gear
Jurqqer 12V car cable for Starlink Mini
Runs the Mini from a 12V socket.
Take a look →
Our setup
My setup: a real camp power build
The 240Ah battery, solar and Starlink setup behind these pages.
Read more →How we work it out
From Starlink’s own figures.
Power use, the USB-C rating and the DC input come from Starlink’s support articles: How much power does my Starlink need?, What USB power rating do I need to power my Starlink Mini?, How can I power my Starlink Mini?. Run time = battery capacity (Wh) × the share that reaches the dish ÷ the dish’s watts, the same model as our Starlink power calculator (figures checked 9 October 2026). Fridge figures come from each maker’s official page via our fridge calculator. These are estimates, not tests: heat, battery age and how busy the connection is all change real use.
Seekstead doesn’t earn from the Starlink links on this page. Our own product pages may contain referral links: how they work.