Power station vs generator: fumes, noise and indoor use

By the Ferncharge team · Figures last checked 24 October 2026

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The short answer: they solve the same problem in different ways. A fuel generator burns petrol, diesel or gas, so it makes exhaust containing carbon monoxide (CO) and must be run outdoors, away from doors and windows (HSENI). A battery power station doesn't burn fuel, but it only holds the energy you charged into it. Which suits you depends on where you'll use it and for how long.

A category comparison from official UK guidance. Ferncharge has not tested any of these products, and this page doesn't recommend a model or a type.

Side by side

	Battery power station	Fuel generator
Burns fuel?	No	Yes: petrol, diesel or gas
Exhaust and carbon monoxide	None from burning fuel	Yes. UKHSA describes CO as "colourless, tasteless, odourless" (UKHSA)
Use indoors?	Follow the manual's placement and ventilation guidance	No. HSENI: not indoors or in partially enclosed spaces, including homes and garages
How long it runs	Until the battery is empty: capacity ÷ load	While there's fuel, refuelled when off and cool
Recharging or refuelling	Mains, car socket or solar	Fuel, stored outside living areas in labelled containers (HSENI)
Campsites	Check the site's own rules	Caravan and Motorhome Club sites: not between 6pm and 9am (Caravan and Motorhome Club)
Connecting to your home's wiring	Don't	Don't: HSENI warns it could cause injury or death

Fumes and carbon monoxide

HSENI's advice on generators (HSENI):

Don't use a generator indoors or in partially enclosed spaces, including homes, garages and crawl spaces, and don't run one near open doors and windows.
Install battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms inside your home.
Turn it off and let it cool down before refuelling.

UKHSA notes CO exposure from portable generators and barbecues used inside homes, caravans and tents (UKHSA). The Caravan and Motorhome Club says not to put a generator in an awning or under a caravan, because fumes could be drawn in (Caravan and Motorhome Club).

Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, dizziness, feeling sick, weakness, confusion and breathlessness. The NHS says to stop using the appliance if you can, go outside, call NHS 111 for advice, or 999 if someone has trouble breathing, sudden confusion or loses consciousness (NHS).

Indoor use and power cuts

In a power cut, a power station can sit indoors next to what it's running, following its manual. A generator has to stay outside, with appliances connected by heavy-duty extension cords, as HSENI advises. Neither should be connected to your home's wiring (HSENI).

A power station's limit is its stored energy. Work out what you'd keep running with the sizing calculator, and see power stations for power cuts and the power cut checklist.

Noise and campsites

A generator has an engine. The Caravan and Motorhome Club warns that "even relatively quiet generators can have a high annoyance level to others nearby", suggests listening to one before buying, and says generators shouldn't be used between 6pm and 9am on its sites (Caravan and Motorhome Club). A power station has no engine. Check its manual for any cooling fan, and the campsite's rules for both.

For tent pitches, see electric hook-up vs power station.

Fuel

The Caravan and Motorhome Club says to carry fuel in approved containers with the British Standard mark, and warns that "a tank of fuel is a serious fire hazard" (Caravan and Motorhome Club). HSENI says to store fuel outside living areas in properly labelled containers. A power station has no fuel, but its lithium battery has its own charging and storage advice: see our safety guide.

FAQs

Can you use a generator indoors?

No. HSENI says not to use one indoors or in partially enclosed spaces, including homes, garages and crawl spaces, because of carbon monoxide.

Can you use a portable power station indoors?

It doesn't burn fuel. Follow its manual for placement, ventilation and temperature, and charge it as UK fire services advise: see our safety guide.

Is a power station or a generator better for a power cut?

We don't recommend one over the other. A generator must stay outdoors; a power station is limited by its stored energy. Size a power station for what you'd keep running with the calculator.

Are generators allowed on campsites?

It depends on the site. The Caravan and Motorhome Club says not between 6pm and 9am on its sites. Ask the site before you go.