Start with the smallest load that delivers the outcome. A phone, lights, and a radio can run from modest batteries; cooling, cooking, and large sound systems change the safety and engineering problem.
Official guidance: Burning Man Project recommends choosing the smallest generator that meets measured needs, keeping it away from living areas, ventilating it, preventing trips and overloads, never leaving it unattended, and allowing it to cool before refueling.
Measure the loads before choosing power
- List each device, watts, hours per day, and whether it must run at the same time as other loads.
- Reduce demand with shade, insulation, efficient LEDs, rechargeable batteries, and scheduled charging.
- Keep a separate battery path for body lights, headlamps, and emergency information.
- Use equipment rated for the load and environment; protect connections from dust, damage, and foot traffic.
- Place any combustion generator outside and far from tents, vehicles, and occupied spaces, with exhaust directed away.
- Add a working carbon-monoxide alarm near sleeping areas when combustion equipment is anywhere nearby.
- Pack a battery radio and write BMIR 94.5 FM and GARS 95.1 FM on the field card for current event and traffic information.
Expert guidance: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says portable generators should be used outside only, at least 20 feet from occupied buildings, with exhaust directed away. In a camp, treat that as a minimum safety reference and increase separation when layout allows.
Options and tradeoffs
- Power banks: quiet and simple, but limited and easy to forget to charge.
- Solar plus battery: low-noise and reusable, but output depends on panel placement, dust, weather, and storage capacity.
- Generator: high output and fast refueling, but introduces carbon monoxide, fire, fuel, noise, maintenance, and neighbor impacts.
- Shared grid: can reduce equipment duplication, but needs a trained owner, labeled distribution, and clear shutdown procedures.
Playa tip (community practice - not an official requirement): Make an energy budget with two columns: essential and optional. Physically separate their circuits or charging schedule so optional loads cannot drain lights, radio, or health equipment.
Stop conditions
Shut down the system for damaged cables, hot connectors, repeated breaker trips, fuel leaks, unstable batteries, or carbon-monoxide symptoms such as headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, sleepiness, or confusion. Move to fresh air and get emergency help if carbon-monoxide exposure is suspected.
Electrical and fuel systems can be lethal. This guide is a planning aid, not an engineering design. Use qualified help for anything beyond low-voltage consumer equipment.
Test before departure
Run the complete essential load for a full planned day. Record actual battery use or fuel, verify alarms, inspect every cable under load, and simulate loss of the primary source. Essential lights and information should still work.
Sources
- Generators Burning Man Project
- Electrical Safety Burning Man Project
- Carbon Monoxide Information Center United States Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Doing It Right - Tips and Tricks for an Uneventful Drive Burning Man Project