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Why RV appliances behave differently

Many RV appliances, like fridges, vent fans, and lights, run on modest wattage and cycle on/off. But larger appliances like microwaves or electric kettles demand a lot of power in short bursts. Even though those bursts may only last a few minutes, they require a power station that can handle high surge watts. 

Practical note: A refrigerator typically runs 100 to 150 watt-hours per hour of actual compressor runtime, cycling on about 40% of the time. A 1000Wh power station can run a typical RV refrigerator for roughly 24 hours. Air conditioning uses 1200 to 1500 watts while running. Even a large power station provides only a few hours of AC, so most boondockers use AC sparingly or not at all unless they have a very large system or generator backup.