Help needed please! Power issues.

by Kevin
(Manchester)


Hi there can anyone help me I am trying to set up a mobile crepe stall from gazebo I need a hand wash I have seen some which are 12v, I know they can be powered from a car battery but wont have car near enough, I also have a shmoo mixer which is 350 watts, planning to get a small fridge and an electric tea urn. Can someone please point me in the right direction to power these items. Great site and thanks in advance.

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Dec 11, 2025
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starstarstarstarstar 		Powering a Mobile Crepe Stall – Simple Friendly Explanation
by: MobCater

Hello,

Setting up a crepe stall from a gazebo is exciting, but the power part can feel a bit confusing at first — don’t worry, everyone goes through this when they start out.

For your 12V hand wash, you don’t need to have the car right next to you. Most people in your situation use a leisure battery. It’s basically a big rechargeable battery (like the ones in caravans) that you charge at home and then bring with you. One of these will run a 12V hand wash all day without any stress.

Your Shmoo mixer is a bit different because it’s 350 watts, which means it needs normal 230V electric, not 12V. A little battery won’t run that. What most traders do is use a small quiet inverter generator. Something in the 1,000–2,000W range is usually enough for light equipment like a mixer and a small fridge.

The fridge should be fine on that same generator, as they don’t use loads of power once they’re running.

The tea urn is the tricky bit. These can be very power-hungry. Many electric urns pull around 2,000–3,000 watts, which is more than a small generator can handle on top of everything else.

This is why lots of mobile traders switch to a gas water boiler instead — it’s cheaper to run, quieter, and doesn’t overload your generator.

So the usual setup people go for looks like this:

Leisure battery for your 12V hand wash (nice and simple).

Small quiet inverter generator for the mixer and fridge.

Gas for hot water if the electric urn uses too much power.

It’s honestly what most gazebo-based traders end up doing because it saves a ton of money and avoids blowing fuses all day.

If you want to be 100% sure, check the exact wattage written on the tea urn. If it’s over 2,000W, a gas boiler will just make life easier.

Hope that makes things a bit clearer — and well done for planning everything before spending money. It saves a lot of headaches later on!

PS. Get the free guide on Starting a Mobile Catering Business Guide


Disclaimer:
This is general advice for UK mobile catering. Always check the wattage labels on your equipment and speak to a qualified electrician or Gas Safe engineer before buying or using electrical or gas-powered items.

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