Refrigerator: how much battery you need
Refrigerator (with freezer) draws about 120 W (80–200 W range), runs 35% of the time and uses 1008 Wh per day. Start-up surge: 600 W.
A modern fridge averages 1–1.5 kWh per day because the compressor runs about a third of the time; the start-up surge is 4–6× its running draw, so inverter headroom matters more than capacity.
Battery needed
| Hours | Wh | Battery (Wh) | Inverter (W) |
|---|---|---|---|
| For 8 hours | 336 | 510 | 132 / 600 |
| For 24 hours | 1008 | 1528 | 132 / 600 |
| For 72 hours | 3024 | 4582 | 132 / 600 |
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Stations that fit (24 h)
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FAQ
How many watts does a Refrigerator (with freezer) use?
Typically 120 W while running, with a range of 80–200 W depending on model and age. Start-up surge can reach 600 W.
How long will a 1000 Wh power station run a Refrigerator (with freezer)?
About 15.7 hours on the clock, allowing for the 35% duty cycle, inverter losses and a 20% reserve.
What size power station do I need for a Refrigerator (with freezer) overnight (8 h)?
About 510 Wh of battery and an inverter rated at least 132 W continuous with 600 W surge.
Can I run a Refrigerator (with freezer) on solar during an outage?
You need roughly 672 W of panels in winter to replace a day's use (1008 Wh), charging through a station with a big enough MPPT input.
Other sizes
Other appliances
1 Approximate values: estimated from motor or heater power and typical figures published online, not from a manufacturer chart. Check your appliance label.
Inverter efficiency 88%, usable depth of discharge 90%, reserve 20%. Full method: How we calculate. source