How long will a power station run a refrigerator?
A full-size fridge is the first thing most people want to keep cold. The surprise: it uses far less than its running watts suggest, because the compressor cycles on and off.
Typical numbers
| Item | Typical running | Typical surge | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator (full size) | 150 W | about 1,200 W | about 1,260 Wh |
| Chest freezer | 100 W | about 800 W | about 840 Wh |
Typical values, assuming the compressor runs about 35% of the time. Older fridges, hot kitchens and frequent door opening use more. The EnergyGuide label on your fridge gives its yearly kWh.
Worked example
150 W × 24 h × 0.35 ≈ 1,260 Wh a day. With 85% of rated capacity usable:
| Battery rating | Usable | Fridge runtime |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 Wh | 850 Wh | about 16 hours |
| 2,000 Wh | 1,700 Wh | about 32 hours |
| 3,000 Wh | 2,550 Wh | about 49 hours |
Tips
- Check the station's surge rating against about 1,200 W; the compressor start is the hard part.
- Keep the doors shut. A closed fridge stays safely cold for about 4 hours without power, a full freezer about 48 hours, per USDA guidance.
- Adding lights, Wi-Fi and phones adds little; a microwave or kettle adds a lot, but only for minutes.
Open the calculator with a fridge filled in
Appliance figures are typical values, not measurements of your device: the label or a plug-in watt meter on yours wins. The sums assume 85% of a battery's rated capacity reaches your outlets (how the numbers work). We list no prices and have not hands-on tested any product.
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Check start-up surge against your station (soft-start tool).