Can A Solar Generator Run A Refrigerator?

You’ll need to consider how many watts your refrigerator uses while running.

To determine how many watts your refrigerator uses, look for the sticker inside your fridge and locate the numbers listed for volts (v) and amps (a).

Multiply those numbers together to determine how many watts your refrigerator uses.

For example, the sticker inside the door of our new Energy Star certified full-size refrigerator lists 120v (120 volts) and 3.5 A (3.5 amps). Multiplying 120 times 3.5 equals 420 watts… our refrigerator needs a solar generator with at least 420 watts to run.

You’ll need to consider how many additional small appliances you’d like to use with your solar generator while your refrigerator runs. Some devices, like medium-sized LED televisions, use less than 100 watts, while other appliances, like toaster ovens, require 1,800 – 2000 watts.

So, if you plan on just using your LED tv and the refrigerator simultaneously, you can probably get away with using a 1,000-watt solar generator.

However, if you’d like to use your toaster oven and refrigerator simultaneously, you should consider looking for a 2500-watt to 3,000-watt solar generator.

You’ll need to consider how long you think you’ll need the solar generator to power the refrigerator. Running a fridge on backup power for a couple of hours during a temporary power outage is one thing. However, running a fridge on a solar generator for several days after a hurricane or a major snowstorm is another thing altogether.

Larger solar generators can power a full-size Energy Star certified refrigerator for up to 36 -48 hours. A solar backup generator can run for an entire week on a single charge if the storage battery is large enough.