What Size Generator Do I Need to Run a Refrigerator?

Refrigerators or freezers have become our daily essentials. We can store many food products in them without fear of them getting foul. But what if there is a long power outage? What would you do in this case? If you have a generator then is its capacity enough to run your generator? And what size of generator do you need to run a generator or a freezer?

All these questions are going to be answered in this article. You just have to sit relax a read it out further.

How many watts are needed to run a refrigerator?

On average a refrigerator needs 800 to 1200 watts to run. So you can assume that your generator must have watts more than that. If you search out the market, you will get to know that modern inverter refrigerators demand at least 2000 watts. I would recommend you to have a look at these best 2000 watts generators that are of high quality and worth investing in. Any refrigerator can be easily powered if you select an inverter generator with at least 2000 starting watts. I can surely say that 2000 watts are more than enough to safely power most refrigerators, which typically need between 800 and 1200 watts to start.

You are also going to learn the most crucial inquiries prior to making a generator purchase as well as safety and efficiency advice.

However, depending on the sort of refrigerator you have at your home, a generator’s size will vary. Although the modern inverter refrigerators that are available in the market today, consume significantly less power that ranges between 300 and 400 watts if you have an older refrigerator it will take more watts.

Having a refrigerator that has a built-in freezer is also a determining factor that affects the size of the generator. And of course, it will need more power supply thus a bigger generator.

The compressor motor when starting normally requires 1.5x to 3x running power supply from the generator. As a result, you require a generator that can deliver at least that much power.

But if you have an older model of refrigerator, I would recommend you buy a 3000-watt generator so that it will save you from the effects of overloading. Although it might seem expensive to you it is worth investing and this life-saving will help you a lot in times of longer power outages.

As you can see, it’s not as easy as it may seem to pick the right generator to keep your fridge running. For this reason, we have produced the following table, which provides preliminary estimates of the power consumption of various types of refrigerators.

What are Starting and  Running watts of a refrigerator?

When you see the watts written on the appliances, notice that the smaller and first number written is called running watts. These watts are needed for the long-term running of a refrigerator. It could range from 50Watts to 1500 Watts.

At the same time, the starting watts of the refrigerator is usually a second more significant number. These are the watts that a fridge needs to start the refrigerator. It is needed for the short term only. It could be from 200Watt to 6000 Watts. 

The two wattage figures are easily calculated by adding the running watts of all the devices you want to power, followed by the largest starting watts of the chosen devices. These are the maximum starting watts that must fall within your generator’s starting watts specifications when added together. For instance, if you require 4750W, your generator must be capable of generating at least 2400 total running watts and 4750 total starting watts.

Depending on your situation, you may need to account for several users sharing the circuit and maybe turning on two devices at once. It’s also crucial to keep in mind that some devices may experience surges, such as when they first start up and need a lot of watts. You can also consult the user manual.

Can a 3000-watt generator run a refrigerator?

Your generator’s capacity is totally determined by the number of watts it produces to supply your home appliances. All of us own A.C, microwave ovens, heaters, geysers, and small power tools. These things have become all daily essentials and are used frequently at home, on construction sites, when camping, or travelling. Their necessity can’t be denied.

A 3000-watt generator provides the strength to run a few larger, necessary appliances and can also securely power delicate portable electronic devices, including laptops.

Now the question is can a 3000-watt generator run a refrigerator? So, yes definitely. A 3000 watts generator can surely run a refrigerator as refrigerators need 800 to a maximum of 1200 watts so, 3000 watts are more than enough.

We have an article on the best 3000 watts inverter generators, you can also consult from there if you want to buy one for your home.

What size of a generator do I need to run the freezer and refrigerator?

Generator size matters a lot when you want to run your freezer and refrigerator on it. In long power outages, generators seem to be a blessing. Generally, a 2000-watt generator is enough to run a freezer and refrigerator as these refrigerators require 2000 starting watts and approximately 1600 running watts.

So I would recommend you choose a 2000 watts generator if you want to run a freezer and refrigerator on it only.

What size of a generator do I need to run mini and energy star fridges?

Mini fridges and energy star fridges are usually smaller than the standard fridges and thus they require fewer watts for their work. There are many cheaper options available in the market that you can purchase.

I would recommend you purchase a 1000-watt generator that is very reasonable and very handy.

What size of generator do I need to run a larger refrigerator?

For a larger-size refrigerator, of course, you need a high-watt generator. As the starting watts needed by these refrigerators are high you could anticipate a higher-watt capacity generator. These generators are very expensive but it worth every single penny.

We have a top-quality generator available in the market and you can also consult this article if you want to buy a high-quality, affordable generator that can provide you with 3000 watts capacity.

To accurately find out the refrigerator watt requirement you can consult the user guide that will help you a lot in finding the best generator within your specified range.

what size generator do I need to run a refrigerator – FAQs

Our Verdict

According to our research, dual-fuel inverter generators are the most suitable for use with refrigerators.

In addition to being more affordable than gasoline, running the generator on propane also makes it more effective and environmentally beneficial.

Additionally, inverter generators are more compact, quieter, and appropriate for use to power delicate electronics like your computer and LCD TV.

We advise choosing an inverter generator with a total output of at least 3000 watts so that you can run both your refrigerator and freezer for several hours while still having some extra power available.