Can a power station run a refrigerator?
Short answer: yes, if it handles about 2,350 W surge and 750 W continuous. A typical refrigerator-freezer then runs about 12.7 hours per 1,000 Wh of battery.
The numbers we use
- Running watts 750 W and additional starting watts 1,600 W: LIFAN wattage chart (checked 2026-10-27).
- Energy per day: DOE says the average refrigerator-freezer uses 588 kWh/year. 588,000 ÷ 365 = 1,611 Wh/day, an average draw of 67.1 W, because the compressor cycles.
- Inverter efficiency 85% (planning assumption).
The math
Runtime (hours) = battery Wh × 0.85 ÷ 67.1 W. For 1,024 Wh: 1,024 × 0.85 ÷ 67.1 = 13.0 h.
Runtime by battery size
| Battery | Est. fridge runtime |
|---|---|
| 500 Wh | 6.3 h (0.3 days) |
| 1,000 Wh | 12.7 h (0.5 days) |
| 1,500 Wh | 19.0 h (0.8 days) |
| 2,000 Wh | 25.3 h (1.1 days) |
| 3,000 Wh | 38.0 h (1.6 days) |
| 4,000 Wh | 50.7 h (2.1 days) |
| 5,000 Wh | 63.3 h (2.6 days) |
Verified models that can start a fridge
AC continuous ≥ 750 W and surge ≥ 2,350 W, specs from manufacturer pages (full table).
| Model | Wh | AC W | Surge W | Est. fridge runtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus | 1,024 | 1,800 | 3,600 | 13.0 h |
| EcoFlow DELTA 3 | 1,024 | 1,800 | 3,600 | 13.0 h |
| Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 | 1,024 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 13.0 h |
| Anker SOLIX C1000X | 1,056 | 1,800 | 2,400 | 13.4 h |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,070 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 13.5 h |
| BLUETTI AC180 | 1,152 | 1,800 | 2,700 | 14.6 h |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus | 1,264 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 16.0 h |
| BLUETTI AC180P | 1,440 | 1,800 | 2,700 | 18.2 h |
| Jackery Explorer 1500 v2 | 1,536 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 19.5 h |
| Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 | 2,042 | 2,200 | 4,400 | 25.9 h |
| Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus | 2,042 | 3,000 | 6,000 | 25.9 h |
| EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max | 2,048 | 2,400 | 4,800 | 25.9 h |
| Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 | 2,048 | 2,400 | 4,000 | 25.9 h |
| EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 | 4,096 | 4,000 | 8,000 | 51.9 h |
| Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus | 5,040 | 7,200 | 14,400 | 63.8 h |
Not meeting the chart's surge figure: EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus, Jackery Explorer 300 v2, BLUETTI AC70, Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus. Models with no published surge rating are left out. Many newer fridges (especially inverter compressors) surge less; check your fridge's label or measure it.
Make it last longer
- Measure your own fridge with a plug-in energy meter. Your real Wh/day beats any average.
- Keep the doors shut. Many stations turn AC off at low loads, so set the AC timeout to "never".
- Recharge with solar or a car during long outages.
Run your own numbers in the calculator → · Appliance wattage chart · Sump pump runtime
FAQ
Can a power station run a refrigerator?
Yes, if it can deliver at least 750 W continuous and 2,350 W surge for the compressor start (typical chart values), and has enough battery. 15 of the 19 models in our verified list meet both output numbers.
How long will a power station run a fridge?
Using the DOE average of 588 kWh/year (about 1,611 Wh/day) and 85% inverter efficiency: about 12.7 hours per 1,000 Wh of battery. A 2,000 Wh station gives about 25 hours.
Why does a small station shut off when the fridge starts?
Compressors draw a short surge at start. The LIFAN chart lists 1,600 W of additional starting watts on top of 750 W running, so the station needs a surge rating of at least 2,350 W.