Between 100 and 800 amps are used each hour by refrigerators and freezers. The freezer and refrigerator can be operated without any issues using a generator that can provide at least 2000 beginning watts.
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How big of a generator do I need to power a fridge?
You can disregard looking at the running watts when selecting the correct size generator for a refrigerator and freezer. The initial wattage of a generator is what counts most.
A 2,000W generator, for instance, will provide 1,600 running watts and 2,000 starting watts. A refrigerator that needs 2,000W of starting power will use 500W of running power.
Following this reasoning, the following categories represent the size of generators required for various refrigerators and freezers:
- All very large and enormous refrigerators and freezers are powered by a 5,000W+ generator. But not many people possess such a sizable refrigerator.
- For all common refrigerators and freezers, a 3,000W generator. The most popular generator for running a refrigerator is one with a 3,000W output.
- All mini-fridges and the majority of environmentally friendly Energy Star-rated refrigerators and freezers require a 1,000W generator.
You’re looking at a 1,000W or a 3,000W generator in more than 95% of the time. Obviously, purchasing the most noise-free inverter generators is the best option. For instance, Honda makes the greatest generators overall.
Generator Recommendations For Mini Fridges And Energy-Star Fridges (1,000W)
If you need a recommendation, the Honda EU1000I is the best 1,000W generator for compact refrigerators and freezers. It has an inverter motor, is quiet, and serves multiple purposes.
The best generators are made by Honda, but they are of course more expensive. You can choose a PowerSmart 1,000W generator if you need an inexpensive 1,000W generator to power a refrigerator and freezer.
Generator Recommendations For Standard Refrigerators And Freezers (3,000W)
The refrigerator and freezer in the majority of homes require a 3,000W generator to operate.
The Honda EU3000IS is the quietest generator on the market and the top-of-the-line 3,000W generator for refrigerators and freezers. The greatest option to supply the required beginning watts to start and run a refrigerator and freezer is this generator, which is among the most widely used overall.
The Craftsman C0010030 3000i is an other choice if you’re seeking for a 3,000W generator that is less expensive and of poorer quality.
This is a primer on choosing a generator’s proper size for a refrigerator and freezer. Use the comments section below to describe your scenario if you have any questions about a particular refrigerator (the running and startup wattages of the refrigerator would be helpful), and we’ll do our best to assist you with the calculation.
You may also read our post on what size generator I need for my house here for more information on general generator sizing. You’ll discover a straightforward, three-step process for sizing a generator for your home.
Can a freezer be operated by a Honda 2000 generator?
Are you considering purchasing a 2000 watt generator but unsure of the appliances you can use it with? I’ve got exciting news for you! Over 350,000 users have benefited from our team’s assistance at Generatorist, and we will continue to do so for you.
A 2000 watt generator typically produces around 16 amps at 120 volts or 8 amps at 240 volts. Honda EU2200i, WEN 56200i, or Generac GP2200i are now the best.
A 2000 watt generator can power what? A 2000 watt generator can power practically any modest home, RV, or recreational appliance, including:
- portable source of light 500 watts
- 1,800 watts for a space heater
- 1,000 watt coffee maker
- 1,000 watts for the microwave
- 60-watt ceiling fan
- Modern refrigerator and freezer, 700 watts
- 1,500 watts dishwasher
- 700 watts for a pressure cooker
- Toaster, 850 watts
- 200-watt vacuum cleaner
- 50-watt laptop
- TV 85 watts
- 100 watts VCR / DVD player
- laundry equipment
- 1,150 watts
- 400-watt blender
- 1,300 watts for the espresso maker
- a 1,000-watt fryer
- 170 watts slow cooker
- a few compact electric devices
- 400 watts
- 1,250 watts Hair dryer
- 1200 watts of iron
- 800 watts for small power tools
- Drill powered by 600 watts
- 1,500 watts of electrical power
- Saw that reciprocates 960 watts
You must be aware of the power requirements of each device in your home in order to determine whether you can use them all simultaneously. You can get help with this from our list of more than 100 goods together with their power requirements.
Additionally, you should confirm that your generator has the right number and kind of outlets because some products with greater wattages may require different outlets than others with lower wattages.
Running watts and starting watts are the two primary wattage output measurements that describe how much power a generator is capable of producing.
Operating watts
The first, smaller number is the rated (running) wattage, which is the maximum amount of power your machine is capable of producing continuously.
beginning watts
The second, larger number, is the highest power your machine is capable of producing for a brief period of time, known as the surge (or beginning) watts.
A machine that can generate 2000 operating watts is referred to as a “2000 watt generator.” Depending on the make and model of each generator, its starting watts will vary, but based on our experience, the range is around between 22003250 surge watts.
Just keep in mind that any significant household appliances (such air conditioners or heat pumps) would require far more electricity than any 2000 watt generator can supply.
Can a deep freezer be operated by a 2000 watt generator?
The majority of 2000 watt inverter generators can run a variety of appliances, including deep freezers, light bulbs, electric stoves, hot plates, water pumps, and small power tools—items frequently used while camping, traveling by RV, and around the house. These household, camping, and caravanning applications are described further below. Typically, 2000 watts is sufficient to operate a 500-watt deep freezer, one element of an electric stove, a freezer, a 650-watt microwave (using 1000 watts), and a few lights.
What can a 2000 watt generator power?
When trying to decide on a new generator to replace my old one, I conducted a ton of research. Due to the Honda 2200eu Generator’s reasonable price, dependability, quiet operation, and ability to power practically anything I requested of it—with moderation, of course—I ultimately decided to buy one.
Almost every device in the house, including a small air conditioner, a washing machine, a dryer, a refrigerator, a microwave, hotplates, blow dryers, various power tools, water pumps, and more, can be powered by a 2000 watt generator. A 2000 watt generator can only operate a certain amount of power at once.
We measure electrical output using watts. A generator that generates 2000 watts of power can only support gadgets that consume that amount of power. With a 2000 watt generator, you can run 100 20 watt light bulbs and a 1500 watt air conditioner, but not both at once.
Let’s get a little deeper into everything as it can get a little confusing.
What is the wattage of a full-size refrigerator?
A refrigerator uses between 1 and 2 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy on average each day, or roughly $150 annually, per refrigerator.
This plug-in power meter can be used to verify these numbers for your refrigerator.
I’m sorry to report, but it’s not quite that straightforward. Before you say, “Okay, fantastic, now I know how much power my fridge takes,” let me explain.
I’ll explain how you may fully comprehend the power usage of your refrigerator or freezer in the post that follows.
How big of an inverter generator do I need to power a fridge?
The majority of generators’ owner’s manuals give illustrations of the many gadgets and structures they may power. Here is an illustration of how to determine your own generator sizing, though.
Assume, for instance, that you desire a generator that can run a small refrigerator. The running wattage of the refrigerator, according to the owner’s manual, is 350 watts.
- 350 watts are the running wattage (R).
- 350 + 1,050 = 1400 watts are the total wattage (R + S).
- Starting Wattage (S) = 350 times 3 to equal 1,050 watts
You would require a generator that produced at least that many watts because a small refrigerator requires a total of 1400 watts to run.
Use a generator that can comfortably supply all of your power requirements while only using about 90% of its capacity for the best results.
How frequently should I run my generator to maintain the coolness in my refrigerator?
During a power outage, you should operate a refrigerator for at least an hour. For the following three to four hours, your food will be secure. But whenever feasible, keep the refrigerator running nonstop. It will keep your food secure and use less power overall.
It’s probably fine to run your generator on and off to keep the fridge cool enough. But why take a chance?
You won’t have to throw away any food if the refrigerator is left on. Food waste reduction can be achieved for a fraction of the cost of propane or gas.
Additionally, keeping the generator running will result in long-term energy savings. This is so that the refrigerator will continue to run at its operating power.
The running/rated watts indicate how much power the refrigerator requires to operate. It can be handled by almost all generators now in use. For household refrigerators, it’s only 100–250 W.
However, a refrigerator needs roughly 800-1200 W to chill down. This is what we refer to as starting watts, and for your generator to operate in the first place, it must be able to handle the necessary peak wattage.
So, until the power is restored, keep running the fridge on your generator. If that isn’t an option, though, operate the generator for an hour after every three hours of power outage.