Refrigerator is one of the large appliances, while almost all homes have a refrigerator. But do you know the electricity consumption of refrigerator? Being one of the bigger appliances in the home, it has a direct impact on our electricity bill. Therefore, it becomes important to know the power consumption of a refrigerator. The power consumption of a refrigerator varies from home to home and is affected by many factors, such as the size of the refrigerator, the power level, and the mode of use of the refrigerator. In this article we will go through the power consumption of refrigerator and related issues with you.
1. What is the power consumption of a refrigerator in a day?
A refrigerator is a device for storing food at a constant low temperature. Inside the refrigerator there is a compressor, evaporator, condenser, thermostat, etc. The compressor and evaporator are the main components. The compressor and evaporator are the main power consuming parts. The compressor mainly pumps in refrigerant and compresses it to make it high temperature and high pressure. In this working process of the compressor, it needs to consume a lot of energy constantly.
Evaporator is also a relatively power-consuming part of the refrigerator, it is mainly high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant, sent to the evaporator, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant into a low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant, in the process, he will absorb the heat inside the refrigerator, so that the refrigerator temperature inside the refrigerator to drop down.
Generally speaking, there are many factors affecting the power consumption of a refrigerator, and we do not use the estimate of an average household because this estimate may differ greatly from the power consumption of an actual refrigerator. But we can then use the calculation method to get the data of the refrigerator’s power consumption, the results of this method will be more accurate, we will provide you with the specific calculation steps, but before the calculation you need to know the following two data in advance.
The power of the refrigerator: Generally speaking, the back or bottom of the refrigerator usually has a metal nameplate, which indicates the details of the refrigerator, including power, model number and date of manufacture, etc. We can check the nameplate to know the exact power information of the refrigerator, but we also organize some power of the refrigerator for you below.
| Fridge type | Fridge size | Fridge power |
| Freezer Refrigerator | Small Medium Large | 200W~250W 250W~300W 300W~350W |
| Double Door Refrigerator | Small Medium Large | 400W~480W 480W~550W 550W~600W |
| Multi-Door Refrigerator | Small Medium Large | 500W~600W 600W~700W 700W~800W |
| Smart Refrigerator | Small Medium Large | 400W~500W 500W~600W 600W~700W |
Refrigerator operating hours:Usually, the refrigerator is connected to the power supply all day long, but the actual running time of the refrigerator is not 24h, because the compressor will stop working when the compressor reduces the temperature of the refrigerator to the set temperature. Therefore, during the operation of the refrigerator, the compressor will have a running time and a stopping time, usually their ratio is 1:3. Some refrigerators may have variations, you can know the actual ratio according to the manual of the refrigerator. If we follow this calculation, the running time of the refrigerator in a day is about 6h.
After you know the above two figures, you can use the following formula to calculate the power consumption of the refrigerator in a day.
Refrigerator’s power consumption = refrigerator’s power * refrigerator’s operating hours
If the power of your refrigerator is 400W, and the usage time of your refrigerator is 6h in a day, then the power consumption of your refrigerator is 400W*6h=2400Wh, which means that your refrigerator needs to consume 2.4kwh in a day.
2. How many solar panels are needed to run the refrigerator?
Once you know the power consumption of your refrigerator from the above calculation, you can follow the steps below to calculate how many solar panels are needed for your refrigerator.
Local peak sunshine hours: For different areas, the peak sunshine hours will naturally be different. There are many factors that affect the peak sunlight hours, such as altitude, latitude, etc., but you can check the specific peak sunlight hours directly on the website.
The power of solar panels: For solar panels for refrigerators, 300W and 550W are more common. You can choose the right solar panel for your budget and energy needs.
Once you know the above figures, you can calculate the number of solar panels. You also need to use the following formula.
Number of solar panels = Energy consumption of the refrigerator / Peak sunlight hours / Power of the solar panels
We still use the above data to calculate, the total energy consumption of your refrigerator in a day is 2.4kwh, if the peak sunshine duration in your area is 4h, and you choose the power of the solar panel is 550W, then you need 2.4kwh/4h/550W≈2 blocks. So your refrigerator needs 2 pieces of 550W solar panels to provide enough power support.
3. How much money can I save by using solar system to power my refrigerator?
Solar system is a system that utilizes clean energy to generate electricity. The biggest advantage of solar system is that it can reduce the dependence of electrical appliances on grid electricity, thus reducing the cost of energy. Using a solar system to power your refrigerator will cost you nothing except for the upfront investment in the solar system. Especially when the sun is shining, you can significantly reduce your electricity bill. If the price of electricity in your area is $0.1/kWh, and we still calculate the above data, you can save $0.24 a day, $7.2 a month, and $86.4 a year.
However, for some countries, there are also peak tariff programs, where the price of electricity is 3 to 9 times higher than the usual price during peak hours. If this is the case, using a solar system to power your refrigerator can save you even more money.
4. Tips to reduce refrigerator power consumption
Refrigerator temperature: The temperature setting of the refrigerator is crucial to the power consumption of the refrigerator, usually the temperature of the freezer should be set at 3℃ to 5℃. The freezer should be set at -8°C. The temperature of the refrigerator should not be set too low. When the temperature of the refrigerator is set too low, the compressor takes longer to lower the temperature of the refrigerator, which increases the power consumption of the refrigerator.
Clean the condenser and seals regularly: Dust and dirt buildup on the condenser and seals will cause the refrigerator to consume more power in order to maintain the temperature the refrigerator is set at. By cleaning these parts regularly, you can improve your energy efficiency and reduce the amount of power your refrigerator consumes.
Regularly defrost the freezer: When the ice in the freezer is too thick, the compressor and evaporator’s can’t easily bring down the temperature, resulting in these two parts consuming more power and increasing the energy consumption of the refrigerator. So defrost the freezer regularly in order to keep it running efficiently.
Choose a refrigerator with a high-efficiency label：if you haven’t purchased a new refrigerator yet, look for an energy-efficient model that consumes less power during use.
Regularly check the refrigerator seals: The seals of the refrigerator are designed to keep the cold air inside the refrigerator. When the seals wear out, the cold air inside the refrigerator will flow out, increasing the energy consumption of the refrigerator. Regularly checking the seals will reduce these losses and thus reduce the power consumption of the refrigerator.
