Can a 100 Watt Solar Panel Run a Refrigerator?

In need of a solar for a refrigerator? You have found yourself in the right place. After all, in this day and age, solar is the ultimate solution, be it for your electricity bills or if you want to go off-grid. 

Buying solar for a refrigerator is an extremely tempting but deceptively simple task. That is why, before you purchase it, you need to understand your refrigerator power consumption and the solar panel output required accordingly. 

We will also discuss several features of solar systems you need to keep in mind. Now, the main question is: can a 100W solar panel run a refrigerator? You will find the answer as well, along with some impressive solar products that you will absolutely love. 

So, what are you waiting for? Get reading!

Understanding Refrigerator Power Consumption

First of all, let’s understand the factors that affect how much power your refrigerator requires before buying a solar for refrigerator. 

1. Size 

What size of refrigerator do you own? Depending on our daily needs, everyone has different sizes of refrigerators, and each size has a different power requirement. You need to know their power consumption to ensure you buy the right solar for refrigerator.

You can find the average power consumption of your refrigerator in their user manuals. Also, refrigerators also require a higher starting wattage, so you need to ensure your solar for refrigerator is capable of that. 

2. Energy Rating 

Next, we have the energy rating of your refrigerator. Search for the Energy Star® label on your refrigerator. You might not deem this little piece of paper important, but its readings play a big role in whether your refrigerator is cost-effective or not. 

If the start rating is high, it means your refrigerator is energy efficient, i.e., it won’t consume too much power while running. Conversely, a lower star rating indicates a lower energy efficiency.

3. Usage Patterns

The usage patterns of a refrigerator also affect its power consumption. Your regular usage patterns are actions you commonly end up doing unconsciously. But now, you need to start noting them to realize how they consume power. 

For instance, how many times a day does the door of your refrigerator open? What temperature setting do you have your refrigerator on? If you frequently open the refrigerator door and have a high-temperature setting, know that these actions eat away power. 

4. Compressor Cycles

The compressor cycles dictate when the refrigerator cools. Naturally, the longer the compressor cycle runs, the greater the power it will consume. On the other hand, if it is run strategically, it will guzzle less power. 

You need to understand the compressor cycle of your refrigerator. Then, you can take effective measures to ensure that its usage is reduced to save electricity costs. 

Find out the best battery powered generator for refrigerator when there’s outage.

Factors Affect the Solar Panel Output

Moving on, we will now discuss some important elements to keep in mind after you have bought the solar for refrigerator. 

1. Sunlight Intensity

Solar for refrigerator, as its name suggests, runs on the Sun’s solar power. Therefore, its working capacity is greatly reduced when there is not ample sunlight. 

Keeping this in mind, know that only on days when there is strong sunlight will the solar panels harness most solar power. On days when there is less sunlight, the power produced will be less.

In cloudy and rainy weather, there will be no power produced due to the absence of the Sun. Thus, you need to keep in mind the weather of your location to determine where you place your solar for refrigerator. 

2. Panel Tilt Angle

Panel tilt angle is a point most people do not give importance to when it comes to solar for refrigerator. However, keep in mind that the angle at which your solar panels are placed matters significantly. 

Tilt the solar panels so that maximum sunlight falls on them. Only when it can harness a great amount of sunlight can it power its whole system, and that system, in turn, powers your refrigerator or even your whole house. 

3. Shading

Next, we have the placement of your solar panels. Where will they be placed in your house? In the garage or rooftop? In those places, have you provided a shadow over them or left them as is?

Might be surprising, but you cannot leave your solar panels in shadows. Under shadows, the sunlight it can catch will be significantly reduced. How can solar panels provide you maximum output when they do not even receive maximum sunlight?

What Need to Considering When Choose Solar Panel Systems?

Let us now compare several important aspects of a solar for refrigerator to determine the factors you need to keep in mind when purchasing a solid solar panel system.

1. Power Output

Different solar panels have varying power output capacities. Solar panels with a higher wattage will undoubtedly, produce more power for your refrigerator. Meanwhile, those with comparatively lesser wattage will produce less power. 

Therefore, you need to take care in choosing a solar for refrigerator that can run the refrigerator you own. Also, ensure that it can withstand the starting wattage of your refrigerator. 

2. Cost-Effectiveness

When we talk about cost-effectiveness, we do not just mean your budget. We are referring to three things - namely, your initial investment, the maintenance costs, and the future savings you will have on electricity bills. 

Carefully consider all three of these factors before going out to buy a solar for refrigerator. While the return on investment is extremely high due to reduced electricity bills, the initial investment is not small. 

3. Reliability

You also need to keep in mind the reliability of the solar for refrigerator you will purchase; it needs to be of high quality. After all, if there is no guarantee of the quality of the components used, you are not assured that the system will run smoothly and for a long time. 

Would you want to spend money on such a system and then realize that it is of poor quality and is thus not functioning properly? How frustrating such a situation is! You wouldn’t want that, right? So, make sure to determine the quality of the solar for refrigerator before paying for it. 

4. Ease of Installation

Once you have brought the solar for refrigerator home, it is now time to install and set it up, and this task is up to you to perform. Therefore, you also need to make sure that the solar for refrigerator you buy has simplified installation processes and user-friendly designs.

One wrong step in setting it up and you can jeopardize the whole system. You wouldn’t want that, now, would you?

Can a 100 Watt Solar Panel Run a Refrigerator?

It depends on your refrigerator watts, in order to purchase the right solar for your refrigerator, you need to first calculate the wattage of your refrigerator. Calculating the wattage of your refrigerator is quite easy, actually. All you need to do is multiply the amps and volts of your refrigerator. 

You will easily find these values on your manufacturer’s label. Mostly, the manufacturer’s label also states the wattage requirements of your refrigerator. 

Wattage (W) = Volts (V) * Amps (A)

For example, let us look at the amps of a mini refrigerator when connected to a 120-volt outlet. The amps range from 0.8A to 1.5A.

1)    Let Volts = 120V

       Let Amps = 0.8A

       Wattage = Volts * Amps

                     = 120 * 0.8

                     = 96W

2)    Let Volts = 120V

       Let Amps = 1.5A

       Wattage = Volts * Amps 

                     = 120 * 1.5

                     = 180W

With this, we can see that a 100W solar panel can run a mini refrigerator using 0.8A, but not one using 1.5A. Therefore, it cannot run the other types of refrigerators as well because they require a higher wattage than a mini refrigerator. 

You can calculate your refrigerator’s wattage to figure out which solar for refrigerator to best opt for in accordance with your needs.

BLUETTI Solar Panel for Your Refrigerator  

As we have seen above, different sizes of refrigerators have varying power requirements and starting wattage. A 100W solar panel can run a mini refrigerator, but not the other types (standard and side-by-side refrigerators). 

Nor can it withstand its starting wattage. Therefore, the following are some impressive alternatives you can opt for instead of a 100W solar panel. 

1. BLUETTI PV120 Solar Panel

The BLUETTI PV120 Solar Panel is a remarkable solar for refrigerator you will not regret having. 

Key Features:

High Efficiency: Using monocrystalline solar cells, it can convert sunlight into solar power with an efficiency of up to 23.4%, guaranteeing you great efficiency for running your refrigerator. 

Durability: It has a long-lasting ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene) coating that can withstand even severe weather conditions. It can run your refrigerator and even other home appliances for a long time without wearing out. 

Portability: It is both foldable and portable; thus, you can carry it around with you when going camping or off-grid. 

Compatibility: It can be with most solar generators with MC4 connectors; thus, you can easily use it with solar systems you already have. 

2. BLUETTI PV200 Solar Panel

Another solar for refrigerators that you can consider is the BLUETTI PV200 Solar Panel. 

Key Features:

High Efficiency: It has monocrystalline solar cells, which boast an efficiency of up to 23.4%, converting sunlight into solar power to run your refrigerator with great efficiency.  

Durability: Having an ETFE coating, this solar panel will not wear out even in extreme weather conditions. Tempting, isn’t it?

Portability: It can be easily folded and thus is portable. You can carry it around with you wherever you go. 

Compatibility: It is also compatible with most solar generators with MC4 connectors, allowing you to use it with any existing solar generators you have without any issues. 

3. BLUETTI AC200L+PV350 Solar Kit

The BLUETTI AC200L+PV350 Solar Kit is a solar for refrigerator you will absolutely love to have owing to its flexible features. 

Key Features:

Capacity: It has a capacity of 2,048Wh but, you can increase it to 8,192Wh by connecting it with B210, B230, and B300 expansion batteries, though the cable required to connect with B210 is sold separately. 

Battery: It has both the LiFePO₄ battery and the advanced Battery Management System (BMS), ensuring durability and reliability to run your refrigerator and other electrical appliances.  

Faster Charging: It has 2,400W of AC charging power, allowing the battery to be charged to 80% in just 45 minutes.

Efficient Output: You can pair this system with a D40 (sold separately) to convert it into a highly efficient DC power source. It can charge not only your refrigerator but other electrical appliances as well. 

Final Words 

In conclusion, you must now understand how to estimate your refrigerator’s average power consumption. You also read how to assess solar panel output and the considerations to keep in mind when buying solar for refrigerators. 

If a 100W solar panel is not sufficient for your refrigerator needs, look for alternatives. While you are at it, the BLUETTI PV120 Solar Panel, the BLUETTI PV200 Solar Panel, and the BLUETTI AC200L+PV350 Solar Kit are great options to consider.