Can a power station run a fridge in a power cut?

By the Ferncharge team · Figures last checked 24 October 2026

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The short answer: often, yes, for a day or so, if the power station can handle the compressor's start-up surge. A fridge or fridge-freezer cycles on and off, so its average draw is low. The figure to start from is the kWh per year on its energy label. Three examples from the EU's product database (EPREL): a 389-litre fridge at 121 kWh a year, a 330-litre fridge-freezer at 250 kWh and a 525-litre multi-door fridge-freezer at 329 kWh. That's roughly 330 Wh to 900 Wh a day (our arithmetic).

Compared on manufacturers' published figures. Ferncharge has not tested these products. Estimates only.

Add a fridge-freezer to the sizing calculator (pre-filled with about 29 W average for 24 hours, from the 250 kWh a year example below, and a cautious start-up figure). For a fridge on its own, add a fridge instead (about 14 W average, from the 121 kWh a year example). Then change the watts to your own label figure and the start-up watts to your rating plate.

First: keep the doors shut

The Food Standards Agency says your fridge should stay cold for up to 4 hours in a power cut, and food in a full freezer should stay frozen for up to 48 hours (24 hours if it's half full). It says to keep fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible, and notes these times are estimates (FSA).

So the fridge side runs out of time first. A power station helps most when a cut is likely to run past about 4 hours.

Step 1: energy (watt-hours). How much does it use a day?

Find the kWh/annum figure on your fridge's energy label. To turn it into an average draw:

average watts = kWh per year × 1,000 ÷ 8,760 (hours in a year)

Worked through for three appliances listed in EPREL, the database where makers register the information on their energy labels:

Our arithmetic from the label figures. These are examples, not recommendations: your own label is the better starting point. The label figure comes from a standard test, and real use (a warm kitchen, opening the door) will differ.

From a power station's mains socket, allow for our assumed 10% inverter loss and roughly 90% usable capacity on a LiFePO4 battery (methodology): about 810 Wh is available from every 1,000 Wh of rated capacity.

Worked example: the 330-litre fridge-freezer above, at about 685 Wh a day, for a 12-hour power cut uses about 343 Wh. That needs about 425 Wh of rated capacity on our assumptions. For 24 hours, about 850 Wh. Add anything else you'll run, such as the router.

Step 2: start-up. Can the power station start the compressor?

Each time the compressor starts it briefly draws much more than its average. BLUETTI's manual says devices with motors or compressors may start at 2–4 times their rated power (BLUETTI manual), and EcoFlow says a fridge's start-up surge is typically 2–3 times its running watts (EcoFlow).

So check two figures on the power station's spec sheet:

• Continuous AC output: at least the fridge's rated input in watts, from the rating plate inside the fridge or on the back. This is higher than the average above.
• Surge or peak output: enough for the start-up. The cautious end of BLUETTI's range is 4 × the rated input. See what surge power means.

If something else is running when the compressor starts, such as a kettle or microwave, add those watts too. A fridge's compressor is a motor, and Anker says a modified sine wave output can make motors run hotter, louder or less efficiently (Anker SOLIX), so check the power station states a pure sine wave output.

When the power comes back

The FSA recommends keeping fridges at 5 °C or below and using a fridge thermometer, so you can tell if it has become too warm. Chilled food that has reached 8 °C or above should be eaten within 4 hours, or thrown away after 4 hours unless the power comes back within that time (FSA).

Freezers and 12 V cool boxes

• A freezer on its own holds its temperature for much longer than a fridge. See can a power station run a freezer?
• A 12 V compressor cool box runs from the power station's 12 V socket rather than the mains sockets. See 12V fridge or cool box.

Safety

Keep the power station dry, on a hard surface and with space to ventilate, follow both manuals, and never connect a power station to your home's wiring. See our safety guide and the power cut checklist.

Compare stated capacity, continuous output and surge across models on the spec table.

FAQs

How long will a fridge stay cold in a power cut?

The FSA says up to 4 hours if you keep the door closed as much as possible. It notes this is an estimate.

How much electricity does a fridge-freezer use in a day?

Divide the kWh per year on its energy label by 365. A 330-litre fridge-freezer listed at 250 kWh a year uses about 685 Wh a day.

What size power station do I need to run a fridge-freezer for 24 hours?

Multiply its daily Wh by the days you need, then divide by about 0.81 for the mains socket on our assumptions. At 685 Wh a day, that's about 850 Wh of rated capacity, plus enough surge output for the compressor's start-up.

Why does my power station switch off when the fridge starts?

The compressor's start-up draw can exceed the power station's surge or continuous rating, especially with other appliances running. Run the fridge on its own and check the surge figure in the manual.

Related: Freezer · Power cuts · Power cut checklist · Spec table