With a wide variety of portable power stations offered by Bluetti, you might be wondering which can power a fridge.
All Bluetti portable power stations can run a fridge. The run time will depend on the Bluetti's battery capacity and the energy consumption of the fridge. The smallest Bluetti EB3A will run a small fridge for 10 hours and a large fridge for 4 hours. While the AC200MAX would last over 100 hours and 34 hours respectively.
There are many different types of fridge ranging in power consumption, so let's take a look at some of the most common types, and which Bluetti would be best for running them.
Table of contents
Fridges require different amounts of power depending on its type, size, efficiency rating and whether there is a freezer section.
All of the of Bluettis have varying capacities, so how long will different types of fridge last?
Under Counter Fridge (103 Litre) (Energy rating F) - 180 kw annual consumption (20.5wh)
| Model |
Under Counter Fridge Runtime |
| EB3A | 10 hours, 27 minutes |
| EB55 | 23 hours, 22 minutes |
| EB70 | 28 hours, 60 minutes |
| AC60 | 17 hours, 08 minutes |
| AC180 | 48 hours, 23 minutes |
| AC200P | 88 hours, 00 minutes |
| AC200MAX | 90 hours, 07 minutes |
See the fridge: ao.com
Upright Fridge (243 Litres) (Energy Rating F) - 128 kwh annual consumption (14.6 wh)
| Model |
Upright Fridge Runtime |
| EB3A | 14 hours, 56 minutes |
| EB55 | 33 hours, 22 minutes |
| EB70 | 41 hours, 26 minutes |
| AC60 | 24 hours, 28 minutes |
| AC180 | 69 hours, 07 minutes |
| AC200P | 125 hours, 43 minutes |
| AC200MAX | 128 hours, 44 minutes |
See the fridge: fridgemaster.co.uk
American Style Fridge Freezer (609 Litres) (Energy Rating F) - 456kwh annual consumption (52.1wh)
| Model |
American Style Fridge Freezer Runtime |
| EB3A | 4 hours, 01 minutes |
| EB55 | 8 hours, 59 minutes |
| EB70 | 11 hours, 09 minutes |
| AC60 | 6 hours, 35 minutes |
| AC180 | 18 hours, 37 minutes |
| AC200P | 33 hours, 51 minutes |
| AC200MAX | 34 hours, 40 minutes |
See the fridge: ao.com
Camping Portable Fridge (24 Litres) - 48 watts
| Model |
Camping Portable Fridge Runtime |
| EB3A | 4 hours, 21 minutes |
| EB55 | 9 hours, 44 minutes |
| EB70 | 12 hours, 05 minutes |
| AC60 | 7 hours, 08 minutes |
| AC180 | 20 hours, 10 minutes |
| AC200P | 36 hours, 40 minutes |
| AC200MAX | 37 hours, 33 minutes |
See the fridge: amazon.co.uk
Importantly, a fridge is not like many other types of appliance when it comes to power consumption. This is because the majority of the energy required to run a fridge is used for the “compressor”, which is the cooling component of a fridge. The compressor turns on and off, maintaining the desired temperature. Therefore, the annual energy consumption of the fridge will be listed as kw per year, rather than its wattage.
How do you calculate how long your fridge will run?
To calculate how long your fridge will run, you will need the following:
- The battery capacity of the power station,
- the power consumption of the fridge, and,
- the power station efficiency.
The power consumption of a fridge is different to most other appliances, as it is typically listed as an annual consumption.
To help, I built a simple calculator for each model of Bluetti.
Alternatively, you can use the following calculation to determine how long your fridge will run for any portable power station.
Run-time calculation
Battery capacity (watt-hours) / fridge average power (watts) * Power Station efficiency (%) = run-time (hours)
If you know the annual consumption but want to know the average wattage
I suggest dividing by 365 to get a daily consumption, and dividing this number by 24 to get the average watts consumed per hour.
If you know the peak wattage
From my personal use of the EB3A, a fridge is only using large amounts of power for around 45 minutes in every hour. The rest of the time, the fridge uses minimal power.
Therefore I suggest that you multiply the peak power by 0.75 to calculate the average watts consumed per hour.
To build my calculator, I used the following details.
Bluetti Power Station battery capacity
| Model |
Battery Capacity |
| EB3A | 268Wh |
| EB55 | 537Wh |
| EB70 | 716Wh |
| AC60 | 403Wh |
| AC180 | 1,152Wh |
| AC200P | 2,000Wh |
| AC200MAX | 2,048Wh |
Fridge power consumption
Your fridge may have a sticker indicating its power consumption, or you should be able to find the power required from the manufacturer's website or manual when you purchased the fridge
Fridges need:
| Fridge |
Power |
| Under Counter Fridge |
(103 Litre) (Energy rating F) - 180 kwh annual consumption (20.5wh) |
| Upright Fridge |
(243 Litres) (Energy Rating F) - 128 kwh annual consumption (14.6 wh) |
| American Style Fridge Freezer |
(609 Litres) (Energy Rating F) - 456kwh annual consumption (52.1wh) |
| Camping Portable Fridge |
(24 Litres) - 48 watts |
Remember, your fridge wattage will vary whether the compressor is on and actively cooling, or on standby.
Bluetti power station efficiency
Different Bluetti's will have varying efficiencies, and there will be a difference between AC and DC powering.
But, most fridges will need to be powered by AC, so let's look at the AC inverter efficiencies by each model:
| Model |
AC Inverter Efficiency |
| EB3A | 78% |
| EB55 | 87% |
| EB70 | 81% |
| AC60 | 85% |
| AC180 | 84% |
| AC200P | 88% |
| AC200MAX | 88% |
Bluetti EB3A fridge Runtime
I connected my under counter fridge, similar to the one listed above. While the compressor on the fridge was running, and actively cooling, it was drawing just over 78 watts.
The display shows that I could run my fridge for over 3 hours; however, it should run it for longer, as the compressor will not always be on which draws the large majority of the power. The compressor was on for 45 minutes in the hour. Therefore, I believe a further 25% could be added, increasing the total run time to nearly 4 hours.
As a second test, I connected a larger fridge freezer. While the compressor on the fridge was running, it was drawing just over 76 watts. I would have expected this to be more, but the fridge is much newer, and therefore it suggested the EB3A would be able to power it for the same time as the smaller fridge.
Straight out of the box, your Bluetti should be configured to run A/C appliances, including a fridge.
But, before using your Bluetti to power your fridge, you should first charge its internal battery.
Your user guide will explain how to charge your specific power station. You can find a digital copy of your user guide on the Bluetti website here.
In general, one of the easiest ways to charge your Bluetti will be using the included power cable in a wall outlet tied to the grid.
Once your power station is charged, you can plug your fridge straight into the A/C outlet on the Bluetti.
However, if you are planning to power multiple devices, you may choose to plug an extension cord with multiple outlets into your Bluetti.
Even the smallest Bluetti is capable of powering a fridge, and my recommendation for powering a portable fridge is the Bluetti EB3A.
However, for larger and inefficient fridges, you might find its battery lacking, which is why we recommend the Bluetti EB55 as the best portable power station for a fridge.
Bliuetti EB55
We recommend the EB55 when choosing a Bluetti to run a household fridge.
Boasting a 700W output and a 537Wh battery, it can run an american style fridge freezer for 9 hours and a full size upright fridge for more than 24 hours!
Important!
If you are looking to power a full size american fridge freezer for the duration of a long blackout (1-4 days), you will need to look at Home Battery Backup, or be able to recharge your portable power station
But how does the Bluetti stack up with its competition?
Bluetti makes some fantastic portable power stations, all of which are more than capable of running a fridge. However, you may consider cheaper alternatives or other brands which offer more features for your money.
We have tested models from the leading portable power station brands, Bluetti, EcoFlow, and Jackery.
| Portable Power Station |
Inverter Power |
Battery Size |
| Bluetti EB55 |
700 watts |
537 Wh |
| EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max |
500 watts |
512 Wh |
| Jackery 500 |
500 watts |
518 Wh |
Based on its inverter output, battery capacity, build quality, and price, the Bluetti EB55 is the best in its class.
However, if you were not looking at running other more power hungry appliances, I would also strongly consider the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max; especially if it were on sale cheaper than the Bluetti EB55.
You will often find Bluetti and EcoFlow products on sale. Check out their latest prices below:
Bluetti EB55 Latest Price
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max Latest Price
Jackery 500 Latest Price
A great feature of a Bluetti is that you can charge your battery while powering a fridge. If you are at home, you can use your mains power to keep your Bluetti fully charged while using your fridge.
This can be a great option to use your BLuetti as a UPS to keep your fridge running during a power outage.
But what if you are on the road or don't have access to mains power?
Two other great ways to keep your power station charged are:
- Solar power
- DC power
Solar power
Bluetti works excellently with solar panels. Whether you have yours hard mounted on the roof of your house or portable for camping, using the sun's rays to charge your battery is a great way to boost performance.
Your power station will include a solar charge cable pre-terminated to MC4, a widespread solar connector.
While Bluetti sells solar panels specifically for their power stations, they can be expensive compared to others on the market.
Bluetti PV200 Solar Panel
The PV200 Solar Panel is compatible with all their portable power stations and provides 200W of solar power. However, they cost more than double what you can pay for a similar-performing panel from other manufacturers.
But, if you use your own solar panels, be careful; you must ensure that they are within the specification of your Bluetti.
Important!
Ensure you refer to the owner's guide, which will tell you the Open Current Voltage (OCV), maximum input current, and maximum input power.
Do not exceed these parameters, or you will damage your power station!
DC power
Charging your portable power station with DC power is one of my favourite ways to extend its run-time.
Bluetti offers pass-through charging, meaning you can charge your power station while simultaneously powering a fridge.
So, even if you own their baby EB3A, you can get hours of extra run-time by charging with DC.
You can charge your Bluetti with:
- Cigarette Lighter Port (12V/24V) or,
- 8A max, 200W max DC (Solar input, but can take DC from any source)
Powering by another DC battery is one of my favourite ways to add extra battery capacity cheaply!
My setup allows me to more than double my battery capacity for much less than buying the next model up.
This allows me to charge my Bluetti EB3A at 152w, which is more than enough to extend the battery on the EB3A while powering a fridge.
Even better, I get to use the EB3A's improved screen to see exactly what percentage of the battery remains (the EB55 lacks this). Plus, I can use it for other projects too!
To replicate, you will need the following:
By finding the most efficient fridge to suit your needs, you could save up to 50% on its annual energy consumption. This means less money every month for your bills, as well as it being more green for our planet.
MTL55242 – Upright Fridge
Our suggestion for a standard size fridge is the super energy efficient MTL55242 – Upright Fridge
It offers:
- 242 litres capacity, great for couples and small families
- A+ energy rating pre-2021 change. F energy rating post 2021 change.
- Auto defrost
- LED light
- Adjustable thermostat
- Low noise
All of this for an annual energy consumption of only 128 kWh!
Even the smallest Bluetti EB3A could power this for nearly 14 hours, with the largest Bluetti AC200MAX for over 120 hours.
Top 5 tips for making your fridge more energy efficient
If you aren't looking for a new fridge, it might cost-in to consider making your existing one more efficient.
- Regulate your kitchen's room temperature. The cooler the temperature surrounding the fridge, the less time the compressor will need to turn on.
- Leave an area around your fridge. To ensure best circulation and energy efficiency, you should leave a few inches of space to the rear and sides of the fridge.
- Test the seals. This may sound difficult, but there is a very simple trick I like to use. You can open the fridge, place a piece of paper against the seal (rim), and close the door. Repeat this process around the fridge in various areas. If the paper falls at any point, your seals are likely in need of replacing. This could make your fridge much more efficient, as air will no longer be leaking out in the same way.
- Clean the coils. On most fridges, the coils can be located either at the bottom of the appliance or in the back of it. They may be exposed, or require a small removal of a panel. You should lightly brush and vacuum the coils once a year, removing any dirt, in turn making your fridge more efficient.
- Defrosting. For older models or ones without defrosting systems built in, thick layers of ice can build up over time, causing the fridge to become less efficient. As a good rule of thumb, I suggest defrosting whenever the ice becomes ¼ inch thick. If this is happening regularly, you may need to test the seals as tip 3 suggests.
While powering your fridge off-grid with a portable power station is a great solution, it will only be suitable for some.
Some other alternative ways to power your fridge include:
- solar
- diesel generator
- gas (propane) generator
- buy a fridge which has a battery built-in (for example a portable camping fridge)
- UPS
To stay as green as possible, we always recommend, where possible, powering your devices using solar power.
About the author
Andy Vickery has been DIY'ing energy projects for years. From solar and home electrics, to car rewires, Andy is passionate about sharing his personal experiences.