Appliance
How many solar panels to run a full-size refrigerator?
A full-size refrigerator uses about 912 Wh a day. At the U.S. average of 4.98 sun hours that takes about 244 W of panels and a 1.13 kWh battery for one day.
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| Value | |
|---|---|
| Model used | Samsung RT18DG6300 17.5 cu ft top-freezer refrigerator |
| Daily energy | 912 Wh |
| Basis | 38 W annual-average draw × 24 h |
| Panel watts (U.S. avg) | 244 W |
| Battery, 1 day | 1.13 kWh |
| Source | manufacturer / ENERGY STAR |
By state
| State | Panel watts |
|---|---|
| Arizona | 186 W |
| Colorado | 215 W |
| Wyoming | 227 W |
| Idaho | 233 W |
| Missouri | 242 W |
| South Dakota | 250 W |
| Montana | 255 W |
| New Jersey | 261 W |
| Maine | 267 W |
| Michigan | 272 W |
| Alaska | 384 W |
Questions
How many solar panels to run a full-size refrigerator?
A full-size refrigerator uses about 912 Wh a day. At the U.S. average of 4.98 sun hours that takes about 244 W of panels and a 1.13 kWh battery for one day.
Where does the daily energy come from?
38 W annual-average draw × 24 h. ENERGY STAR lists 333 kWh/year for RT18DG6300**, a 17.5 cu ft top freezer with no ice maker. Average draw is 333 × 1,000 ÷ 8,760 = 38.0 W. Compressor running watts and startup watts are not in the listing, so Willrun will not issue a runs or won't-run verdict.