How to Choose Portable Power Station for a Refrigerator
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Although refrigerators consume electricity only 33% of the day (8 hours), they are comparatively power-hungry devices requiring around 225 Watts per hour on average. If it is a 200 Litre refrigerator, the average annual power need would be about 720 kWh, and if it is 600 Liters, the power consumption would be around 1800 kWh annually. If the refrigerator is for commercial use, the power requirement would be high, consuming at least 1 to 2 kWh daily. If the refrigerators come with additional features like an ice maker, the power requirement is likely to increase another 80 kWh per year.
Compared to bigger refrigerators, a mini-fridge uses much less power that spans between 50 Watts to 100 Watts per hour. 100 Watts is usually a stretch; on average, a mini-fridge needs 55 Watts per hour. A mini-fridge that requires 100 Watts per hour would need a total of 800 Watts per day (considering that it operates for around 8 hours a day).
Regarding air coolers, the most commonly used models require 100 Watts to 250 Watts per hour. They happen to need around 0.5 units of electricity every hour. Local air coolers, built with Aluminum as the significant component, tend to consume more power, at times, more than 0.5 units of electricity (more than 230 Watts) per hour. Air cooler units made of copper keep electricity consumption at a minimum of 0.2 units per hour.
Being a larger piece of equipment and mostly wired, refrigerators need a continuous and uninterrupted power supply to function properly. In the case of emergencies, a portable power station could come in handy to operate them. The following section explores why a portable power station is essential for refrigerators.
The freedom offered by a portable power station in operating a refrigerator is immense. It lets the user operate refrigerators even outdoors. People who are into camping and traveling often use mini-fridges or top-mount refrigerators, and being wired pieces of equipment, they tend to run out of power immediately during a power outage. A portable power station would let the refrigerator supply uninterrupted power for a long time.
While living in an RV or camping, refrigerators are where medicines and other sanitized medical equipment are kept. Emergency and extended power outages could risk spoiling the stored medicines, and maintaining a portable power station for refrigerators handy is the best way to avoid such an instance.
Although portable power stations need to be charged before or fuelled, it costs meager compared to buying provisions to power the refrigerator during a power outage. Especially if the user travels through an unknown zone, chances are high for them not to find an ideal spot to connect the air cooler or refrigerator without spending much money. If the power station is compatible with solar power, the user would need to spend zero money on backup power for refrigerators.
As no power would gradually wrong the things stored in it, a refrigerator is expected to have uninterrupted power. The novel solar options available in the portable power stations make the continuous power supply during a blackout less polluting. The traditional forms of backup power sources would cause noise and fumes for a long duration, both of which are not ideal for the well-being of nature. But when it comes to portable power stations for refrigerators and air coolers, most of them come with solar compatibility options, causing little to no pollution whatsoever.
Choosing a portable power station for refrigerators requires a keen look into features like capacity, the number of output ports, recharge time, power source, product dimensions, total weight, etc.
Battery capacity is crucial when choosing a portable power station for refrigerators and air coolers. Numerous available models can produce an output wattage between 200 watts and 25 kilowatts. If you are using an RV where a full-fledged refrigerator fits in and has to be powered during emergencies, it is better to get a power station with an output wattage of 800 watts.
If a mini-fridge is being used, the portable power station should at least have the capacity to produce a minimum of 100 watts. On average, an air cooler would consume around 150 watts to 300 watts, and thus, it is ideal to purchase a portable power station with minimum 300 watts output wattage. Despite the power requirement of the refrigerator, it is always advisable to get a power station with the best possible output wattage so that multiple devices can be powered for a longer duration.
Refrigerators and air coolers can be connected to AC output cables, ensuring an uninterrupted power supply of at least 120 Volts. As both of them are pieces of equipment that need to be connected to the power port always, it is essential for the portable power station to have more than one output port, mainly if they are being used outdoors where powering several lights, charging mobile devices, etc. are extremely important.
RV mini-fridges are designed to be mostly compatible with both AC and DC power. So, if you are traveling in an RV or outdoor camping, having a portable power station with both AC and DC ports would let the user plug in the mini-fridge and the air cooler simultaneously.
Portable air coolers compatible with USB charging have also been introduced to the market. This further points to the necessity of having versatile output ports on a portable power station. During emergencies, the user can use the AC or DC ports to power refrigerators or mini-fridges, whereas USB ports for air coolers make it highly convenient and efficient.
It would usually take around 300 Watts of energy to work a refrigerator continuously for 24 hours. A portable power station that can be recharged occasionally is the best device to ensure this uninterrupted power supply. But attention should be given to picking a power station that supports pass-through charging; otherwise, when the power station runs out of charge, the refrigerator and air cooler would halt until the station is up and running again.
If pass-through charging is not supported, it is essential to buy a power station with lesser recharging time which falls under a couple of hours, as cooling devices like refrigerators, mini-fridges, and air coolers can retain the coldness for a small while even without power.
Refrigerators, mini-fridges, and air coolers are supposed to be operated continuously during emergency power outages; thus, choosing the power source of the backup power station is crucial. Suppose you are planning to use a household refrigerator that is bigger in size and has limited ventilation options. In that case, using a battery power station that causes little to no fumes is ideal.
Suppose the usage is for refrigerators in RV for outdoor activities like camping. In that case, using cleaner and safer power source options like solar power and battery power for portable power stations is better. A solar-compatible mobile power station would ensure an uninterrupted power supply for air coolers and refrigerators during sunny days.
There are power stations that are compatible with multiple power sources. Suppose devices like air coolers and refrigerators are to be powered for a long duration. In that case, it is ideal to have multiple power sources as one can be replaced with another in emergencies.
Portable power stations are available in different dimensions and weights. It should be solely based on the user’s requirement that the product’s dimensions and weight be decided. Suppose the customer intends to buy a power station for an RV where a full-fledged refrigerator and air cooler are used. In that case, they will likely have to purchase one of the biggest portable power stations, as only the bigger ones can cater to such a large amount of power requirement.
Suppose the user is looking for a portable power station for an outdoor air cooler, which would mostly be fixed and bigger than the indoor ones, as the power requirement would be higher. In that case, the power station is expected to have higher output wattage and, thereby, bigger dimensions.
Refrigerators, mini-fridges, air coolers, etc., are currently used for outdoor purposes like camping, festivals, RVs, etc. The possible power outages in these instances could cause the devices mentioned above to stop working as they are primarily wired in nature and need uninterrupted power to function correctly. It is to avoid such a scenario that portable power stations for refrigerators are being used these days.
It is estimated that a regular-sized portable power station can power a household refrigerator for 5 to 15 hours. Using a power station as the backup source for a household or commercial refrigerator is also considered safe as they don’t cause any carbon-monoxide toxicity while operating.
Regarding a mini-fridge usually used for outdoor activities, traveling in RVs, etc., the backup power source should be reliable, safer, and powerful enough to provide around 100 Watts per hour. A portable power station caters to all these needs. Being a tabletop device, a mini-fridge must be moved around constantly, and the mobile power stations are compact enough to carry along.
Air coolers are put to high usage, especially during summertime. Using a solar-powered portable power station for the air cooler would be the ideal choice, as the sunny days of summer enable the power station to work at its peak.
According to experts, portable power stations with an output wattage of around 300 to 800 watts could ensure consistent power to operate these machines for a very long time despite the location. But to make the most out of a power station purchase, factors like battery capacity, output ports, recharge time, nature of power source, dimensions, and total weight should all be considered appropriately.
This post was last modified on December 10, 2022 10:05 am