How long will a power station run a chest freezer?
A 1,000 Wh power station runs a typical chest freezer for about 19 hours. It averages about 45 W, draws 100 W while running and needs about 700 W for a moment when it starts.
A chest freezer cycles like a fridge; a well-filled one with the lid shut can also hold temperature for a day or two on its own.
How long by battery size?
| Battery | Runs a chest freezer for |
|---|---|
| 300 Wh | about 5.7 hours |
| 600 Wh | about 11 hours |
| 1,000 Wh | about 19 hours |
| 2,000 Wh | about 38 hours |
| 3,600 Wh | about 2.8 days |
Hours = battery Wh × 0.85 (inverter losses) ÷ 45 W average draw.
How long on each model?
| Power station | Battery | Runtime |
|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow River 3 Plus | 286 Wh | about 5.4 hours |
| Jackery Explorer 300 v2 | 288 Wh | can’t start it |
| Jackery Explorer 600 v2 | 640 Wh | about 12 hours |
| EcoFlow River 2 Pro | 768 Wh | about 15 hours |
| Anker SOLIX C800 Plus | 768 Wh | about 15 hours |
| EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic | 1,024 Wh | about 19 hours |
| Anker SOLIX C1000 | 1,056 Wh | about 20 hours |
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,070 Wh | about 20 hours |
| Bluetti AC180 | 1,152 Wh | about 22 hours |
| ALLPOWERS R1500 | 1,152 Wh | about 22 hours |
| EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max | 2,048 Wh | about 39 hours |
| Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v2 | 2,048 Wh | about 39 hours |
| EcoFlow DELTA Pro | 3,600 Wh | about 2.8 days |
| Anker SOLIX F3800 | 3,840 Wh | about 3 days |
| EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 | 4,096 Wh | about 3.2 days |
Would a generator be better?
The smallest generator in our comparison that can start a chest freezer on its own is the Honda EU2200i (1,800 W running, 2,200 W starting). A generator suits long outages and heavy loads; a power station is silent and safe indoors. Size a generator for this.
Running more than just this? Add everything you need and get the exact size, with matched models.
Size my setupMore questions
How long will a 500 Wh power station run a chest freezer?
About 9.4 hours, at an average draw of 45 W.
How long will a 2,000 Wh power station run a chest freezer?
About 38 hours.
What size power station do I need to run a chest freezer for 24 hours?
About 1,398 Wh with our 10% margin; the smallest model in our comparison that fits and can start it is the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max (2,048 Wh).
How many watts does a chest freezer use?
About 100 W while running, about 45 W on average over time, and about 700 W for a moment when it starts.
What is the smallest power station that can start a chest freezer?
In our comparison, the EcoFlow River 3 Plus: 600 W output and 1,200 W surge.
Can solar keep a chest freezer running?
Partly: our planning figure of 700 Wh of solar on a good day covers about 13 hours of a chest freezer.
Would a generator be better for a chest freezer?
Not for this alone: a power station covers it for a day, quietly and safely indoors. For multi-day outages or heavier loads, the smallest generator in our comparison that starts it is the Honda EU2200i (1,800 W running). Never run a generator indoors.
