How Many amps does a refrigerator use? You never knew

Typically running on 120 volts, a refrigerator uses between 3 to 6 amps, equating to 300 to 800 watts. A dedicated 15 to 20 amp circuit is recommended to ensure safety, with manufacturers advising a total draw of 11 amps or less.

I find myself frequently pondering the question: How many amps does a refrigerator use? It’s a crucial inquiry for anyone concerned about energy efficiency and household safety. Refrigerators are indispensable appliances in our homes, running constantly to keep our food fresh. Don’t worry if you are not familiar with these terms. I’ll  let you know how many amps a refrigerator uses and also 3 easy methods to calculate it.

List Of Sections:

• How Much Electricity Does a Refrigerator Use?
• How Much Electricity Does a Mini Fridge Use?
• How Many Amps Does a Refrigerator Use?
• 3 Easy Methods to Calculate how much energy your own refrigerator uses?
•  Tips to Reduce the Energy Consumption of your Refrigerator:
• How Much Does it Cost to Power a Refrigerator?
• How many watts do refrigerators use? Breakdown by time period
• Monthly and yearly costs to run a refrigerator by country & state:
• Conclusion:
• FAQ’s

How Much Electricity Does a Refrigerator Use?

The amount of electricity used by your fridge depends on the size of and the age of the appliance

Refrigerators use an average of 400-800 watts of electricity per day, which equates to 3-6 amps adding up to 100-200 kWh or 0.83-1.67 amps of electricity per month.

To give you an idea, the typical home consumes around 877 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity each month.

How Much Electricity Does a Mini Fridge Use?

A mini-fridge uses about 200 to 400 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, depending on its size and efficiency. That’s about 33% less energy than a standard refrigerator, which uses about 600 to 800 kilowatt-hours per year. Average amps per day = 821.92 watts / 120 volts = 6.85 amps.

To put that into perspective, a standard refrigerator uses about 600-800 kWh per year. If you pay the national average of 13.31 cents per kWh, that means your refrigerator is costing you about $80 to $106.50 per year.

A mini-fridge, on the other hand, uses about 200-400 kWh per year. If you pay the national average of 13.31 cents per kWh, that means your mini-fridge is costing you about $26.62 to $53.24 per year.

How Many Amps Does a Refrigerator Use?

As for the amps, most refrigerators use between 3 and 6 amps. The amp rating is the amount of current the refrigerator needs to run.

Most refrigerators use a 115-volt current, although some may require up to 220 volts. The standard voltage for most homes is 120 volts, but some larger appliances may require a higher voltage.

To find out how many amps your refrigerator uses, you can look at the label on the back of the appliance or check the owner’s manual.

3 Easy Methods to Calculate how much energy your own refrigerator uses?

If you want to find out how much energy your refrigerator uses, you can use the formula given below.

But you can also check your refrigerator’s energy label, which will tell you how many kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity it uses per year.

To calculate how many amps does a refrigerator use, divide the number of watts by the voltage, which is 120.

For example, if your refrigerator uses 1,200 watts, divide 1,200 by 120 to get 10 amps.

And if your refrigerator uses 600 watts, divide 600 by 120 to get 5 amps.

What You need;

• Energy Star Rating to Figure Out  
• Energy Meter
• Nameplate Amperage

The refrigerator’s wattage rating can be found on a label located on the inside of the refrigerator. If you can’t find it, you can also look up the model number online and get the wattage rating that way.

Energy Star Rating to Figure Out the Average Power Consumption

The best way to figure out how much power a refrigerator will use is to look at the Energy Star rating.

Refrigerators are one of the few appliances that have to have an Energy Star rating to be sold in the United States.

The rating will tell you how much electricity a refrigerator will use in a year.

The average power consumption of a refrigerator is about 400 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year.

The Energy Star rating will also tell you how much it will cost to run the refrigerator for a year.

The average cost to run a refrigerator is about $50 per year.

Energy Meter

If you have an energy meter, you can simply plug it in and see how many amps your refrigerator is using.

If you don’t have an energy meter, you can get it from your local hardware store or online.

Energy meters are inexpensive and can be a great way to see how much energy your appliances are using.

Nameplate Amperage

The amperage draw of a refrigerator can be found on the nameplate, which is a small metal plate located on the appliance. The nameplate also lists the voltage and wattage of the refrigerator.

The nameplate amperage is the maximum amount of how many amps does a refrigerator draw. Most nameplate amperages are higher than the actual amperage of fridge.

Method #1: Using the Energy Star Rating to Figure Out the Average Power Consumption:

The Energy Star rating for refrigerators is based on the size of the refrigerator.

The larger the refrigerator, the more energy it will consume.

Energy Star ratings range from 5.5 to 12.5 kWh per month.

If you don’t know the size of your refrigerator, you can find it on the label inside the refrigerator.

If you don’t know the Energy Star rating for your refrigerator, you can use the average Energy Star rating to estimate the average power consumption.

Method #2: Using The Energy Meter to Measure Power Consumption:

An energy meter is a device that you can plug into your refrigerator to measure the energy consumption.

This is a good way to get an accurate reading of how much power your refrigerator is using.

You can find energy meters at most hardware stores or online.

Make sure you buy one that is designed to measure the power consumption of appliances.

Method #3: Doing Calculation by  Using the Nameplate Amperage:

The nameplate amperage of your refrigerator gives you the maximum current that expects to flow through your refrigerator at any given time.

To do a calculation using the nameplate amperage, you will need to know the voltage of your refrigerator and the nameplate amperage of your refrigerator.

Your refrigerator will operate at a voltage of 120V, which is the standard voltage for the majority of household appliances in the United States.

Now that you know the voltage of your refrigerator, you can do the calculation to find out how many amps your refrigerator uses.

To do the calculation, you will use the following formula:

Watts = Voltage x Amperage

Let’s say that the nameplate amperage of your refrigerator is 5A. You would do the following calculation to find out how many watts your refrigerator uses:

Watts = 120V x 5A

Watts = 600W

Tips to Reduce the Energy Consumption of your Refrigerator:

There are a few things you could do to reduce the electricity intake of your refrigerator. Here are a few tips:

• Keep your freezer full: In addition to this it will assist to maintain your refrigerator cooler and less electricity will be required for the refrigerator to operate. If you are still confused how to do this read our article on how to organize refrigerator.
• Close the door gently: Gentle closing instead of slamming a door will help in energy conservation.
• Choose the right refrigerator size: The bigger the refrigerator, the higher the energy consumption.
• Use a low-wattage light bulb: Use LED or compact fluorescent bulbs instead of regular ones whenever you can. The energy consumed by these bulbs is way less than that used by incandescent bulbs.
• Install a programmable thermostat: This will help you to save energy by setting a temperature schedule depending on the hours of the day or days of the week.
• Clean your refrigerator regularly: This will clear off any build-up of food or bacteria and reduce the energy requirement of your refrigerator. For proper maintenance read our guide on how to clean refrigerator.
• Don’t overfill your garbage can: This will make the refrigerator heavy and it will take more energy to move it or to cool it down.
• Clean the coils regularly: Dirty coils use more energy to run your refrigerator.
• Set your refrigerator temperature at the lowest setting: Cold temperature uses less energy to remain cold. So, how cold should a refrigerator be.

How Much Does it Cost to Power a Refrigerator?

The average cost of electricity in the United States is 13.31 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). A refrigerator uses about 657 kWh per year, which means it costs around $87 a year to run a refrigerator.

If you want to find out exactly how much it costs to run your refrigerator, you can use this simple formula:

(Number of hours per day the refrigerator is running) x (Wattage) ÷ 1000 = Daily kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption

(Daily kWh consumption) x (Cost per kWh) = Daily cost to run the refrigerator.

How many watts do refrigerators use? Breakdown by time period

The average power consumption of a refrigerator is 150 watts.

To calculate the power consumption of a refrigerator, you can use the formula: watts = amps x volts.

The average refrigerator uses 6 amps and is plugged into a 120-volt outlet.

Based on this information, we can calculate that the average refrigerator uses 720 watts (6 amps x 120 volts) of power.

Monthly and yearly costs to run a refrigerator by country & state:

I’ve calculated the monthly and yearly cost to run a refrigerator by multiplying the average number of kilowatt-hours it uses in a month by the average cost of electricity in a country & state.

Conclusion:

I hope this article has helped you understand how many amps does a refrigerator use and how to calculate that. If you are ever unsure of how much power your appliance uses feel free to consult an expert or even use any of the methods mentioned above.

Thanks for reading!

FAQ’s:

1. How many amps does a refrigerator draw on startup?

On startup, a refrigerator typically draws around 2 to 3 times its running amps, which can range from 15 to 20 amps for a few seconds.

2. How many volts does a refrigerator use?

 Most residential refrigerators operate on a standard voltage of 120 volts.

3. How many refrigerators can be on a 20 amp circuit?

Generally, only one refrigerator should be on a 20 amp circuit to ensure safety and prevent overload.

4. Can I run a refrigerator on a 15 amp circuit?

Yes, you can run a refrigerator on a 15 amp circuit, as long as it is the only appliance on that circuit and the circuit is properly rated to handle the refrigerator’s startup and running amps.

5. How many amps does a refrigerator use per hour?

Amps use by refrigerator per hour depends on several factors such as the size and model of the refrigerator, its energy efficiency rating, temperature settings, usage patterns, and environmental conditions. On an average, refrigerator uses 1 to 2 amps per hour during normal operation.