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The battery a fridge needs is three numbers: what the fridge uses in a day, how many days you want between charges, and how much of the battery you are allowed to use. The first one is the uncertain one, so we show both versions for every fridge whose page gives us a figure.
The formula
battery Wh = fridge Wh per day x days / usable share
With 80% usable (our default when the maker publishes nothing; it is the depth Renogy uses for its cycle-life figure), a 60 W fridge at its worst case needs 1,440 / 0.8 = 1,800 Wh of rated battery for one day [calc]. With EcoFlow's published 165 Wh, the same day takes 165 / 0.8 = 207 Wh [calc].
Fridge by fridge
| Fridge | Worst case per day [calc] | Published per day | Battery for 1 day, worst case, 80% usable [calc] | Battery for 1 day, published figure, 80% usable [calc] | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow GLACIER Classic 35L | 1,320 Wh | 165 Wh | 1,650 Wh | 207 Wh | $699 |
| EcoFlow GLACIER Classic 45L | 1,320 Wh | 165 Wh | 1,650 Wh | 207 Wh | $799 |
| EcoFlow GLACIER Classic 55L | 1,320 Wh | 165 Wh | 1,650 Wh | 207 Wh | $849 |
| ICECO APL20 21 qt | no rated watts published | 293 Wh | - | 367 Wh | $559 |
| ICECO VL45 47.5 qt | 1,320 Wh | 347 Wh | 1,650 Wh | 434 Wh | $559 |
| BougeRV CRPRO20 21 qt | 1,080 Wh | not published | 1,350 Wh | - | $179.99 |
| ICECO GO20 21 qt dual zone | 1,080 Wh | not published | 1,350 Wh | - | $449 |
| Renogy 42 qt (40L) portable refrigerator | 1,440 Wh | 1400 Wh | 1,800 Wh | 1,750 Wh | $299.99 |
| BougeRV CRPRO30 30 qt | 1,440 Wh | not published | 1,800 Wh | - | $234.99 |
| BougeRV CRX3 23 qt | 1,440 Wh | not published | 1,800 Wh | - | $199.99 |
| BougeRV CRX3 30 qt | 1,440 Wh | not published | 1,800 Wh | - | $249.99 |
| BougeRV CRS 42 qt | 1,440 Wh | not published | 1,800 Wh | - | $239.99 |
| BougeRV CRD2 V2.0 43 qt dual zone | 1,440 Wh | not published | 1,800 Wh | - | $319.99 |
| BougeRV ASPEN S50 50 qt | 1,440 Wh | not published | 1,800 Wh | - | $264.99 |
| BougeRV CRD2 V2.0 52 qt dual zone | 1,440 Wh | not published | 1,800 Wh | - | $359.99 |
| BougeRV 53 qt (50L) fridge/freezer | 1,440 Wh | not published | 1,800 Wh | - | $249.99 |
| BougeRV CRD2 V2.0 61 qt dual zone | 1,440 Wh | not published | 1,800 Wh | - | $399.99 |
| BougeRV CRS 79 qt dual zone | 1,680 Wh | not published | 2,100 Wh | - | $449.99 |
| BougeRV Rocky V3.0 41 qt dual zone | 1,920 Wh | not published | 2,400 Wh | - | $399.99 |
| BougeRV Rocky V3.0 55 qt dual zone | 1,920 Wh | not published | 2,400 Wh | - | $449.99 |
How we compare: criteria, sources and dates
Worst case = rated watts x 24 h [calc]. Published = the maker's daily figure for fridge use. Battery columns round up and assume 80% usable; a Battle Born battery (100% usable, published) needs 20% less rated capacity, a Renogy AGM (50%) needs 60% more [calc].
Which battery, then?
Take the battery figure from the table, multiply by your days without charging, and compare with the battery comparison. Or let the power budget do it with your other loads included. If the fridge is your only big load, a portable power station can be simpler: see power stations for van life.
Do not drain the starter battery. Running a fridge from the vehicle's starter battery can leave you unable to start. A separate house battery charged by a DC-DC charger, installed by a qualified installer, avoids that.
Frequently asked questions
Will a 100Ah lithium battery run a 12V fridge?
For a fridge with a published daily figure, often for several days: a 100Ah LiFePO4 rated 1,280 Wh holds about 1,024 Wh at 80% usable [calc], six days of EcoFlow's published 165 Wh fridge figure. At the worst case of a 60 W fridge running nonstop (1,440 Wh a day) it is less than one day.
Will a 100Ah AGM battery run a 12V fridge?
Renogy says not to discharge its AGM below 50%, so its 100Ah AGM gives about 600 Wh [calc: 12 V x 100 Ah x 50%]. That is under half a day at the 60 W worst case, or three and a half days at EcoFlow's 165 Wh figure.
What about a power station?
A power station counts the same way: its published Wh times the share you can use. None of the pages we read publishes that share. Our power budget lets you set it and lists the stations that cover your need.