Ask any shopkeeper what hurts most during load shedding and the answer is often the same: the freezer. Ice cream softens, milk turns, cold drinks go warm and customers walk to the next shop. Solar with a modest battery can fix that.
- Fridges cycle on and off, so average use is lower than the label.
- Compressor startup needs a surge, so don’t size the inverter too tight.
- A battery keeps cold chain running through load shedding.
- Good door seals and shade save more than you’d think.
How much power do fridges really use?
A fridge or freezer doesn’t run its compressor all the time. It switches on, cools, then rests. The label might say 200 to 400W, but averaged over a day, the actual energy use is often 1.5 to 4kWh per unit depending on size, age, how often the door opens and how hot the shop gets.
Older, non-inverter freezers use noticeably more than modern inverter models.
The startup surge
When a compressor starts, it briefly pulls several times its running power. If your inverter is sized exactly to running load, it may trip when two freezers start together. Leave margin. Our load calculator includes motor surge for this reason.
A typical small shop setup
Say a shop has one display fridge, one deep freezer, lights and two fans. A hybrid inverter of 3kW or so, with panels to match and a 5kWh lithium battery, usually keeps everything running through common load shedding hours, and cuts the daytime bill too. Bigger shops with chillers move up to 4 to 6kW.
Night-time
Many shops close at night but the freezer keeps running. That’s battery work. Estimate the night-time energy (freezer only, maybe one light) and make sure the battery covers it with some margin, or let the grid handle nights where supply is reliable.
Small things that save a lot
- Keep fridges out of direct sun and away from the shop shutter.
- Leave a gap behind them so the coils can release heat.
- Check door seals. A torn gasket makes the compressor run much longer.
- Don’t overpack. Cold air needs to circulate.
Also see why solar pays back faster for shops and our small inverter guide.
Tell us what’s in your shop
Number of fridges and freezers, fans and lights. We’ll suggest a setup that keeps stock safe.