How Much Solar Power Do You Need to Run an RV Fridge? (A Complete Guide to RV Solar Power)

If you’re looking to power an RV fridge or an assortment of other RV appliances, it’s critical that you know exactly what your power needs are.

In the guide below, we’ll answer the question: how much solar power do you need to run an RV fridge? 

We’ll also offer a comprehensive breakdown of how solar power and energy in general works as it relates to RVs and how to set up your solar power for maximum efficiency.

How Much Solar Power Do You Need to Run an RV Fridge?

Between 1000 – 2000 watts of solar power along with 500-1200 amp hours of battery power is typically the right mix to run an RV fridge.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that the above are general numbers. The actual number depends on several factors including:

• Your fridge (namely its energy efficiency)
• Solar availability (i.e. external weather conditions)
• And your overall energy needs

External weather conditions especially can impact your solar generation. And while this doesn’t technically change the amount of solar power you need to power an RV fridge, it does in application mean it will take longer to generate enough power to do so.

Or, more specifically, how much battery power you use vs. solar depending on conditions. 

Solar Power 101: How Solar Power Works (as It Relates to Your RV)

Now, let’s dive into how solar power works.

If you’re just getting into solar, understanding how it works can help you get the most from your solar panels and the power they generate. 

• Every solar panel is (a bit) different, and so its energy generating capabilities
• Every day (i.e. the weather) is different, and thereby the speed by which you can charge those solar panels
• And every appliance is different as it relates to their power needs

Solar panels work by absorbing energy from the sun’s rays, which is then transferred into a battery and stored at a low voltage. Once stored, you can use that energy whenever you want.

One misconception about solar panels is that they store the energy itself. However, they’re only a conduit for absorbing energy, you still need a battery for holding it.

Once stored in a battery, an inverter is used to increase the voltage– which is typically between 12-48 volts– and increase it to 120 volts, the voltage necessary for powering most everyday appliances.

How to Calculate Your Power Needs: Volts, Amps, and Watts

Now that you know how power is generated in your RV using solar panels, let’s talk about the specific power-related terms and what they mean.

When reading through RV forums and community posts, you’ll often see the terms volts, amps, and watts thrown around as it pertains to how much power someone uses to power their RV and appliances. 

Without knowing what they mean, however, it’s hard to use that knowledge as a reference for figuring out how much power you’ll need. 

So, let’s break them down (and then after, tie it all together): 

Volts

Volts are a measure of electrical “pressure”. The phrase electrical pressure is often used as a way to visualize what volts are as they pertain to electricity when passing through wires or other devices.

RVs typically use a 12-volt system, powering the entire RV using 12 volts of this “electrical pressure”. 

However, 12 volts is pretty low and so some larger rigs require 24.

To calculate volts:

Volts = Watts / Amps

Amps

Amps refers to the rate or speed at which electricity flows through something.

To calculate amps:

Amps = Watts / Volts

Watts

Watts is the easiest of the three to remember, as it refers simply to an amount of electrical energy. Think of it as the basic metric of power for electricity. 

Most RV refrigerators require between 100-300 watts of power

To calculate watts:

Watts = Amps x Volts

What are “Amp Hours”?

If you’re new to RVing, you may have run into the phrase “amp hours” and been confused about what that meant.

Amp hours is a phrase used by RVers to refer to how much power you have available to power your RV. 

However, it typically refers simply to the number of amps you have.

How to Set Up Solar Power In Your RV: 4 Things You’ll Need

Now that you understand a bit more about how solar power works, and how much power you’ll need to power your RV fridge, let’s talk about what you’ll need.

1. Solar panels

Surprise, you’ll need solar panels. 

Also sometimes referred to as “solar array”, as we talked about earlier solar panels are used to absorb energy from the sun’s rays. 

Each solar panel’s ability to absorb energy is measured in “solar watts”. If you have 800 amp hours of batteries, how much solar watts do you need?

Typically, it’s suggested to have at least 2x the solar watts to (12v) amp hours.

So, if you have 800 amps worth of batteries, you’ll want to make sure the solar panels you get can absorb a minimum of 1600 solar watts.

Said another way, for every 100 watts of battery power you have, you’ll want 20 solar watts.

So, if you have 5,000 watts of power, you’ll want a minimum of 1,000 solar watts to ensure you can produce enough energy solely through your solar setup to power everything.

Keep in mind that this doesn’t factor in different weather conditions, which can and will affect your ability to absorb sunlight.

With that said, the ideal energy set up uses a generator to balance things out when necessary so that they work as a team to make sure you’re always powered when you need to be. 

To help you find a great set of solar panels, check out our list of the best portable solar panels for RVing. 

2. Solar charge controller

Let’s quickly cover the other items you’ll need for your solar gear.

Remember what we talked about earlier: solar panels simply absorb energy, they don’t store it. 

A solar charge controller manages the passing of electricity from your solar panels to your batteries safely.

A 12v current is incredibly dangerous. A controller minimizes overcharging, which isn’t just safer for us but also better for the long-term health of your batteries. 

3. Battery or generator

As you might have expected, the next item on the list is a battery.

So far, you’ve absorbed energy with your solar panels, got what you need to transfer it to your batteries, and now your battery is fully charged and ready to be used with 100% solar energy. 

To get you started in the right direction, check out our top picks for the best portable RV generators for RVing.

4. Inverter

Finally, you’ll typically want an inverter as well.

In typical household appliances, AC (alternating current) is the type of power used as it’s necessary to power larger appliances like refrigerators. 

However, energy is typically stored as DC (direct current) power within batteries and generators.

An inverter converts the DC power in your batteries or generator into AC power so that you can properly power your RV fridge when not connected to shore power. 

This is the one item on this list that isn’t technically required. However, it’s incredibly useful for getting full use out of your fridge even when you’re not connected at a campsite.

And it becomes necessary if you plan on camping off-grid, where an inverter will be the only way you can power your fridge.

What Is An RV Fridge? Pros and Cons of an RV Fridge

An RV fridge is a fridge designed to be used in an RV. Unlike a residential fridge which requires electricity, they typically offer the ability to be powered in a variety of ways.

Including:

• Propane
• Electricity
• Or both

Larger rigs such as fifth wheels and Class A’s can use a residential refrigeration, but for smaller rigs RV fridges are also designed to be super energy efficient as well. 

An RV fridge is also designed for the road as well. The constant bumps and micro rocking can affect a fridge’s performance, which is most true in smaller rigs which feel it most. 

An RV fridge keeps working despite those bumps and movements and keeps working no matter where you’re traveling. 

With that said, as we mentioned they’re best for smaller rigs because, well… they’re smaller.

They typically come in two sizes, a smaller full-sized fridge like this one from RecPro: 

Or a smaller fridge perfect for Class B Vans, like this one from Bodega Cooler:

Something like the Bodega RV fridge is great for fitting into smaller areas underneath counters or desks:

If you want a full-sized fridge, you’d be better off getting a standard residential fridge.

They’re also less powerful, without the ability to keep things quite as cool as a standard fridge.

Is An RV Fridge for You?

An RV fridge is ideal for small and mid-sized rigs that don’t need a ton of storage space. 

If you’re big on boondocking consider that another box checked in favor of using an RV fridge, as you can power an RV fridge using propane making it perfect for off-grid camping. 

However, if you need lots of space or you simply have a larger rig you might want to consider a residential fridge as besides the off-grid benefits it has virtually no drawbacks provided you can power it.