A small load with a compressor kick
A chest freezer is one of the easiest things to keep running in an outage. It uses less power than a fridge, but it still has a compressor, so plan for its startup surge rather than its running load.
Freezers hold their temperature well with the lid shut — a full one keeps food frozen for about 48 hours without power.[1] Many people run theirs a few hours at a time, alternating with other loads, which is exactly what “take turns” in the calculator is for.
Chest freezer plus the rest of the house
Motors don’t all start in the same second, so you only add the single biggest startup jump on top of everything that’s running.
- Freezer + fridge: 1,200 W running, 3,400 W starting → at least 1,500 W rated (mid portable). Open in calculator
We divide the running load by 0.8 because a generator shouldn’t sit above about 80% of its rating for hours.
Questions
Can I run a freezer and a fridge on one small generator?
Often yes. The two compressors rarely start in the same second, so you only add the bigger startup jump on top of both running loads.
Where do I find my freezer’s watts?
On the label on the back or side. If only amps are listed, multiply them by 120 V.