Hey BLUETTI fam!
We’re working on a new way to better protect your refrigerator during power outages — and we need YOUR input to get it right!
Your feedback isn’t just feedback — it’s a crucial part of shaping what comes next. By filling out our Fridge Power Needs Survey, you’ll be directly helping us create a solution that’s smarter and more tailored to your needs.
Take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us! Every voice matters, and we can’t do this without you.
I filled it out since my mom was interested in this and it comes up regularly on DIY Solar Forum. I clicked “under $500” for expected price of a 2kwh unit on the theory that it meant something dedicated to fridge use. So just a battery pack, relatively slow charger (100 watt say) and an inverter, no MPPT, no fancy display (just 5 leds), no app, no USB or other DC output, etc. The battery pack also wouldn’t need to withstand 1000s of charge cycles. 100 cycles is probably plenty. Main issue would be the inverter handling the surge current of an AC motor compressor refrigerator.
But, I think it’s best to approach this with backup power in mind when setting up the refrigerator. So first, today’s more efficient refrigerators don’t use an AC motor. They use inverter powered motors or (I just learned from Mandp’s RV report) magnetic solenoid compressors. So get that kind of fridge and the huge surge goes away.
Second, granted my fridge is now rather old, but fridges could have better insulation, maybe even vacuum panels.
Third, if you anticipate outages, having more cold thermal mass in the fridge and freezer can help. It takes about 1KWh of heat energy to melt 10 liters of ice. So if you can freeze that much water in your freezer before the power goes out, it can help keep the freezer cold for at least a day.
Fourth, maybe it can help to mentally separate your most perishable food from the less perishable stuff. Maybe even have a portable fridge that you can evacuate the perishables to in case of an outage. So in hot weather, the small fridge takes less power to keep cold. In cold weather, you can put the fridge outside and the cold surroundings will reduce or even eliminate its power requirements.
Bluetti currently sells a super expensive camping fridge that I wouldn’t consider buying because of its cost, but a more affordable Bluetti fridge for home use could actually be of interest. It should be super quiet and have both AC and DC inputs with DC bypassing the internal inverter. Maybe it could have an internal compartment for one or two B300 batteries or similar. So the DC input would be for 48 volts which would also allow generic batteries, ideally.
- It should fit nicely on top of an European fridge. Max 60 CM wide, 55 CM deep, not very high
- It should not use much power standby. Fridge or freezer manufacturers have done much work to make their devices energy efficient. An UPS should not undo this efficiency by using a lot of power in standby.
- It should not have constant charge discharge cycles as my AC300 has
- It should be an UPS, but it does not need a fast switching time.
- Beep/alarm when UPS goes on battery. Beep/alarm when battery is depleted. Setting to disable beeping for silent operation.
- UPS must turn on again and power the fridge as soon as grid power is restored. (Pass through utility power and recharge the battery)
- At least 2 hour runtime
- Firmware upgradable
- Should be ready to accept the heat emitted by the fridge it protects without affecting the unit/battery
- Easy to clean. Kitchens can be a bit greasy when food is fried often there. Unit should be resistant to that condition.
- Silent operation. No loud fans except when the unit is in heavy charge/discharge operation.
- LiFePO4 battery chemistry for balance of safety, capacity and longevity
- Pure sine wave
- Nice extra: Surge protector built in
Added: if you want to sell these through appliance stores you might have to pursue UL listing, at least in the US. There are similar certifications in some other countries. You could also work with fridge manufacturers.
I don’t think there’s much point to a fridge UPS with two hours of runtime. Unplugging a fridge for two hours is no big deal. It will stay cold for that long.