Are you planning to buy a chest freezer while keeping energy bills low? You must have some helpful information about the power consumption of chest freezers for better guidance.
And the first question you need to solve is, how much power does a chest freezer use? Here’s the answer.
On average, a chest freezer uses 200-400 watts of energy. However, the power usage depends upon various factors like temperature point, humidity level, location, usage, season, etc. It means chest freezers add about 4$ extra cost to your monthly electricity bills.
Apart from usage, the size of the chest freezer also matters. The power consumption cost will be higher if you have a big chest freezer; it will lessen if you have the small one. If you want to know more about chest freezers, keep on reading.
What is The Power Consumption of The Chest Freezer? (Different Sizes)
The power consumption of the chest freezer depends on the wattage, efficiency, and size. A compact chest freezer comes with around five cubic feet of capacity. It uses about 100 watts of energy.
A medium chest freezer comes with a capacity of 10 to 16 cubic feet. It utilizes about 355 watts of energy, which may cost more than the compact size freezer.
Moreover, a large-sized chest freezer comes with a capacity of more than 17 cubic feet. So, it consumes approximately 400 watts of electric energy. The cost of the power consumption may vary from state to state.
On average, Chest freezers consume almost 27.85W. If we consider per day consumption, it uses energy between 22.95W to 39.5W. The energy consumption may vary due to changing conditions.
Power Consumption of Old Chest Freezers
Old chest freezers indeed consume more energy. Old chest freezers used to consume about 845 kWh per year.
However, the latest models of chest freezers save a lot of money by consuming only 361 kWh. So, it is better to replace the old freezer with a new model.
Power Consumption of Small-Sized Chest Freezers
Usually, small chest freezers have a capacity between 5 to 9 cubic feet. They consume about 100 watts when they are operational.
Small freezers may utilize about 700 watts during start-up. However, the cost of energy consumption may differ as on the rate of electricity in your state.
LEARN MORE: What Size Chest Freezer for ½ Cow
Method to Calculate Chest Freezer Power Consumption
The best way to calculate chest freezer consumption in terms of bills is given below:
- First, divide the wattage ratio of the freezer by 1000.
- Count the number of hours you turned on the freezer and multiply it by the previous result.
- In the end, multiply with the price of electricity in your area per kilowatt.
You can visit the website of the electric supply company in your area for the current electricity price per kilowatt. Moreover, they also provide the price details on electricity bills.
What Are the Factors That Affect the Chest Freezer’s Electricity Usage?
Many factors are responsible for controlling the power consumption of chest freezers. Such factors determine the energy consumption level as well as the electricity bills. They include:
- Location: Keeping your freezer in a perfectly ventilated place in your home is necessary. Otherwise, it will use extra power and increase your bill.
- Temperature: you might notice a temperature control button on freezers. If you turn the switch towards low temperature, it will consume extra energy for temperature maintenance.
- Season: During the summer season, chest freezers use more energy, while energy consumption is low in winters.
- Size: power usage will be higher for the larger freezer and vice versa.
- Model: new models of chest freezers use less power than the older ones.
- Usage: the energy consumption would be higher if you keep opening the freezer’s lid frequently.
Effective Ways to Reduce the Chest Freezer’s Power Consumption
You don’t need to worry about the high-power consumption of the chest freezer. We have some measures for you to keep your energy consumption low, including:
- Check the Climate Class of the Freezer
Your chest freezer may come with some labels like T, ST, N, and SN. Each of these labels represents the climate class of the freezer. Buy a freezer that suits your climate class.
T means it will work well between the temperature of 18°C (64.4°F) to 43°C (1094°F). N represents that your freezer is suitable for temperatures below 16°C (60.8°F).
ST means it will work perfectly in temperatures between 18°C (64.4°F) to 38°C 100°F). Moreover, SN means that it will not work well in temperatures below 10°C (50-F).
- Defrost Once a Year
You should defrost your chest freezer once a year. It will help to reduce the ice build-up inside the freezer. This will lower the energy consumption of the freezer by 10%.
- Place It at the Right Location
Keep your freezer in the coldest place in your house. You should keep it away from sunlight or other such heat sources. Moreover, ensure proper ventilation in that area to reduce the risk of overheating.
- Adjust the Correct Setpoint for Temperature
The recommended temperature for a chest freezer is approximately 18°C (-0.4°F). If you raise the temperature, the power consumption will go higher by 10 percent.
- Keep Your Freezer Clean
You must clean your chest freezer one time within three months period. It is necessary to clean it from the inside and outside for reduced power consumption. Please make sure that you clean the coils and edges of the freezer.
Where Can I See the Wattage Information of a Chest Freezer?
New appliances and chest freezers come with a sticker on them. This sticker provides details about the approximate power consumption and wattage ratio.
You can also see the nameplate is given at the bottom or backside of the chest freezer. They also provide details of maximum wattage power on it.
Does a Freezer Always Use the Same Wattage as Mentioned on Its Label?
It is not always necessary that the freezer use the same wattage as mentioned on the label. The wattage ratio may vary due to several customization features.
Some freezers come with a temperature regulation feature that changes the rate of power usage. A few of them have advanced customization settings. These factors may change the estimated wattage ratio.
LEARN MORE: At What Temperature Should a Chest Freezer Be
Conclusion
Chest freezers are effective in freezing food as compared to other freezers. They also require more energy, which increases your energy bills. The energy consumption may vary due to several factors.
Most importantly, newer models consume less energy than older ones. You should also remember that energy consumption depends not entirely on wattage consumption.
You can lower the energy consumption through several ways which we mentioned above. Moreover, the power consumption does not cost more than 53$ in your energy bills yearly.
We hope that this article covered each aspect of the question “How Much Power Does a Chest Freezer Use? We should use a meter to keep an eye on energy consumption every day for better understanding.
