If you are a long-term camper or are considering a more extended trip, you will likely need to bring a 12v camping fridge, especially if you are bringing foods that need refrigeration. A refrigerator will hinder bacteria growth and leave your food supplies good for comsumption for much longer.
These days, there is a wide variety of models which are compact (yet powerful), easy to transport and come with surprising energy efficiency levels. However, some off-grid campers get caught by an intriguing question: How Do I Run my 12v camping fridges while camping?
There are many ways that you can do it, but we usually recommend using a small generator, battery bank, or your car battery (be careful with this option, though) that can provide you with enough power to make your cold-storage box run smoothly.
In this article, we will detail how to do it, what you should pay attention to, and some special tricks to make your next trip way better – keep reading (and if you are camping for weeks or months, it might be worth checking our article on How To Live in A tent)!
By the way, The Camping Air Conditioner is sponsored by readers. When you buy through one of our links, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
Can you run a 12v Fridge from a Car Battery?
Yes, you can, and it should run well. The majority of the cars these days come with 12v outlets, which should you provide enough power to run your small fridge.
However, make sure that your equipment has an adequate power plug that will allow for connection with your car’s 12-v socket. If it is not the case, you can buy a 12-v adapter to help you, such as Bestek 300W Power Invert (shown below).
You must be careful, though. The prolonged use might draw a significant amount of energy, and you might be left without power to start your car (the last thing you want if you are camping in a remote location and with no electricity around you!).
So, how long should I let my camping fridge run for? Please read below before draining our SUV battery last summer when we were off-grid camping!
How Long Will a Car Battery run a 12v Fridge for?
Overall, a fully charged battery will take from 8 to 50 hours to be completely drained . However, the exact timing will depend on your vehicle battery’s size, age and conditions and the 12v camping fridge you use. Keep reading the next paragraphs for a detailed explanation.
Among many factors, batteries are classified according to their reserve capacity (RC) and their Amp/hour capacity (AH).
The RC is an indicator of how long a brand new battery (fully charged) can supply a constant current of 25 Amps (at 80 degrees Fahrenheit) without dropping its voltage below 10.5V. The AH is the amount of energy (ampere) that can be drawn per hour.
Too complex? Simplifying the paragraph above, it is just your battery capacity. The higher the RC and AH, the longer you will be able to run your 12v camping fridge (without recharging). It is pretty common to have cars ranging from 50 to 100 AH (u).
As for 12-volt fridges, they usually consume from 2 to 6 Amp/hour (Note: you can get Watt per hour consumption and divide by 12 to find your mini fridge amp per hour). For example, Astro AstroAI 12 Volt Refrigerator (shown below) consumes approximately 5 Ampere per hour.
The table below summarises our findings.
It is pretty common to have cars ranging from 50 to 100 AH. You can Apply the following formula to find how long your car will
| Energy Consumption vs Battery Capacity | Battery Capacity – Amp per hour | |||
| 50 AH | 75 AH | 100 AH | ||
| Fridge Energy Consumption | 2 Amp/h (or 24 Watts) | 25.0 hours | 37.5 hours | 50.0 hours |
| 4 amp/h (or 48 Watts) | 12.5 hours | 18.8 hours | 25.0 hours | |
| 6 amp/h (or 72 Watts) | 8.3 hours | 12.5 hours | 16.7 hours | |
Important note: These are theoretical calculations, and the exact timing will depend on your battery capacity and the equipment characteristics. We do not recommend completely draining your battery (recharge your car battery when it is approximately 6o to 70% drained – you can start your car and let the engine run to recharge your battery).
What are the alternatives to power my 12v camping fridge then?
I need to confess that after my last summer experience, I am avoiding using my car to power my fridge while camping. There are two alternatives that I would recommend you consider then:
- A power bank
- Diesel-powered generators
- A solar-powered generator (my preferred option).
Each choice comes with some benefits and drawbacks as detailed in the table below.
| Power Source | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Power Bank |
|
|
| Diesel-Powered Generator |
|
|
| Solar-Powered Generator |
|
|
After buying my solar generator group set, I never looked back to the other alternatives. They are effortless to transport, extremely safe, and no need to worry about fuel storage.
The drawback? The investment. A good set, such as the one that I use, Jackery 1000W with solar panels (see below), will cost around $1500, but it is undoubtedly worth it in the long term.
- Extremely Efficient - 1000W (CLEAN energy)
- NO Noise
- VERY easy to use
- Power Station provides you with energy for days.
Can You Run a Camp Fridge off a solar panel?
Yes, you can. These days multiple affordable options let you run different equipment straight from a solar panel (the only challenge will be on cloudy days and during the night.
If you are considering this option, choose a panel of at least 100w (sufficient to run a 12v fridge with up to 8 amperes per hour consumption), such as PAXCESS 120W Portable Solar Panel.
It is foldable, lightweight and very easy to handle, and cost less than a solar power generator (picture shown below).
What Size battery do I need for a 12v fridge?
The answer to this question will depend on the device you use. I would suggest batteries with at least 500W to provide you with sufficient energy to run your 12-volt refrigerator for hours.
Our honest opinion: If you are considering a battery, why not go stretch your budget a bit and get a solar-powered generator, as Jackery? In the long term, it makes much more sense.
A battery might be suitable if you are camping for a weekend once per year.
is it Safe to Leave My Camping Fridge Inside My Car While Camping?
Yes, it is. A camping fridge might help your security and avoid animals and insects being attracted to your campsite.
We have written a detailed article on tips to store food in your car safely in this article.
Conclusion
Refrigerators are essential to keep your food free of bacteria growth and keep them in safe conditions for human consumption for much longer.
If you are considering a 12v fridge for your next trip, you have probably made the right decision. If you are camping off-grid, you will probably face challenges with the energy supply.
Given the lower consumption of camping refrigerators, you can decide between the 04 major options:
- Your Car Battery
- A diesel generator.
- A power bank (battery bank).
- A solar power generator.
Have a safe camping trip!
