Protecting the cold chain: powering freezers through outages

Cold-chain losses rarely show up as a power bill — they show up as spoiled stock weeks later. Compressors also draw a heavy surge on start-up, which is where undersized systems fail.

Size for surge, not just for running load

A compressor can pull three to six times its running current for a second or two. Your generator must absorb that without tripping, which is why peak-power rating matters as much as kilowatt-hours.

Size storage for your worst realistic outage

Take the longest outage you saw in the last twelve months, add a margin, and make sure storage covers the cold rooms alone for that period. Non-critical circuits can be left off the protected side.

Watch ambient temperature

Ventilation and shade extend both battery life and compressor efficiency. In Tema and Takoradi humidity, siting the unit well is not cosmetic — it changes the payback.