How Many Amps Does a Refrigerator Draw?

A typical 16-cubic-foot, frost-free refrigerator draws 6 amps of electricity and uses 750 watts. The amps are determined by dividing the watts by 120 volts in the United States. The amps of a specific refrigerator are easily calculated based on the watts listed on the manufacturer’s label.

An amp is a measure of the flow rate of electricity. Electrical codes determine circuit breaker and wire size based on amps. Overloading a circuit causes overheating of wires and creates a fire hazard. When multiple appliances operate on the same circuit, the sum of the amps for each appliance should add up to less than the rating of the circuit breaker and wire.

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