How to Size a Solar + Battery System for a Mortuary Cooler

Solar interest among funeral homes is rising heading into 2026, but sizing a system for continuous refrigeration is different from sizing one for daytime household use. A mortuary cooler can't simply lose power when the sun goes down — the battery bank has to be sized to carry the load, not just supplement it.

Start with the cooler's actual electrical specs

Every model has a nameplate rating — voltage, running amperage, and startup (inrush) amperage, which is higher than running amperage for any compressor. Self-contained upright coolers plug into standard 115V and have well-documented draw, which makes them the simplest to size for. Larger walk-in and remote condensing systems draw more and need a proportionally larger array and inverter. Always size against your specific model's spec sheet — don't estimate from a general appliance figure.

The three components that matter

• Solar array. Sized to replace the cooler's daily energy consumption (kWh/day) plus system losses, not just its instantaneous draw.
• Battery bank. Sized to carry the cooler through nighttime hours and cloudy stretches — the deciding factor between a grid-tied backup system and a true off-grid installation.
• Inverter. Must handle the compressor's startup (inrush) current, not just its steady running draw, or the compressor can fail to start.

Grid-tied backup vs. full off-grid

Most funeral homes evaluating solar are adding grid-tied solar with battery backup — which offsets daytime electric cost and rides through outages — rather than removing the grid connection entirely. True off-grid systems require a larger, more conservatively sized battery bank since there's no utility fallback if a stretch of cloudy days runs the battery down.

Work with your solar installer, armed with the right numbers

We can provide the electrical specifications for any model in our line so your solar installer can size the array, battery, and inverter correctly. For background on why solar compatibility works the way it does, see our guide on whether mortuary coolers are solar compatible, and our broader 2026 energy-efficient mortuary equipment guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What information does a solar installer need to size a system for a mortuary cooler?

The model's voltage, running amperage, and startup (inrush) amperage from its nameplate or spec sheet, plus your local outage frequency and duration if backup is a priority.

Why does startup amperage matter for solar sizing?

Compressors draw significantly more current at startup than during steady running. The inverter must be sized to handle that inrush spike or the compressor may fail to start.

Is a grid-tied battery backup enough, or do I need full off-grid?

For most funeral homes, a grid-tied system with battery backup is sufficient — it offsets cost and covers outages. Full off-grid requires a larger battery bank sized for worst-case cloudy stretches with no utility fallback.