In January two thousand twenty-six, a home in Poza Rica, Veracruz, Mexico (North America) needed one clear purchase: a voltage regulator for a refrigerator, requested as a simple household priority.
Key Takeaways
Start with the refrigerator’s electrical rating. The model matters, because the regulator size depends on the fridge’s real load.
Use a safety margin. Refrigerator compressors draw extra power when they start, so the regulator should be larger than the steady number.
Pick features made for refrigeration. A restart delay is important, because it helps protect the compressor after a brief outage.
Use real prices from trusted sellers. Official brand stores can show a cleaner baseline than random listings.
Story & Details
A common problem, with one missing piece.
The first challenge was not the store, the brand, or the budget. The first challenge was that the exact refrigerator model was not known at the start, and that makes any “best regulator” guess risky.
The model changed everything.
Once the label information was available, the refrigerator could be named: LG GB45SPT, with an additional model code shown as GC-F569NQAM.AMCFMXM. That single detail turned a vague shopping task into a simple sizing task.
Turning the label into a number that guides the purchase.
The key is to convert the refrigerator’s electrical data into a practical target. The manual for this refrigerator lists a nominal current of 2.9 A at 127 V and 60 Hz, and it also lists a defrost heater power of 190 W. With the simple rule “watts are roughly volts times amps,” 127 V × 2.9 A lands near 368 W as a working estimate for the running load. A refrigerator can demand more at startup, so a regulator should not match the running number too closely.
The path used to choose a regulator, step by step.
A safe path is short and repeatable. First, find the refrigerator model and its voltage and current rating. Second, estimate running power from volts and amps. Third, choose a regulator with a wide safety margin for compressor startup. For many home refrigerators, a margin of two to three times the running estimate is a calm, practical target. Fourth, prioritize a regulator that includes a restart delay, because a compressor benefits from waiting a few minutes before restarting after a power interruption.
Two product families that fit the sizing logic.
In this case, two easy options stood out because they match the refrigerator style and include protective behavior.
One option is a dedicated appliance compensator and regulator in the two-thousand-watt class. Steren’s 920-200 is described as a two-thousand-watt compensator and regulator for appliances, with regulation over normal input swings and a seven-minute reconnection delay. That type of delay is designed for refrigeration use, where a brief outage can otherwise lead to rapid restart stress.
A second option is a one-thousand-watt appliance compensator and regulator for smaller loads, like Steren’s 920-050. It is presented as a one-thousand-watt unit with voltage regulation over typical swings and the same seven-minute reconnection delay. For a refrigerator that runs far below one thousand watts in steady use, this can still be a solid fit when the startup margin is respected.
A third brand option also appeared in the decision set: Koblenz RI-2002, presented as a regulator for refrigeration and washing, rated at 1500 W and sold through the official Koblenz store. That rating lands in a comfortable middle space between one-thousand-watt and two-thousand-watt devices for many household refrigerators.
Costs and where the local buyer looked.
In Poza Rica, Mexico (North America), the search centered on Steren because there is a Steren store page dedicated to the Poza Rica location, with direct contact options. For pricing, the brand’s own online store lists the Steren 920-200 at 1,990 MXN and the Steren 920-050 at 1,490 MXN. The Steren 920-010, a smaller protection device, is listed at 299 MXN and can be useful for lighter electronics, but it is not the typical “single answer” for a refrigerator.
For Koblenz, the official Koblenz online store lists the RI-2002 at 1,599 MXN. This number matters, because it shows that a refrigeration-focused regulator can sit close to the same price band as an appliance compensator, depending on the brand and sales channel.
Conclusions
A clear recommendation, based on the refrigerator’s real numbers.
With a refrigerator that lists 127 V and 2.9 A, the practical goal is not to chase the smallest regulator that “works.” The practical goal is to choose a unit that can handle startup demand and that includes a restart delay for compressor protection.
In this case, a two-thousand-watt appliance compensator and regulator is an easy, low-stress choice for margin and features, and a mid-range refrigeration regulator around fifteen-hundred watts can also fit well when it is designed for refrigeration use. The best purchase is the one that matches the refrigerator model, offers a restart delay, and is bought from a reliable seller with clear specs and support.
Selected References
[1] https://gscs-b2c.lge.com/downloadFile?fileId=bed5GruxUZaMd5k4TtVslQ
[2] https://www.lg.com/mx/refrigeradores/refrigeradores-bottom-freezer-congelador-abajo/gb45spt-sp2/
[3] https://www.steren.com.mx/compensador-de-voltaje-para-electrodomesticos-de-2000-w.html
[4] https://descargas.steren.com.mx/920-200-V0.1-instr.pdf
[5] https://www.steren.com.mx/compensador-y-regulador-de-voltaje-de-1000-w-para-electrodomesticos.html
[6] https://descargas.steren.com.mx/920-050-V1.1-instr.pdf
[7] https://www.steren.com.mx/protector-contra-variaciones-de-voltaje-de-3-600-w.html
[8] https://www.steren.com.mx/steren-poza-rica
[9] https://koblenz.com.mx/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/521/s/regulador-para-refrigeracion-y-lavado-ri-2002/category/99/
[10] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL4w3dXBj3A
Appendix
Ampere. A unit of electric current. It helps describe how much current an appliance draws while operating.
Compressor. The motor system in a refrigerator that moves refrigerant and creates cooling. It can draw extra power at startup.
Defrost heater. A heating element used to melt frost in parts of the refrigerator. It runs only at certain times and has its own watt rating.
Hertz. A unit of frequency for alternating current power. Home power is commonly listed as sixty hertz on appliance labels.
Joule. A unit of energy. In voltage-protection products, joules often describe how much surge energy the device can absorb.
Nominal current. The normal, expected current draw listed for an appliance under typical conditions.
Restart delay. A built-in waiting period before power is restored after an outage. It helps reduce stress on refrigeration compressors.
Volt. A unit of electric potential. Home appliances often list their required voltage on a label or in a manual.
Voltage regulator. A device designed to keep output voltage within a safer range when the input voltage rises or falls.
Watt. A unit of power. A simple estimate for running power can be found by multiplying volts by amps for many household loads.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 