Thursday, Jan 30, 2003 at 11:32
mainey mate you not quoteing the right figure for 24 hours and total power used Liemack is worst fridge available as tested properly
Unit Size in Litres Amps Avg 24 hours Efficiency Price 01/01/03 Cost per litre Value $
Evakool 50 1.9 26.32 $1,295.00 $25.90 0.98 BEST Overall
Waeco 40 2.0 20.00 $849.00 $21.23 1.06
Engel 42 1.6 26.25 $1,179.00 $28.07 1.07
ARB 42 1.6 26.25 $1,179.00 $28.07 1.07
Bushman 35 1.6 21.88 $895.00 $25.57 1.17
Vitrifrigo 41 2.3 17.83 $979.00 $23.88 1.34
Explorer 45 2.4 18.75 $1,695.00 $37.67 2.01
Autofridge 39 2.4 16.25 $1,744.00 $44.72 2.75
Bushboy 40 2.8 14.29 $1,600.00 $40.00 2.80
Liemack/Ref Res 50 5.6 8.93 $1,699.00 $33.98 3.81
THE HEAT
TEST
In discussion with ADI (Australian Defence Industries) testing staff we
decided to use temperature profile replicating the type of daily
temperature variation a fridge might encounter.
While tropical areas and winter highlands temperature gradients
would look a lot different, we believe the temperature spread chosen
displays the fridges comparative performance extremely
well.
So the profile for the environment chamber (which is like a large cool
room capable of heating as
well) was designed with a peak of 55°C for
two hours, ramping up and down either side to a background ambient
assumed temperature of 15°C during a 24-hour period.
COLD DRAW DOWN
All the manufacturers recommend pre-chilling the fridge prior to
travelling, and after testing them all we agree this procedure is
essential.
It’s not the time taken to ‘draw down’ to operational temperature that
is the problem so much, rather the time taken to ‘drive’ the fridge to a
stable cycling temperature.
Obviously it takes longer to draw down a fridge full of warm product,
so manufacturers always advise filling the fridge with pre-
refrigerated goods wherever possible. We agree this is preferable.
The problem is the constant monitoring of the fridge to ensure it
doesn’t cool too far below zero and freeze stuff that shouldn’t be
frozen. You must keep close watch on the actual internal temperature,
preferably with a thermometer that can read negative figures, which
should be suspended above or between the goods and not touching
something already frozen.
Some of the fridges on the
test took up to eight hours of monitoring
and adjustments (up and down) to ‘drive’ them down to a cycling
operational temperature between zero and 4OC that they could,
maintain without constant monitoring. They are all a bit fiddly in this
regard.
Data recorded during a 24-hour period at 15°- 55°C in the chamber. As
temperature increases the iesistance increases, causing greater
current draw in amps per hour than during a cooler night period. This
figure averages the peaks and troughs in amps drawn per hour.
FollowupID:
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