Thanks, Doug 2.5A in freezer mode running, like, 24 hours a day is 60 amp-hours. That would quickly deplete my aux Optima 50Ah battery unless I added a lot of supplementary recharging. But I know that these reefers do not run 100% of the time. Someplace, somewhere, I saw a spec page which provided typical duty-cycles. Can't find it now. And I don't plan to run freezer mode, just below 40F. Does anyone have a pointer to typical duty cycle specs for the Norcold DC0040? These are either re-badged Engels, or are built around the Engel swingmotor. BTW, having the cold air fall out when the door is opened is not much of an issue -- the real "cold" is "stored" in the food, not the air. The amount of energy required to cool down a few liters of air is trivial. Cooling the food is where the energy goes. And having the cold air in a reefer replaced with warm might bring the temp of the food up 1/4th of a degree, and when that is done, the air is cold again. The numbers are in some e-mail thread from 2004. -- Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") Carlsbad, CA KG6RCR
On 7/12/2005 11:11 AM Doug in Calif wrote: >Mike, >My tests with the stock dometic in 110 degree weather were also dismal. >Over 60 degrees inside is not considered safe for some foods at all. >Plus when you open the door all the cold air falls out. > >The best fridge I have found so far is the Engel >It will cool down to zero degrees F. even in 100 degree weather. >Its a top loader though. > >You can read about them here. >https://www.expeditionexchange.com/engel/ > >The Engel 35 and 45 both use the new swing compressor technology >2.5 amps in freezer mode. >I did follow up with Vince about his purchase of the Engel 35 and he said >first impression was it was made way better than he thought and since then >he has been quite happy with it. > >Doug >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Michael Elliott" <j.michael.elliott@GMAIL.COM> >To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> >Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 8:50 AM >Subject: About them Norcold refrigerators > > > > >>Our Dometic reefer is working just fine -- for an absorption >>refrigerator, that is. Working with all its might it achieves a good 40 >>degree F differential between ambient (outside) temperature and inside >>temp. Which means that when it is 90F outside, the inside is 50F . . . >>not very cold at all. >> >>So I'm looking at the Norcold DC0040. I read Karl's article at >> >>http://www.members.shaw.ca/McTavishPAC/fridge/fridge.html >> >>and at time of writing, he was very happy with the results. >> >>And last year Vince S. expressed considerable enthusiasm for the >>Norcold's efficient Engel swing motor compressor design. I don't think >>he's posting right now, so I have not seen any followup from him on the >>subject. >> >>I'd like to hear from others who have gone the Norcold route, like Karl >>did. >> >>NOTE: I am most interested in energy usage results in 90F+ weather. >> >>-- >> >>Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott >>71 Type 2: the Wonderbus >>84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") >>Carlsbad, CA >>KG6RCR >> >> > > > |
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