Date:         Tue, 12 Jul 2005 12:32:17 -0700
Reply-To:     Otmar <otlists@EVCL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Otmar <otlists@EVCL.COM>
Subject:      Re: About them Norcold refrigerators
In-Reply-To:  <42D40EB6.3030507@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

At 11:40 AM -0700 7/12/05, Michael Elliott wrote:
>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.

I have a copy of one here:
http://www.evcl.com/vw/Accessories/MT45F%20curve_jpg.pdf
A bit fuzzy, but the data is there. Ambient temps across the top, and
Cabinet temp on the left. The curves just show how long it takes to
get to temperature.
For instance, the top left one shown that at 25 deg outside air temp
and +5 deg C cabinet temp (fridge mode) it draws and average of .54
Amps. They show it as .54 amp hour per hour.

I have a Engel 45 that I use as a freezer. Sure is nice to have
popsicles and ice cream in the desert! If you turn it up too much the
ice cream is too cold to scoop. So you have to keep it turned down a
bit.

At home I also use it on 110V as a freezer.

Temperature control of the unit is very good. It seems to hold within
1 degree so that's good for efficiency too.

The only drawback I find is that I like it very quiet at night, this
is not super quiet. Even putting it outside the van still makes
noticeable noise, though not much. My opinion is that the
"swingmotor" is no quieter than a normal compressor fridge. It's hard
to beat the Vanagon Fridge for night time quiet.

hth,
--
  -Otmar-
82/86 Stretch Vanagon Westfalia GTI. "Power of two" Soon to be TDI.
http://www.evcl.com/vw
1 914 EV, 1 Insight Hybrid