[pvusers] Sunfrost refrigeration pluses and minuses

["Robert Warren" <robertwarren@mail.com>]

Dear PV users, 
I have some personal experience with Sunfrost refrigerators run on inverters, and I have always been quite pleased with the low energy use of these appliances. When I worked as a PV consultant at Rocky Mountain Institute in Colorado, we had two of them side by side running on a Trace SW4024, for over ten years. I set up a computerized data monitering system with an Omnimeter, so we could see the load graphs as well as the battery capacity, PV input, etc. We rarely got any spikes from the compressor startup: I was always very impressed with the overall design and efficiency. We could not have run 2 full size conventional reefers plus all of our office equipment and kitchen for 30 people on just one 4000 watt inverter without the Sunfrosts.
The thing is, not all inverters are equal, so just because one person finds a problem with his fridge on their inverter doesn't mean that a better quality inverter will do the same. In fact, a non sinewave invereter ca!
n burn out a fairly solid and expensive Westinghouse. 
Now, Sunfrosts are expensive refrigerators, do to the fact that they are not made on a big assembly line. They don't have all the cool looking molded plastic trays and door shelves: they are rather boxey and Sparten looking. Also, there is a long waiting list to get them, and they have also had some very bad press from Consumer Reports. But this is because they are comparing them to Westinghouse and GE models, so the average buyer is not going to relate, as most people don't lok so closely at their power bills. 
Take a look at the Homepower archives: you will find pros and cons. It is up to you, but please don't put down a fine work made by a small town cottage industry. Sunfrost makes a wide product range, and their small medical vaccine models are widely recognized throughout the world as a reliable necessity in very remote areas. 
By the way, I do not sell refrigerators or have any personal connection with Su!
nfrost. I prefer propane refrigerators as these will reduce the number of PV modules and batteries you have to buy. The solar industry needs a wide mix of products, and a lot of small businesssmen have tried very hard to make a living at this over the years. The fact that Sunfrost has survived at all is due to the fact that they do have a lot of happy customers, even after all these years and relatively few (but loud) unhappy campers. 
Robert Warren 
Senior engineer 
Solar Century, London 
www.solarcentruy.co.uk 


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Michael Welch

Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2002 08:59:52 -0700
To: pvusers@crest.org
Subject: Re: [pvusers] refrigeration once again


> I live in the community where Sun Frost fridges are made. I have known the owner, Larry Schlussler, for a couple of decades, + or -.
>
> While I am not going to argue for or against the choice of Sun Frost, I will ! state with no hesitation that Larry is trustworthy. He may not have the info that someone wanted, but I cannot believe that he is not to be trusted.
>
> Sun Frosts are not for everyone. But for many they are the only way to go. You have to decide if it is the right fridge for you, but please do not spread around a post that Sun Frost is not to be trusted.
>
> gig wrote at 01:48 PM 04/23/2002 -0500:
>
> >> Not only would they not present the true figures for most, but most of   what  they did supply was bad data. For example, we found out that in all the
years they have been selling them, they had never tested them on an inverter. When they called us about our decision to stop carrying or  advertising Sunfrost, there were far too many questions they would not or
could not answer. I told them we did not sell products from people we could not trust, and have not heard from them since. That was in 1999. !
> >
> >Now that is from Arizona Wind and Sun.... I think I am going to post  this message on my Solar Living (Topica) mailing list.... several
> >people there are talking about fridges, too, including myself.... I will probably settle for a conventional fridge, with a large freezer... or maybe get a Conserve 375...and save all the extra money...
>
>
> Michael Welch
>
> Michael Welch, michael.welch@homepower.com www.homepower.com
> Managing Editor, Home Power magazine
> Office Coordinator, Redwood Alliance
> (Not HP mag numbers) 707-822-7884 fax: 707-822-3481
--

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by Robert Warren 
robertwarren@mail.com

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