Re: [pvusers] Thanks for SunFrost comments

[Jeff Clearwater <clrwater@earthlink.net>]

Hi All,

Though I agree that Sunfrost is getting stiff competition given the 
emerging products and I agree that the numbers have been somewhat 
exaggerated (My tests showed about 86-90% of real figures over the 
years).  But have a heart!  From the nature of your comments, you 
seem to almost enjoy seeing an innovator possibly being pushed out by 
the big boys.

It is because of the creative entrepreneurs that the bar is there in 
the first place.  Many of us have stuck our necks out as business 
people and innovators to bring forward most of the RE technology we 
now use.  Trace's history goes back to a brother named Heart.  Schott 
Applied Powers success is a celebration of years of heartfelt hard 
work by Dave Katz.  The present hybrid cars on the market are due 
partially to us grassroots folks who banded together to create the 
electric car conversion "industry" and showed it could be done and 
raised awareness.  Many a mideast barrel of oil has been saved by the 
commitment of these folks and more importantly the hope and positive 
energy the movement has and will generate.

I'm not sure what Larry's plans are to respond to changing market 
conditions but whatever they are I celebrate him and support him in 
his path.  The DC Sunfrost is still a good choice for off-grid 
battery-based systems for high efficiency and so you can let  your 
inverters go into sleep at night.   You are not liable to see 
Whirlpool offer a DC model anytime soon or ever!

I find your "Sayanora!" to be a bit harsh given all the years of hard 
work.  Sunfrost may surprise us yet and evolve in ways we have yet to 
see.  Small businesses always find cutting edge and niche markets to 
serve and to all our benefit.  Thanks to Larry for his work and I 
look forward to his continued contribution to the industry if he 
chooses that path.

nuff said.

Jeff Clearwater
Ecovillage Design

>Thanks to all for your SunFrost comments, pro and con
>
>Turns out that SunFrost's numbers are bunk.  Here's a link to what 
>the yellow Energy Guide label says: 
>http://www.cetsolar.com/enguiderf16.htm
>
>The gov't tests (24 hours at 90 degrees F ambient, empty fridge, 
>door closed) proved the RF16 to use 350 kWh/yr - basically 1kWh/day, 
>though SunFrost says 790 Wh/day at 90.  I'll believe the 
>standardized test, thanks.  All that for $2700 (before the stupid 
>bottom cabinet.  So call it $3000.
>
>The Whirlpool ET5WSEXKQ is rated at 372 kWh/yr - basically 1kWh/day. 
>All that for $469 list.  Same interior volume as the RF16, too. 
>http://www.energystar.gov/products/printspecs.asp?atype=RF&model=ET5WSE*K*0*
>
>Whirlpool gets my dough.
>
>That's even better than the ConServ Eco-Fridge at 1.5kWh/day at 90 
>degrees F!  http://www.conservrefrigerators.com/conserv.html
>
>SunFrost has a place in history, no doubt, and they got the regular 
>suspects to come up in efficiency.  But they missed the boat on mass 
>production and have gone the way of Betamax.  Sayonara!
>
>
>
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-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Clearwater
Ecovillage Design Associates
Home, Community and Village Scale Renewable Energy Systems

2525 Arapahoe Ave, Suite E4, #280
Boulder, CO 80302
1-800-440-2523 PIN7071
Fax:  720-528-7813
clrwater@earthlink.net
jeffc@ic.org

Council Member - Ecovillage Network of the Americas - http://www.ecovillage.org
Founder:  Ecovillage Research, Development, and Demonstration Program:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~clrwater/RDD/rdd.html
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