Fridge Power Vs Loading Vs Covers,

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This is a very interesting post and before next trip the Stanley knife is coming out and the mesh is going in the bin.
Thank you RR for opening the post and bringing this to portable fridge owners attention.
I for one would have never believed this if the convincing details weren't displayed.
 
Nightjar said:
This is a very interesting post and before next trip the Stanley knife is coming out and the mesh is going in the bin.
Thank you RR for opening the post and bringing this to portable fridge owners attention.
I for one would have never believed this if the convincing details weren't displayed.

Well as you know when I first got the ARB 47L I posted some crazy low power Draw figures and I was stoked, Not wanting to damage it I bought the Cover for it and was over the moon about that, But ever since then I have never been able to repeat those low Figures,

On march 4th 2016 when I bought it is the end of winter here and indoors at around 16/17*c a and it used a total of 9.527Ah for a 24 hour period Which is equal to 0.396Ah per hour but since I bought the Cover I have never seen it go below 15 to 16Ah for the same 24 hour period even in Winter,

I have tested everything and nothing worked where I even contacted the ARB Dealer and ARB UK and I even contacted ARB Australia and still I could not workout what had happend to my pride and Joy :argh: ]:D ^#%ing thing :argh: :mad: :( Leading me to even buy 4 other fridges to try and workout what was going on ??. Still Nothing,

The ARB use to get a degree or two lower than what it was set at so then it would read correct when it was loaded then it developed a Temperature Issue so I had to re-calibrate the Dial off-setting the dial by 1 or 2 *c Lying to the fridge telling it that it was warmer than it was so it would then cool it down to the correct Temp So when it reads 2*c it was really 0*c,

This brings us up to the past week I reset the Calibration to the Factory 0*c offset, The fridge was set to 2*c and it was reading 2*c on the LED Dial but the reading in the Bottom of the fridge Via a remote sensor was reading 4.5*c and would not go lower unless I messed with the internal Calibration settings,

So I set the ARB ot 3*c and let it stablize and then I removed the Cover and I took out the Basket of Food and placed the sensor Slap Bang in the middle of the floor of the Fridge and let it Cycle and it quickly went down to 0.3*c :eek: :inlove: :inlove:

So then I took the Leatherman to the Mesh Screens on the Cover and that bloke in the Video said that his Engel held it's cold for a few minutes longer Per Cycle with the cover ON, So I fitted my cover back on the Fridge,

With the Food and Basket Back in the ARB and Set to 3*c the Loaded Temp was now dropping down to 2.3 to 2.5*c which is 0.5* lower that what I have it set at, which is 2*c Lower Than it was when it would not read below 4.5*c when it was set AT 2*c

Setting the ARB to 3*c gives me a true Reading of 2.3 to 2.5*c and the Main Dial Reads 2*c and when it comes up to Temp it reads 3*C which is correct On both Accounts,

Just to make sure the Results I posted the other Day were Not a Fluke I have Re-Done the Test set at 3*c just to make Sure, I will Post the Power difference In a little while in a couple of Hours when the Test is Done,

Two Things about Fridge Covers, They will protect your Fridge and they will also add to the Insulation Properties of the Fridge keeping it Colder Longer, But it will Only do that If you remove the Screens,

I have proven what that Guys says is True and a Fridge with No Cover will use less power than One with the Cover with the Screens fitted, REMOVE Just the Screens and leave the Cover fitted and it will use a bit less Power than a Fridge with No Cover Fitted.

My reason for setting the Fridge to 3*c is because it is already reaching 2.3 to 2.5*c and I wanted it @ the Halfway point of what The Australian Food Standards Advise with a Temp range of 0*c to 5*c, So 2.3-2.5 is close enough I reckon :Y:

As soon as I have the 24hr power draw numbers I will post them keeping it as brief as I can, :perfect:

1628885868_arb_47l_at_24_hrs_4c_ah.jpg
 
Ok keeping it as simple as possible and I will post the long term effects at the bottom, And the Temps posted are from using a remote sensor.

Bottom Line is Keep the Cover ditch the Screens and save around 25% of the Power,

If you want to know what happend read On.

1) First Test Last Week set over 5 days Run Time

ARB 47L with Cover Intact Set to 2*c, Ambient 23*c.

Power Used in 24hrs = 18.0879Ah @ 0.7531Ah per hour OR 231.52Wh., Lowest Temp Achieved 4.5*c.

2) ARB 47L with cover removed and basket removed set to 3*c, Lowest temp Achieved 0.3*c, Temp raised to achieve minimum temp.

3) ARB 47L with Cover fitted and Mesh / Screens Removed

ARB with cover / No Mesh and Food contents replaced set at 3*c Lowest temp Achieved 2.3*c,

Power Used in 24hrs =14.934Ah = 0.62225Ah per hour. OR 191.15Wh.

4) Second Test Set @ 3*c to Confirm results

ARB with Cover / No Mesh with Contents Set @ 3*c Ambient Temp of 23*c.

Power Used in 24hrs = 13.873Ah = 0.578Ah per hour OR 177.57 Wh

Once Settled, It Ran for 16m 12s = 16.2m Power used 1.001Ah, Off Cycle = 90m 34s = 90.566m

16.2 + 90.566 = 106.766 minutes,

1.001Ah divided by 106.766m = 0.0093Ah per minute X 60 = 0.562 Ah, X 24hours = 13.500 Ah.

If we take 100% and divide it by 18.0879Ah = 5.528 X 13.5009Ah = 74.640% Or a saving of 25.359% = 4.587 Ah.
Over a week that is equal to 32.109Ah and over 2 weeks thats a saving of 64.218 Ah which is enough power to run the fridge for another 4 and 3/4 days

Now the realities of it in the long run and this is where it's not funny

As I have used my fridge 24/7 for the last 5years 5 months, So over the past year That 4.587 Ah X 365 equals 1674.25 Ah or 21439.46 Wh per year,
Times that 1674.25 Ah by 5.483 = 5years 5 months = 9179.91 Ah or 117502.88 Wh of wasted power.

If you look at National Luna fridges as used by the W.H.O. and N.A.S.A you will see that their Mesh / Screens have much better Airflow and are almost non existant,

See here,

https://www.nationalluna.com/product/fridge-protection-jackets/

Hope that helps.
 

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