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Isotherm ASU


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Hi

Has anyone any experience of the Isotherm ASU fridges, are they worth the extra cost, does the ASU system work.

I see Waeco have also introduced a "cool plate" model, but that appears to just run until it has cooled the plate and not kick in whenever the voltage rises when the batteries are being charged or engine run to cool the cold plate without taking anything from the batteries.

david

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We have fitted the Waeco ones and they are good but in all honesty I can't really say that they are a lot more efficient the boats they are fitted on spend most of the time on a shore line.

 

I aren't too sure there is much to pick in the methods of operation either the Waeco does have a simple low voltage cut out and the Isotherm does have the ASU system but I don't know if that extends to a more clever battery state sensing system.

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http://www.isotherm.com/products/facts/ASU_vs_classic.htm

 

So basicaly, its got a holding plate in it, to smooth out temperature fluctuations, and then a bit of electronics, to bias the compressor towards runing when the engine is?

- Sounds fair enought, and at the right price, might even be a workable solution

 

We basicaly do the same with our old engle tho.

- Stack the ice box half full of the blue "cool packs" (50p each at tescos). And the run the fridge all day, and knock it off a night.

 

It means we can sleep too!

 

 

Daniel

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http://www.isotherm.com/products/facts/ASU_vs_classic.htm

 

So basicaly, its got a holding plate in it, to smooth out temperature fluctuations, and then a bit of electronics, to bias the compressor towards runing when the engine is?

- Sounds fair enought, and at the right price, might even be a workable solution

 

We basicaly do the same with our old engle tho.

- Stack the ice box half full of the blue "cool packs" (50p each at tescos). And the run the fridge all day, and knock it off a night.

 

It means we can sleep too!

Daniel

A mate of mine uses a similar principle to this only he stacks the freezer compartment with lager, and having switched it off overnight they are still cold in the morning. Sounds like a good plan. I don't know for sure it works as I haven't tried it but it sounds about right and at least the fridge gets used for what it was made for ( :smiley_offtopic: ).

Perhaps Lager freezes at a lower temperature and therefore acts as a 'holding plate'. Even branded lager is only about 50p a can in tesco...

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Haha!

- Having seen what happens if you freeze lager, ours lives safe and sound in the door.

- But i guess if you kept the temp warm enough you would be fine with that, proberbly safe to 2/3C or somthing?

 

 

Daniel

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I have used the isotherm units on sea going yachts for some years and found them to be very good. They are really designed for yachts who use there engines very little but whenever the engine is being used, like entering and leaving port, the unit senses the higher voltage from the alternator and automatically switches to the fast freeze mode witch reduces the temperature in the holding plate very quickly. When the engine is stopped the fridge is kept cool by utilising the "cold" built up within the holding plate without the fridge motor running at all. I found that in the warm temperatures of the Med approx 1 hour of engine use would give about 2 hours before the fridge motor started again. the longer the engine use the longer the inactivity of the fridge motor. When selected to shore power the unit behaves as a normal fridge. These units were sea water cooled (through hull skin fitting) due to the high ambient temperatures but they are supplied with an alternative cooling fan for cooler climes but I have no experience of using this type.

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Thanks all for replies, our Ranger fridge is 12 years old and the compressor is getting "weary" that is it has to run longer to get the tem' down to cut out temperature. It's well ventilated holes in floor and plenty of air space around it, also 16mm square cable on 32Ft total supply and return. It's drawing 5.9amps when running and runs for approx 10 hours in 24. Why i was looking at the Isotherm is when we are on the boat (Thursdays to Mondays) we run the onboard genny everyday for about 2 hours (running the washing machine or using my tools, chainsaw etc) and charge batteries, the thinking was this should cool the fridge and holding plate down sufficiently to last most of the day without any draw on the batteries, plus of course it should be more efficient being new.

david

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