[RE-wrenches] Unique off-grid

[Dan Fink]

I have a client in Canada who has a Unique fridge/freezer and chest freezer
at 2 lodge locations. They are high quality and easy to live with. All
brands are expensive and use a lot of propane IMO, and Unique is right in
the usual price range.

Their fridges and freezers are not the same as Crystal Cold. Also note that
in Canadian installations these must have automatic CO-detector shutoffs or
approved direct venting. Which is fine, until the 9V battery dies and it
shuts off while you are at a remote camp for a week. Or when someone drops
the plastic CO detector and the battery door breaks off and you have to
hold the battery in with duct tape and rubber bands. The detector is the
only flimsy plastic part IMO, the rest is great. They come crated OK for
helicopter sling load delivery, which can be brutal. Also note propane
fridges don't have to be transported upright.

I have to replace another 20" gas range here and am going to try the Unique
(before I try it on clients) as I like the quality of their refrigeration
units. My local distributor for Peerless/Premier dropped the brand, because
of "abysmal" customer service for the high price, and long wait time on
repair parts. The only other quality options I've found for a 20" range are
expensive yacht galley setups, with ovens too small for a chicken much less
a turkey, or expensive drop-in cooktops and a wall oven....also hard to
find in 20".

I spec propane fridges and freezers to very remote clients  often actually.
Solar may be cheap now, but battery banks are not, especially delivered by
heli to locations with no direct insolation for 3 months of the year and an
expected 3-4 year lifespan.

Of course always better to use an efficient electric like SunFrost or
Novacool or SunDanzer (if the client can deal with a chest refrigerator),
but I sure wish someone made a 48VDC model of anything, so I don't have to
install 48VDC to 24VDC converter(s).

Kits for built-ins using very efficient compressors (Danfoss etc) and heat
exchangers are available from both Novacool and Adler-Barbour but you need
a very talented fridge cabinetmaker to ensure condensation (and then mold)
don't creep out of the cabinet into the insulation.

Just my 2 cents.

Dan Fink
Buckville Energy
IREC Certified Instructor™ for:
~ PV Installation Professional
~ Small Wind Installer
NABCEP / IREC / ISPQ Accredited Continuing Education Providers™
970.672.4342



On Sun, Nov 9, 2014 at 11:50 AM, William Miller <william at millersolar.com>
wrote:

> Friends:
>
>
>
> A client has asked me to enquire about a provider of appliances
> specifically for off-grid consumers.  Their web site is:
> http://www.uniqueoffgrid.com/en-Ca/Products/Product-Line-up.html
>
>
>
> Do any of you have any experience with this firm and their products?
>
>
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
>
>
> William
>
>
>
>
>
> [image: Gradient Cap_mini]
> Lic 773985
> millersolar.com <http://www.millersolar.com/>
> 805-438-5600
>
>
>
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