Acutemp Field Report

[DieselAddict]

I just arrived home from a weekend at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw SC for one of the race series I participate in. I took the two Acutemp units with me to server as food storage. Both units performed well. I had one set in FREEZE mode and one set of COOL. The one issue I had was with the one set for COOL. The unit has a compressor lockout when the cooling coil gets below 1 deg C. I understand why since the cargo its normally intended to carry can be very temperature sensitive. BUT for use as a food storage device this is a problem. If I put something that is a little warm inside it will go into alarm and the compressor will short cycle which removes heat from the load very slowly. To counter this I would flip it to FREEZE mode for 15 or so minutes and that would pull the chamber down to temp nicely.

What I am considering is putting a very slight amount of insulation between the cooling coil and the coil temperature sensor to allow it to run the coil a little colder when in COOL mode.

Beyond that they performed well. It was great to reach in and grab a fudgesicle and know its going to be firm. They attracted a significant amount of attention from the other race teams in the PIT.

Oh.. One last thing.. The batteries in my units are EOL. For the trip down to the track I powered them from the DC input. I realized if the batteries are totally shot the unit will NOT run on the DC input. Battery power is required. The batteries in one unit was good enough to work but one unit the batteries were toast. I ended up rigging a 12ah gel cell in place of the normal batteries. In a pinch you can use most any gel/AGM battery that will fit in the space. A future project I have for these are to upgrade the batteries to Lithium.

I'll post an update when I modify the coil temperature sensor.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Nice. I am always on the lookout to make mine more user friendly, will be good to see what you come up with.

 

[M1078MAN]

Nice..love the thinking in the box, no pun

 

[smokem joe]

I think I need one or two of those!

 

[M1078MAN]

they are to be had, just got to work for it

 

[smokem joe]

I've never seen any come up at auction or private sale. I'm sure they do and I just miss them

 

[M1078MAN]

you can set keyword reminders. so you dont miss them

Aside the batteries, mine was fully functional

 

[gimpyrobb]

Smokemjoe, another member near me has some available. Are you going to the findlay show? Im sure we can get them up there if need be.

 

[smokem joe]

I won't be able to make the Findlay show. I've got to much going on. I'm working 6 days a week 12 hours a day for awhile. I am in Columbus at least once a month. Possible to meet up somewhere in the area sometime? You know what he is looking to get out of them?

 

[Wire Fox]

Smokemjoe, another member near me has some available. Are you going to the findlay show? Im sure we can get them up there if need be.

I've eyed these for a couple years now. I want one, but not at $600+. If he was working in the $200 range, that's definitely low enough to make me re-count the dollars in my wallet and think about taking one off his hands.

 

[smokem joe]

I've eyed these for a couple years now. I want one, but not at $600+. If he was working in the $200 range, that's definitely low enough to make me re-count the dollars in my wallet and think about taking one off his hands.

That is a little rich for my blood for what it is. I've seen one's with brand new batteries on fleabay for $600 and passed on them

 

[M1078MAN]

thats exacly what i paid, 200 bucks and got a fully functional unit out of columbus oh

 

[frank8003]

thats exacly what i paid, 200 bucks and got a fully functional unit out of columbus oh

You did good at $200 but it would be only for beer so that is still to high, but what a machine.
View attachment HemaCool_Operations_5_13_05.pdf