Why are gas refrigerators hard to find?

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Could someone tell me why it's hard to find gas refrigerators when gas stoves are plentiful? Is it because they are more costly to run in comparison to electric refrig's?

Just thought it might be great to have for y2k. Thanks for any help.

-- JA (JA4you@aol.com), April 09, 1999

Answers

Nope, gas refers aren't more expensive. If anything - they're cheaper. The problem is the "All Electric Kitchen" rules most of America.

Last I heard, Energy Outfitters in Cave Junction, OR have Danby propane refers. You can call them at: 541-592-6903.

Jolly

-- Jollyprez (joll@prez.com), April 09, 1999.


get on your favorite search engine and type in "gas refrigerator". You'll find there are lots of places you can buy from.

-- winna (??@??.com), April 09, 1999.

Check out R.V. Supply outlets.

-- && (&&@&&.&), April 09, 1999.

Gee, I don't know about cheaper. The largest one we could find anywhere (14.4 cu ft from Explorer) was OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive, even though we like it.

The biggest problem with them, though it doesn't bother us, is that they lose "cold" more quickly than electric when opened frequently plus no automatic defrost.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), April 09, 1999.


Ooops,

I meant "cheaper to run" not cheaper to buy. Mine was $900 for an 8.5 cubic foot model.

Jolly

-- Jollyprez (jolly@prez.com), April 09, 1999.



By Gas I assume you mean Propane. I took awhile but I tracked down a Servel. These units have a reputation for being dangerous so I would advise direct venting and carbon monoxide detector (battery operated, of course). Ibelieve they stopped making them about 1955. They are hard to fine beause those that love them, aren't giving them up. They are GREAT for remote locations.

Good luck !

-- Jim Standen (jstanden@ucalgary.ca), April 09, 1999.


Our industrial shelving and used refrigeration co. has not seen a used servel in ten years, and at the time I never checked for their origin, but someone told me that they were made in Sweden. I have been told that at least one curent model in the Lehmanns catalogue is from Sweden. If true, that would explain the high cost. I am digging around the office on Monday for more info-

-- churchorganist (musicswede@webtv.net), April 09, 1999.

Ok, ok. Let's get some stuff straight:

1) Propane refers are NOT dangerous. Certainly not as dangerous as a gas stove.

2) Most RV refrigerators are "Dual" powered - meaning AC and Propane. (some run DC, but they're not efficient AT ALL)

3) Norcold makes an RV refrigerator line that is excellent and safe.

Check out www.campingworld.com for examples of propane powered refers. I do not know availability.

Personally, I have a Danby. It's considered by many to be the best propane refer around. It is 8.5 cubic feet, and cost $900 in November. It's made in Brazil.

Jolly gets cold a lot.

-- Jollyprez (jolly@prez.com), April 09, 1999.


check out recent post with this info-but--they are harder to find cause not used much. We haveone- an old Servel. Servel is no longer in business but the name has been bought. Several companies make them- check with your local propane dealer, Real Goods, Lehmans, or Kansas wind Power for starters. they are not cheap. If you luck out and find an old one- get it tuned up, checked out, including CO levels.

-- anita (hillsidefarm@drbs.com), April 09, 1999.

Perhaps a matter of psychology -- it's natural to think of heating when thinking of a gas appliance, but not so easy to think of cooling with gas if one has no experience with a gas air conditioner or gas refrigerator. (I recall being fairly boggled when I first read an explanation of how a gas air conditioner works.) So there's less consumer demand for the gas versions of cooling appliances.

-- No Spam Please (No_Spam_Please@anon_ymous.com), April 09, 1999.


Would some of you that have bought lp gas refrigerators please advise on the consumption rate of the lp gas in your units. The units that I have looked at on the net list the consumption rate in ounces. Is this in volume or weight? I would like to know how long one of these units will run on a 100 lb. tank.

-- John (john@home.com), April 09, 1999.

Our *huge* (ha!) 14.4 one needs about 75 gallons a year, which is very efficient. I think it's 7 lbs to a gallon but it could be less: someone else can help on the conversion.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), April 09, 1999.

Questions for BD, or Jolly,

I don't have any experience with these things, but I've been told that they sometimes have a difficult time cooling large masses of warm material (i.e. freshly butchered meat, etc). Have you noticed unusually long cooling times? Also do your reefers have freezer compartments, or is that impossible with propane?

thanks,

Arlin

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), April 10, 1999.


RV refrigerators have freezers that will freeze meat, make ice etc. Fresh killed meat should be cooled. 100lb gas should run for over 1 year. They make a small solar vent fan that helps if your in a warm enviroment, you must vent fridge. RV refrigerators do not come with air circulating fans built in, they make a small fridge circ. fan that will run about one month on 2 "D" cells well worth the investment. Don,t get the 12V option, power hog!! When we were on road if its hot in RV you run generator for AC and Fridge. If its not hot didn't run fridge,keeps fine for 8-10hrs.

-- xfulltimer (Esc@p.ee), April 10, 1999.

Part of teh difficulty is, if I remember, the electric version uses a compressor to do the phase change to do the cooling, and the gas version (propane or kerosene) uses amonia for the phase change.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (reinzoo@en.com), April 10, 1999.



Ours freezes and cools just fine. It's considerably smaller than our standard refer (8.5 cubic feet vs 22.5).

It's not frost free. But that doesn't bother me.

Night Driver, Propane refers are "absorption" refers. That takes considerably less energy than a compressor. There is only an itty bitty flame that raises the temperature enough to evaporate. The natural state is liquid. Whereas a compressor refrigerator is naturally a gas that is compressed into a liquid. It's a hell of a lot easier to evaporate than liquify (apparently)

Jolly isn't a physicist, so cannot guarantee all of the above is 100% accurate.

-- Jollyprez (jolly@prez.com), April 10, 1999.


Jim Standen or anyone,

Could you explain what "direct venting" means? How is it done?

-- JA (JA4you@aol.com), April 10, 1999.


Venting for RV refrigerators that I've had, {#4} side vent is about 18in by 12in. {this is air in}. Top vent is 18in by 4in, {air out}. I've added a small solar powered fan to my top vent on Rv, makes a big improvement. RV/gas refrigerators don't have cool air circ. fans inside box. RV supply outlets sell a small box fan that will run a month on two "D" cells, helps. Most of the newer RV fridges need 12vdc for igniter. If you know someone with RV look at instilation. We have a 27 foot BUGOUT RV.

-- xfulltimer (Esc@p.ee), April 10, 1999.

Hello!

Lots of them are gone due to the recall.

My answer to them is: Don't get rid of your SERVEL - KEEP IT!

These things are NOT dangerous, as many have said! SERVEL made over 3 million of these units, and, to date, around 60 people have died from carbon monoxide poisoning that their SERVEL gave off, all because they failed to maintain it like the instructions stated.

If you maintain it properly, a SERVEL will last for decades with little or no problems, and you won't die from using it.

Many people think their SERVEL cannot be repaired. NOT SO!

There are several places to get them serviced, but THE BEST places are:

1. Maine Gas Refrigarator Service (http://www.mainerec.com/mainegas/index.shtml). Run by a wonderful older man by the name of Art Gauthier, Maine Gas Refrigerator Service has parts and manuals for the SERVEL refrigerators, and can repair and recharge every model that SERVEL made.

2. Epps' Gas Refrigerator Service. Operated by Dale Eppley, who trained under Mr. Gauthier, Epps' Refrigerator Service is located in Columbus, Ohio (which is a little closer than Maine for most people). He does not have a website, but you can call him at: (614) 853-7995. Tell Dale I sent you.

Both of these companies do EXCELLENT work, and do not charge you an arm and a leg to do it. They won't charge you fro repairs you don't really need!

My SERVEL is on it's way to Dale (I live in Oklahoma) for repair. While it's gone, I am refinishing the case and will install new insulation when it returns. I am surprising my wife with a "new" SERVEL for her birthday/Christmas present! Once Dale gets through with it, we'll have it for the rest of our lives (we plan to leave it to the kids, along with our CHAMBERS stove).

SO - KEEP THAT SERVEL GOING!

-- Todd W. White (toddw.white@sbcglobal.net), November 12, 2004.


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