Important Bar Fridge Information and Facts
There are many important details to understand when selecting a suitable and appropriate bar fridge. If the below information does not answer your question or concern, please give us a call, as our team will be more than happy to assist you with your questions, concerns and fridge selection.
Q. Can I use these bar fridges outside in my outdoor entertaining area?
A. Provided the fridge has the correct rating and is suitable for the environment.
No glass door bar fridge can have any direct sunlight contact, as the heat from the sun will magnify through the glass door into the fridge, which can cause serious damage to the working components and will void any warranty.
– If there is direct sunlight, please look at solid-door models, as sunlight will void any warranty.
If the fridge will be open to weather contact such as rain, you will need to look at one of our two IP Rated model ranges. (ENVY & GSP models)
If the fridge is to be located in an outdoor locale, please check the maximum ambient temperature rating of the fridge to ensure it can handle the higher temperatures typically found in an outdoor setting.
38°C > 43°C+ is suitable for an alfresco setting.
Whereas 32°C is not and are indoor/fully enclosed units only.
Q. What type of ventilation is required?
A. The minimum required ventilation varies depending on the type of fridge.
Rear-venting models will require more ventilation space than a front venting fridge, as the unit requires more space around and behind to allow adequate fresh air to reach the rear of the unit, where it is used to cool down the working components.
This space also allows hot air generated by the fridge, to escape from behind.
The ventilation space required for a rear-venting unit is typically 20mm at each side and above, with 100mm behind the unit.
(Please check this against the models listed ventilation requirements, as some models may differ.)
Front-venting units don’t require as much ventilation space due to the nature of front-venting.
The vent/grille underneath the fridge’s door/s, must remain completely exposed and cannot be covered in any way.
Additionally, you must allow at least 10mm on each side and above, with 50mm behind.
This is to allow the hot air generated by the fridge to escape from behind the unit, which
inadvertently assists with cooling the working components.
Please check the “BUILDING IN” tab on any fridges respective webpage to see what ventilation it requires prior to making any purchase.
– Incorrect ventilation will void any warranty.
If you are looking to install the fridge behind cabinetry doors, please give us a call on the number or email at the address below to discuss this with our team.
They will run through all the requirements to install this correctly. – Incorrect installation will void any warranty.
Call on 1300 376 849 – or email sales@bar-fridges-australia.com.au
Q. How can I prevent condensation from forming on the glass doors?
A. The minimum required ventilation varies depending on the type of fridge.
The heated door feature is a film on the outer layer of glass, which is gently heated up using electricity, just enough to prevent condensation from forming. – This will not affect the cooling of the fridge at all.
We have a large range of bar fridges with the heated door feature – most of these are indicated by “-HD” in the model code.
For example the “SK156R-B-HD” has heated doors, whereas the “SK156-B” does not.
Nearly all our fridge models without heated doors have LOW E glass doors.
Without heated doors, but with LOW E glass, condensation will begin to form on the glass doors when humidity levels reach around 70-75%.
Without heated doors or LOW E glass, condensation will begin to form when humidity levels reach around 50%
We always recommend heated doors for the more tropical and humid states.
– NSW, QLD, NT and some parts WA.
For more information on the glass door configurations and condensation, please see the link below.
Condensation & Door Configuration Information – Link
Q. What type of noise levels can I expect from a bar fridge?
A. There are a lot of factors which affect how loud a fridge will be perceived, such as fridge positioning, room/location contents, flooring, the type of fridge, personal hearing, etc.
If noise is of major concern, we have absorption cooling models, which do not have compressors and are essentially silent. – DW25, DW60 & DW100.
As these models do not have compressors, they cannot handle high ambient temperatures and must be in a controlled environment that won’t exceed 25°C.
Our compressor driven units range from 37dB > 50dB.
Please see the link below, for an in-depth explanation on decibels and noise.
Noise & Decibel Information – Link
The noise rating for each model is listed in the “technical” information on the fridge’s respective webpage.
If you find your fridge is louder than intended, it may be due to external factors, such as the location and surroundings. If the area is rather empty, the noise from the fridge will echo, similar if you have hard flooring. – Please take this into account when purchasing a fridge.
It’s important to remember that noise is a physical effect, caused by vibrations in air particles.
This is important as it means we can manipulate the environment to lessen these effects.
Porus materials like foam, carpet, rugs, etc. are great at soaking up and dulling these vibrations, via friction, meaning by the time they have reached your ears they aren’t nearly as powerful, meaning less noise will be perceived from the source.
Hard materials like wooden flooring, concrete benches, etc., essentially do the opposite and reflect the sound waves, causing it to echo and be perceived as louder.
Q. What after purchase care is required?
A. The main two finishes we have are stainless steel or powder coated black, both finishes require different levels of care to maintain their ‘new’ look.
Black models are a little simpler than the stainless models, as their steel is covered with powder coating, so no stainless care is required.
For these units all you need to do is ensure you take general care for the product (avoid damage, scratches, etc.) to the black body to avoid exposing the steel, and cleaning off any dust or dirt to keep it clean and tidy.
Stainless models require a bit more care for the steel, we recommend applying a light coat of oil to all exposed steel
–Use a soft clean cloth to firstly clean the exposed steel, dry this off and then apply a thin layer of oil using a clean cloth, followed by buffing it out to a non-oily finish.
For locations that are harsher for steel, like areas close to the ocean and other bodies of salt water, we recommend this stainless steel care more often.
Please see the link below for a thorough explanation on stainless steel protection/care.
Stainless Steel Protection Guide – Link
In addition to caring for the aesthetics of the fridge, you must also take care to ensure the condenser does not get clogged with dust, dirt or other debris – this can affect cooling and operational performance.
It’s recommended that you check this every 12-months, or more depending on the environment the fridge is located in. – If you have pets, you may also want to check this more often.