What makes an outdoor fridge different to an indoor one?

Electrical regulations in IEC 60335 stipulate that any product that is destined to be used outside must achieve a minimum Ingress Protection (IP) Rating of at least IP24.

Furthermore, such an appliance must be connected to an IP Rated power socket and must also be protected by a Residual Current Device (RCD). The IP Code is set out in ISO 60529, and it states that the first digit defines the degree of protection from physical ingress and the second digit defines the degree of protection from moisture or water ingress. So an IP rating of 24 means that no object of diameter greater than 12.5mm can gain access to a hazardous part (for example you should not be able to put a finger in the way of a fan blade). That’s the 2 in the index number and the 4 means that the electrics are protected from splashing water from any direction. As another example, an IP Rating of 65, which is quite commonly found with lighting fixtures, would mean that the appliance is dust-tight and also protected from jetting water.

If you see a fridge advertising an IP Rating beginning with a 6, it means that the rating is wrong! This is because a fridge has to have ventilation slots to circulate the air and therefore it’s obvious that it cannot be constructed in such a way that it could achieve a dust-tight rating of 6.

Blastcool’s Rating IP24 therefore means that the product can be installed outside and will be safe even if rained upon or splashed from any direction. An indoor fridge will be unlikely to have any declared IP rating, thereby rendering it unsafe for outdoor use. Blastcool has had its products independently tested so that customers can be assured that the design has been rigorously tested for safety. If a product has an IP Rating, then it will be found on the data plate sticker alongside the other electrical information.

An outdoor fridge needs to be able to chill in scorching summer heat of up to 43°C as well as not be damaged by freezing winters of as cold as -25°C.

Every Blastcool has at least two powerful fans that circulate the cold air over the internal contents and then blow away the heat that has been extracted. Not only will a Blastcool chill the fridge down to 1°C but it will get it there much faster than an indoor fridge.

The compressor has special anti-vibration mountings as well as complex lubricants meaning that it is well-optimised for the task.

An outdoor fridge must withstand attack from airborne salt spray. A typical indoor fridge used outside may begin to exhibit signs of corrosion within a matter of months.

A Blastcool outdoor fridge has a marine grade 316 Stainless Steel exterior meaning that it has some protection from corrosive environments. Some other parts of the cabinet are zinc-galvanised and there are also components that have an additional specially formulated coating.

The interior of the cabinet is 304 food grade stainless-steel, and the shelves have especially thick chrome.  All products used outside need proper care and attention, especially in salt spray locations and Blastcool is no different, however the level of resistance on a Blastcool is much greater because of the well-prepared features of its construction.

If you put a typical pub fridge outside during summer, you will quickly notice that the glass is covered in condensation. A Blastcool fridge deals with this by having heated glass that is also insulated to the level of triple glazing even though it is only double glazed. It means that the glass will be kept clear and dry all year round. In fact, there are also some other areas of the cabinet that use waste heat from the refrigeration system to keep the cabinet dry.

Professional appearance

An outdoor kitchen is a big investment, so it makes sense to install a high-quality appliance and not cut corners. Blastcool has the experience and heritage to claim expertise in this specialised product area.

See the full range of Blastcool products here.