ARES Cool 14 Cu. Ft. Flammable Storage Laboratory Refrigerator ARS-HC-ERP-14

Description

ARES Cool ARS-HC-ERP-14 – Product Highlights

• NFPA 45 and NFPA 30 compliant for unclassified laboratory work areas — engineered for in-cabinet refrigerated storage of flammable and combustible materials in ordinary, non-classified lab rooms, the standard compliance posture for chemistry, pharmacy, and pathology cold storage of solvents and volatile reagents.
• Non-sparking and ATEX-rated interior components — the cabinet interior contains no electrical ignition sources; the compressor and electrical components are configured to prevent ignition from vapors of stored flammable liquids inside the cabinet, the core distinction between flammable-storage and general-purpose laboratory refrigeration.
• 14 cubic foot interior with four full plus one half adjustable shelves — flexible shelving accommodates variable bottle and container heights from small reagent bottles to larger solvent containers; forced-draft air circulation supports uniform temperatures across the 1°C to 10°C range.
• Two-probe temperature monitoring — one probe in cabinet air and a second probe in a sample bottle simulating actual product temperature, providing a more representative reading of stored material conditions than air-only sensing on legacy designs.
• Microprocessor controller with digital temperature display, °C/°F switchable — verifiable digital setpoint, tighter long-term stability, and bilingual unit display useful for multi-site standardization across the broader ARES laboratory refrigerator portfolio.
• R600a natural hydrocarbon refrigerant — low-GWP isobutane refrigerant paired with EPA-compliant high-density urethane insulation provides energy-efficient operation with reduced environmental footprint compared to legacy HFC-based flammable storage refrigerators.
• State-switching remote alarm contacts plus audible and visual high/low temperature alarms — integrates with facility BMS for centralized monitoring and supports 24/7 unattended operation in chemistry, pharmacy, and vivarium settings.
• Cycle defrost and forced-draft circulation — automatic cycle defrost eliminates manual intervention, and internal fan-driven airflow supports setpoint stability across the cabinet volume; physics-appropriate strategy for the 1°C to 10°C refrigerator temperature range.
• Keyed door lock, rear wall probe port, ETL/C-ETL listed to UL 471 — restricted-access security for controlled chemistries, 3/4 in. probe port for external monitoring and validation devices, and independent agency listing supporting the broader hazardous materials freezers and refrigerators compliance posture.
• Two-year parts and labor warranty — ARES Cool is ARES Scientific’s proprietary cold storage line, distributed exclusively by ARES Scientific with full warranty support and U.S.-based customer service for installation guidance, replacement parts, and ongoing service.

Frequently Asked Questions – ARS-HC-ERP-14

What does “flammable storage” mean for a laboratory refrigerator?

A flammable storage refrigerator is engineered with no internal electrical ignition sources — no interior lighting, no exposed thermostat switches, and a vapor-proof compressor enclosure — so that vapors from stored flammable liquids inside the cabinet cannot be ignited by the refrigerator itself. The ARS-HC-ERP-14 meets NFPA 45 and NFPA 30 for this purpose in ordinary, unclassified laboratory work areas. It is fundamentally different from a general-purpose lab refrigerator, where interior lighting and defrost heaters can act as ignition sources.

Where can a flammable storage refrigerator be installed?

The ARS-HC-ERP-14 is rated for ordinary, unclassified laboratory work areas — standard chemistry labs, pharmacy compounding rooms, vivarium reagent areas, pathology solvent staging, and similar spaces where the surrounding room atmosphere is not itself classified as hazardous. It is NOT designed for use in environments where volatile or explosive conditions could exist in the room atmosphere outside the cabinet. Installations in Class 1, Division II classified rooms require an explosion-proof refrigerator instead.

What is the difference between this and an explosion-proof refrigerator?

The two product tiers solve different problems. The ERP-14 flammable storage refrigerator protects the room from ignition of flammables stored inside the cabinet — appropriate for ordinary lab rooms. An explosion-proof refrigerator protects the cabinet from ignition by vapors present in the surrounding room atmosphere — appropriate for Class 1, Division II classified rooms. Specifying the wrong tier — flammable storage in a classified room, or explosion-proof in an ordinary room — is a code-compliance error in both directions.

Can the ARS-HC-ERP-14 be paired with a flammable storage freezer?

Yes. The ERP-14 is commonly specified alongside a matching flammable storage freezer when an ordinary lab room needs both refrigerated (1°C to 10°C) and frozen (-15°C to -25°C) storage of flammable and combustible materials. The paired-unit configuration is standard in academic and industrial chemistry, pharmacy compounding for sterile preparations, and analytical testing labs working with volatile solvents.

What do NFPA 45 and NFPA 30 mean in the context of this refrigerator?

NFPA 45 is the Standard on Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals, which governs the conditions under which flammables may be stored in laboratory work areas and specifies that refrigerators used for flammable storage must be designed without internal ignition sources. NFPA 30 is the Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code, which establishes broader handling and storage requirements. The ERP-14 meets the in-cabinet design requirements of both standards for storage of flammable liquids inside the cabinet in unclassified lab rooms.

Does the ARS-HC-ERP-14 require any special install infrastructure?

The ERP-14 operates on standard 115 V, 60 Hz, 2.5 A facility power and requires four inches of clearance around the back and sides for compressor ventilation, indoor use only in an ambient room environment between +18°C and +26°C with relative humidity under 70 percent. The unit is not designed for installation in classified hazardous-location rooms; the cabinet itself does not require room-level HVAC modifications beyond standard laboratory ventilation per NFPA 45 and the facility’s chemical hygiene plan.