ARES Cool 9 Cu. Ft. Undercounter Explosion-Proof (Hazardous Location) Refrigerator/Freezer Combination ARS-HC-ERFC10

Description

ARES Cool ARS-HC-ERFC10 – Product Highlights

• Dual-compartment refrigerator and freezer in one cabinet — 1°C to 10°C refrigerator section (top, three adjustable shelves) and -15°C to -25°C freezer section (bottom, two fixed shelves with three removable baskets), consolidating two hazloc temperature zones into a single 9 cu. ft. undercounter footprint.
• Class 1, Division II, Groups A, B, C & D — meets NFPA and OSHA hazardous-location guidelines for rooms where flammable vapors, gases, or volatile dusts may be present in the surrounding atmosphere, on both the refrigerator and freezer sides of the cabinet.
• ATEX and non-sparking architecture throughout — vapor-proof compressor enclosures, exterior-mounted microprocessor controllers, and conduit-only electrical termination eliminate ignition pathways on both compartments.
• Microprocessor temperature controllers with digital display — independent setpoint control and verifiable digital readings for the refrigerator and freezer compartments, with separate alarm channels for each temperature zone.
• R600a natural hydrocarbon refrigerant — low-GWP refrigerant supporting sustainability reporting alongside the broader ARES Scientific hazardous materials freezers and refrigerators tier.
• Exposed flying leads, three-wire conduit hardwiring — no plug; final connection at install site is hardwired through conduit to 115 VAC / 60 Hz / 1 PH facility power per Class 1, Division II practice and NFPA 70 Article 501.
• Remote alarm contacts and audible/visual alarms on both compartments — separate high/low temperature alarm channels for refrigerator and freezer integrate with facility BMS for centralized monitoring of each zone.
• Cycle defrost on refrigerator, manual defrost on freezer — physics-appropriate defrost strategy for each temperature range; cycle defrost is automatic, while the freezer compartment requires periodic manual intervention to prevent ice buildup.
• Leveling legs and stacking kit included — supports under-counter installation as well as vertical stacking with a compatible companion unit when floor footprint is constrained; commonly specified for satellite lab installations sourced through the broader ARES refrigerator and freezer combo catalog.
• 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 application sizing, installation guidance, and ongoing service.

Frequently Asked Questions – ARS-HC-ERFC10

What is an explosion-proof refrigerator and freezer combination unit?

An explosion-proof combination unit consolidates a refrigerator and a freezer into one cabinet, both rated for Class 1, Division II classified hazardous locations. The ARS-HC-ERFC10 provides 1°C to 10°C refrigerator storage in the top compartment and -15°C to -25°C freezer storage in the bottom compartment, with independent microprocessor controllers and separate alarm channels for each zone. It delivers the dual-temperature coverage of a paired refrigerator-plus-freezer install in roughly half the floor footprint.

Why choose a combo unit over separate explosion-proof refrigerator and freezer cabinets?

The combo configuration is selected when floor space is constrained — undercounter installs, bench-level satellite stations, mobile and modular lab buildings, micro-extraction labs, or small contract testing operations where two full-size uprights are impractical. The trade-off is reduced per-zone capacity compared to dedicated cabinets in the broader hazardous materials freezers and refrigerators tier. For higher-throughput facilities, paired uprights are typically the better fit; for footprint-constrained installs, the ERFC10 is purpose-built.

What does “exposed flying leads, three wires” mean for installation?

Exposed flying leads means the cabinet’s power wiring exits the unit as bare conductors — hot, neutral, and ground — rather than terminating at a plug or terminal block accessible to the user. Final connection is hardwired in conduit at the install site to 115 VAC / 60 Hz / 1 PH facility power, per Class 1, Division II practice and NFPA 70 Article 501. Installation must be performed by a qualified electrician familiar with hazardous-location wiring practice; cord-and-plug installation is not permitted.

Can the ARS-HC-ERFC10 fit under a standard laboratory bench?

The ERFC10 is a 65-inch-tall freestanding undercounter unit, which is taller than a standard 36-inch lab bench but sized for bench-adjacent or open-base installations where the cabinet stands on the floor with at least four inches of clearance on the back and sides for ventilation. It is not designed to slide under a fixed countertop; review the cabinet’s 23-5/8 in. × 23-5/8 in. footprint and 22 in. door swing against the planned install location before specifying.

What is the simulator ballast (glass beads in a bottle) on the spec sheet?

The simulator ballast is a thermal mass — in this case, glass beads suspended in a sealed bottle of fluid — used to dampen the temperature probe’s response so that the controller reads a value representative of stored product temperature rather than air temperature. Without ballast, the air-temperature probe would respond rapidly to door openings and load changes, producing nuisance alarms and a less accurate picture of what stored materials are actually experiencing. The ballast bottle is included with the ERFC10.

Can multiple ERFC10 units be stacked or installed adjacent to each other?

The ERFC10 ships with a stacking kit, enabling vertical configuration with a compatible companion unit when floor footprint is the binding constraint — common in modular and mobile lab installations. Adjacent side-by-side installs are also standard, provided the required four inches of clearance on sides and back is preserved for each cabinet’s compressor ventilation. Stacking and adjacency layouts should be reviewed against the facility’s classified-area drawings prior to install, with electrical termination handled per the broader cold storage equipment guidance.