There are still frequent cases when the refrigerator breaks down, it is taken to the workshop, warranty repairs are refused there, and the owners of the refrigerator are indignant: "They tell stories about some climate!" The old habit affects: I bought a refrigeration unit - “Morozko”, “Oku” or “Donbass” - turned it on and forgot it, even on the Black Sea coast, even in the Arctic. Nobody especially watched the quality of the refrigerator, and even did not look at the electricity meter. It gives cold - and okay.
However, the climate class of refrigerators is not a marketing move at all to achieve higher sales. Customers, in pursuit of prestigious brands and sizes, completely forget that the principle of thermodynamics is based on the principle of operation of any refrigeration unit . According to him, in order to obtain a negative temperature, you need to put the positive temperature formed during this process somewhere. And the heat transfer is not at all the same on the shores of the Black and Okhotsk Seas, which confirms the climatic class of refrigerators. The closer to the equator, the thicker the insulating layer of the refrigerator should be, the more powerful the compressor, the larger the area the condenser needs to have. All this is necessary for normal, and most importantly, uptime.
Manufacturers of refrigeration units distinguish eight climate classes - four main and four double. Each of them has its own designation, common for all manufacturers, regardless of the country in which the unit was manufactured.
The climatic class of the refrigerator N (normal) is considered basic, although it does not differ in universality. Its working temperature range in the room is +16 ... + 32.
The SN (subnormal) designation indicates that the refrigerator will be able to work normally at +10 ... + 32.
Subtropics are usually characterized by high
relative humidity. Under these difficult conditions (+18 ... + 38), the unit with the designation ST (subtropical) will be able to work.
In the tropics, it’s even hotter, in addition to land. The climate class of refrigerators T (tropical) with an operating temperature range of +18 ... + 43 is designed for them.
It is worth noting that the Russian market quite naturally most often offers consumers “normal” and “subnormal” refrigerators. However, global warming is making adjustments to the marketing strategy: even in mid-latitudes, temperatures can often jump to +35. Therefore, double climatic classes of refrigerators with wider temperature operating limits are in great demand.
Climatic class N ST is designed for normal operation in the temperature range +16 ... + 32, NT - +16 ... + 43, SN ST - +10 ... + 38. The climatic class of the SN T refrigerator is considered the most universal: such a unit should not experience any problems if the room temperature does not fall below +10 and does not rise above +43.
On Russian-made refrigeration appliances, one can also find Russian-language markings: O (general climatic) corresponds to classes ST and T, UHL (moderately cold) - to classes N and SN.
The climatic class of refrigerators is a determining parameter for its normal operation. Remember: if the refrigeration unit fails during the warranty period, but the workshop determines that the temperature regime in which it was operated did not correspond to its climate class, you will be denied the right to warranty repair.