Saturday, April 7, 2012

Sunpentown WC-1682 Thermoelectric 16-Bottle Wine Cooler Review

Sunpentown WC-1682 Thermoelectric 16-Bottle Wine Cooler
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Purchased the WC-1682. Received the unit promptly and the unit itself was in good shape. Nice looking unit, everything fit well and plenty of space for the wine.
Pro's
-The unit is reasonably priced.
-It presents well.
-Runs quietly.
-Cooling system is efficient.
Con's
- Like all of these thermoelectric systems, it runs continuously. No getting away from this particular design and my guess is all of the manufacturers use the same guts. Given that these are relatively inexpensive, they must save some money by not putting in a relay to actually shut down the unit when it reaches the proper temperature. There may be other reasons for not stopping the cooling and fan completely, but it is not obvious to this engineer why they wouldn't do so except costs for putting the fan on a separate circuit and to keep the fan running for air circulation. An extra few components would be required to separate the fan control from the thermoelectric cooler. The fan and cooling systems slow down significantly when they reach the proper temperature, but neither actually stops. Hence they are inefficient.
- The unit itself is poorly calibrated. The unit I received runs 7 degrees hotter than indicated by the display. I set it initially at 65 degrees and it was actually running at 72 degrees. I didn't run a complete set of tests to see the variation. The temperature was calibrated against a Fluke 971. There is no method or adjustments on the board to adjust this calibration. You simply have to live with it. Also, this will limit the lower temperature range since it can't be set below it's rated temperature.
- The unit cannot be kept in a cool room. Since the thermoelectric cooling unit runs continuously, if the room gets at or near the temperature set point, then the temperature in the unit will drift downward because the unit cannot shut off. For example, if the room temperature is 66 degrees, and the unit is set at 65 degrees, the temperature will actually drift down to around 59 degrees or so because the cooling system never shuts down.
So far, the unit has been reliable and quiet. Minimum of movable components (only two fans). I would recommend the unit, with the caveat that anyone purchasing this separately calibrate the unit. Also, if you need to run the unit at or near the lowest temperature settings, this would not be recommended due the significant difference between the settings and the actual temperature.
Bob M.

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Keep up to 16 standard-size bottles of wine properly chilled and ready to enjoy with this sleek-looking wine cooler. Its touch-sensitive control panel with an LED temperature display makes it simple to adjust the thermostat between 52 and 65 degrees F, depending on the type of wine stored. The unit accommodates full reds at temperatures from 59 to 65 degrees F, light reds at 54 to 57 degrees F, and rose and white wines at 52 to 57 degrees F. Since it only chills to 52 degrees F, however, it's not recommended for sparkling wine or champagne, which taste best when chilled at cooler temperatures. The cooler supplies three slide-out chrome shelves with a scalloped design for securely cradling the bottles of wine. Furthermore, the unit features a thermoelectric cooling system, which avoids vibrations caused by compressor cooling systems. Such vibrations disturb the sediments in wine, disrupting the aging process. Without vibration, stored wine can age naturally. Even more, the unit's environmentally friendly thermoelectric cooling system uses no Freon, which can be harmful to the planet; offers energy efficiency, only using about as much energy as a 75-watt light bulb; and delivers ultra-quiet operation. Other thoughtful details include soft interior lighting with an on/off switch, adjustable leveling legs, and a tinted double-pane glass door with a recessed handle for a clean look. Freestanding and ETL-approved, the 70-watt wine cooler measures 19 by 17 by 20 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

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