ultracold freezers

[Martin Wessendorf-2]

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Dear List--

This is off-topic but our -80 freezer (a Revco) died and we need to
replace it.  This one lasted 11 years; I have no idea of whether that's
good, bad or normal longevity for that brand.  --Does anyone have any
recommendations for ultracold freezers?  Cost, lifetime/reliability and
usability are all considerations.  I'd prefer upright to chest but a
small chest freezer could be an option, too.

We don't need anything huge--10-15 cu ft (about 285-430 liters) should
be fine--but it'll need to be something available in the US.

Thanks for the help!

Martin Wessendorf
--
Martin Wessendorf, Ph.D.                   office: [phone]
Assoc Prof, Dept Neuroscience                 lab: [phone]
University of Minnesota             Preferred FAX: [phone]
6-145 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St. SE    Dept Fax: [phone]
Minneapolis, MN  55455
**MY E-MAIL ADDRESS HAS CHANGED.  PLEASE USE [hidden email] **

[Phillips, Thomas E.]

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Martin - I have mine 20 years. It has needed repairs twice. Our dept has
a machinist/repair guy who is fully trained in replacing the
compressors, etc. He does about one every two weeks since there are so
many in our dept. we simply have a couple of spares that we lend whoever
needs one while the repair guy gets it back up and running. The system
works great. I would recommend looking for someone on your campus to fix
your current one. It is less expensive in the long run.  Tom

Thomas E. Phillips, Ph.D
Professor of Biological Sciences
Director, Molecular Cytology Core
2 Tucker Hall
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211-7400
573-882-4712 (office)
573-882-0123 (fax)
[hidden email]

http://www.biology.missouri.edu/faculty/phillips.html
http://www.biotech.missouri.edu/mcc/


-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]] On
Behalf Of Martin Wessendorf
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 2:22 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: ultracold freezers

Search the CONFOCAL archive at
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

Dear List--

This is off-topic but our -80 freezer (a Revco) died and we need to
replace it.  This one lasted 11 years; I have no idea of whether that's
good, bad or normal longevity for that brand.  --Does anyone have any
recommendations for ultracold freezers?  Cost, lifetime/reliability and
usability are all considerations.  I'd prefer upright to chest but a
small chest freezer could be an option, too.

We don't need anything huge--10-15 cu ft (about 285-430 liters) should
be fine--but it'll need to be something available in the US.

Thanks for the help!

Martin Wessendorf
--
Martin Wessendorf, Ph.D.                   office: [phone]
Assoc Prof, Dept Neuroscience                 lab: [phone]
University of Minnesota             Preferred FAX: [phone]
6-145 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St. SE    Dept Fax: [phone]
Minneapolis, MN  55455
**MY E-MAIL ADDRESS HAS CHANGED.  PLEASE USE [hidden email] **

[Louis Kerr]

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http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

I deal with several -80 freezers, some chest and some upright and most
of them being Revco's. We have rebuilt about five without problem over
the last 6-8 years. We hire an outside service, Minus Eleven
http://www.minuseleven.com/
in our case, and they replace the two compressors, lines, filters, etc.
We have not had any abnormal issues with the rebuilds. If the box and
controls are sound it is a good financial solution. I think lately the
fee has been around $3-4000. I have been told the life time of the
original freezer is 10-15 years and a rebuild should be the same.

Louie

Martin Wessendorf wrote:

> Search the CONFOCAL archive at
> http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
>
> Dear List--
>
> This is off-topic but our -80 freezer (a Revco) died and we need to
> replace it.  This one lasted 11 years; I have no idea of whether that's
> good, bad or normal longevity for that brand.  --Does anyone have any
> recommendations for ultracold freezers?  Cost, lifetime/reliability and
> usability are all considerations.  I'd prefer upright to chest but a
> small chest freezer could be an option, too.
>
> We don't need anything huge--10-15 cu ft (about 285-430 liters) should
> be fine--but it'll need to be something available in the US.
>
> Thanks for the help!
>
> Martin Wessendorf

--
Louie Kerr
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Marine Biological Laboratory
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