Refrigerator

Refrigerator
Stores Food at an ideal Temperature to prevent spoilage.
Food spoilage can be slowed by ambient conditions as well as refrigerators.
Research	Agriculture (Research)
Dimensions	1×2 tiles
Category	Food
Power	-120 W
Heat	+500 DTU/s
Overheat at	75 °C
Decor	+10 (Radius: 2 tiles)
Storage Capacity	Food: 100 kg
Effects	cools Storage to 1 °C
Auto Out	Green: Full Red: Not Full
Materials
Raw Mineral	400 kg

Refrigerator is a structure that drastically increases the shelf-life of food by cooling its contents to 1 °C, at the cost of electricity and heating the nearby environment. Refrigerators only draw a full 120W if actively cooling food down to the target temp. If all food inside is already at 1 °C, then it enters a "Power Saving" mode that only draws 20W. Even if the contents have not yet reached 1 °C, food inside a powered Refrigerator is always considered to be refrigerated.

Tips

• Storing food in powered Refrigerator will reduce amount of germs present on food.
• As of Versions/EX1-469287, food must be both Deep frozen (-18 °C or lower) and in a Sterile Atmosphere to completely prevent spoilage, in both the base game and in . Vacuum is considered a sterile environment for this purpose, though it is necessary to pre-chill your food at -18 °C or lower before storing it in vacuum.
• A Refrigerator may not be a necessary item for all colonies, as food can be preserved in alternate ways. Any food that is stored in environments colder than 4 °C is considered to be refrigerated, and any food stored in environments colder than -18 °C is considered to be deep frozen. This means that putting a ration box in a Frozen Biome, immersed in a sterile gas, can be a cost effective way to store food.
• Two Refrigerators occupy the same space as one Ration Box, but store more food and provide more decor. They do not need to be powered just to store food, only to cool it down below the temperature of the environment.
• Refrigerated items only have their shelf life extended, but they can still rot.
• Food spoils more quickly if the Refrigerator is surrounded by Polluted Oxygen.
• Refrigerators can be wired in the same way as Smart Storage Bins.
• Refrigerators can be renamed.
• Refrigerators are also the designated storage containers for medicine that has been produced in the Apothecary. However, as medicine doesn't spoil at any temperature (or in any atmosphere), they don't need to be powered for this purpose in any case.
• A full refrigerator will only send a green signal if the refrigerator is powered.

Bugs

• When powered down, stored food exchange heat with the surrounding environment, while it does not when powered. Since the Refrigerator outputs less heat than it removes from stored food, this allows using the Refrigerator as a cooling device by alternately powering it and powering it down using a Timer Sensor and Power Shutoff.

History

• AP-396726: Refrigerator are now renameable.
• EX1-463874: Refrigerators cool things to 2 degrees Celsius instead of 4 degrees.
• MD-469668: Updated food storage mechanics, making refrigeration easier and more effective.
• MD-471338: Fridges now go into a low power "energy saver" mode when their contents are cooled.
• FA-471618: Refrigerators cool things to 2 degrees celsius instead of 4 degrees. (later changed to 1°C)
• FA-472345: Refrigerator now produces less heat when in Power Saver mode.
• U43-525812: Added the ability to toggle "Spiced Food Only" in the Refrigerator.

References

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