Free time? Tests? All you have to do is set a number and use your system as usual. The info about "when" the attempt was performed last time is in avast main GUI -> maintenance -> update -> "last update attempt", and the applied updates are notified over the tray area.
Avast definitions updates are much less than 1MB. You took the time to ask here, but you don't have the "time to test" it? ISTM then that you can live with 240 minutes for updates or whatever you have set it to be.
Funny. Being a simple user of avast, helping for free in my free time, I don't feel I have enough free time to keep posting in this topic (which, the way I see it, it's solved).