12V DC Portable Fridge/Freezer

[jeff-14]

I am looking into buying one of the 12V DC Portable Fridge/Freezer. I will be using it instead of a cooler and as some extra storage. Has anyone used one these and are they worth the money?

[hankpage]

We use a thermo-electric 12v cooler. (Coleman Road Trip 40 qt.) (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boating/Boating-Accessories/Boat-Coolers|/pc/104794380/c/104706180/sc/104228280/Coleman-40-qt-Road-Trip-Cooler/746948.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FN %3D1100600%26WTz_l%3DSBC%253BBRprd746948&WTz_l=SBC%3BBRprd746948%3Bcat104228280), it keeps food and drinks 40°F below ambient temperature which makes it fine up to about 80°F. While traveling we keep it in the back seat with cold drinks and sandwiches for the days trip and when at camp we use it outside for drinks so we are not running in and out. We like it but it does have it's limitations.

[bg71361]

We use a thermo-electric 12v cooler. (Coleman Road Trip 40 qt.) (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boating/Boating-Accessories/Boat-Coolers|/pc/104794380/c/104706180/sc/104228280/Coleman-40-qt-Road-Trip-Cooler/746948.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FN %3D1100600%26WTz_l%3DSBC%253BBRprd746948&WTz_l=SBC%3BBRprd746948%3Bcat104228280), it keeps food and drinks 40°F below ambient temperature which makes it fine up to about 80°F. While traveling we keep it in the back seat with cold drinks and sandwiches for the days trip and when at camp we use it outside for drinks so we are not running in and out. We like it but it does have it's limitations.

Agreed we have the same one.

[diugo]

We use a Coleman Road Trip 40 qt.

Hankpage and/or bg71361, I see that unit is spec'd at 4 amps. Is that what it actually draws? Is the duty cycle less than 100% when the ambient temp is below 80°F?

Does it make any noise?

My rig's extravagant Dometic fridge costs $200/year in propane just to cool drinks---something this Coleman contraption might be able to do for free, using my 400W solar array, if the daily energy required is under 70Ah at 13V.

[hankpage]

Hankpage and/or bg71361, I see that unit is spec'd at 4 amps. Is that what it actually draws? Is the duty cycle less than 100% when the ambient temp is below 80°F?

My rig's Dometic fridge costs $200/year in propane just to cool drinks, which us something this Coleman thing might be able to do for free using my 400W of solar panels.

I am not sure how the temp is controlled. The fan runs constantly and the heat that it displaces seems constant also. In winter if I leave it running in the truck it will keep the cab warm all night. The ac adapter gets very warm and stays that way constantly too. I do not have any way of measuring dc amps.
I never checked temps, but on a 70° day the brown bottles very refreshing. It does beat buying ice.