12V Refrigerator or Nice Cooler

[lincolnlocker]

Just wondering if anyone has used a 12V refrigerator or thermoelectric cooler in the bed since we have a handy 12V outlet back there. There's also one in the rear of our Edge which we take on longer trips that don't involve off pavement.

The reason I ask is because my wife found the Orca cooler in our Amazon wish list and at over $400, I wondered if a small refrigerator might do the trick since there is an outlet back there and many of them cost less than the best coolers but actually have cooling capability.

My concern is the need to be plugged in. Not a problem on the road but if the car's not running, I obviously wouldn't want to leave it plugged in. Then it's worse than a cheap cooler unless moved indoors at a hotel; even worse, when hunting/camping and there is no power source. Still leaning toward a quality cooler for this reason.

Just considering the options 12v refrigerator. Not looking to buy anytime soon, at least until deer season, but just throwing this out there for some discussion. Any experience or opinions?

Obviously fridges are colder and better in most ways, but for me (i daily drive it) the benefit of the super easily removable cooler is a massive bonus. Anybody using a 12v cooler instead of a fridge? Looking for some mulit-day experience with temps, transportation layout, brands and power supply. Thanks.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Obviously fridges are colder and better in most ways, but for me (i daily drive it) the benefit of the super easily removable cooler is a massive bonus. Anybody using a 12v cooler instead of a fridge? Looking for some mulit-day experience with temps, transportation layout, brands and power supply. Thanks.

you mean thise small guys? theyre good b&d (not brooks and dunn) is a good one

 

[1998rollover]

The new real refrigerator coolers use a fist sized compressor based on designs made for a canceled US Military project. Since companies had already done the R&D they put them into production for civilian uses.

Adam Savage recently used one to build a refrigerated cooling system in a backpack for a space suit costume. On Ali Express one can for around $200 buy a complete cooling module with compressor, evaporator, and condenser, altogether around the size of a large shoebox. Looks to be ideal for a custom refrigerator built into the cabinetry in an RV.

These refrigerators are far more efficient than thermoelectric.

What can be done with a compressor mini fridge or TEC is run them with a portable Li-Ion or Lithium-Iron-Phosphate battery pack. Even one on the lower end of the capacity scale like the Ostation from Olight will run a TEC for many hours. It helps if the TEC box is a vintage Koolatron that has been given the treatment I described in a much earlier post in this thread.

There is one model of compressor mini fridge that has a swappable built in battery so it can be plugged in or run cordless. I've seen it sold under two or three names.

 

[J_C]

Yeah I wouldn't bother with a peltier/TEC based cooler, only one with a compressor. Far better performance at far lower power consumption.

Rather than TEC, I'd be as well off just gabbing a block of ice out of the freezer to put in a regular cooler. I keep blocks of ice in the deep freezer anyway so there's less air exchange when opened and it keeps food frozen for days in power outage events. Plus that's hundreds of dollars less expensive than a compressor based cooler and nothing to wear out.