# Electric coolbox - recommendations?



## sjl1970 (Mar 13, 2008)

Hi all,

We're thinking of getting an electric coolbox to supplement our fridge when touring, does anyone have any recommendations? I've done a search on here and found a thread about electric fridges but these are very expensive and our budget is really £100 max.

Do the cheaper electric coolboxes work well? Are they worth the money? I assume they're less efficient than the van fridge so we'd be looking at cooling drinks/non meat in the coolbox and meat in the fridge.

Also, are the electric coolbags any good?

Thanks
Sara


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

A thermoelectric (Peltier effect) coolbox consumes some 5A constantly.

That is a lot of current at 12V if you are not on hook-up.

They reduce the temperature by a fixed 10 degrees or so.

If ambient is 30C then interior will be 20C, which is not much good.

If ambient is 10C then the contents freeze.

They are not generally thermostatically controlled.

The better ones have an internal fan to distribute the "coolth".


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

We have a giostyle coolbox - it's got the fain in the lid, powered from the ciggy lighter socket. It's useful for cooling bottles of drinks, but takes a while; I use ice blocks and swap them around from the van freezer compartment. A problem is that the fan & gubbins with it uses up alot of space and you have a job to fit tall bottles in. Basic, but works ok on drinks - I wouldn't want to use it for perishable foods.
It wasn't much (<£20?)


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## sjl1970 (Mar 13, 2008)

Thanks guys,

I've seen this one:

Waeco Cooly 32
Capacity 32 litres 
12v DC car and 230v AC mains 
Cool 5°C 
Double fan powered cooling system 
Cooling to 20°C below ambient 
100% CFC free 
Strong carrying handle 
Accommodates standing 2L bottles 
Integrated cable compartment 
Weight 4.2kg approx 
Size (h/w/d cm) 44.5 x 39.5 x 29.6 
12v DC car and 230v AC mains
power leads supplied

Does anyone know anything about this type, efficiency, noise levels? Would be used whilst hooked up only and then ice packs added whilst driving. We're intending to 'store' it (when not on the move) behind the swivelled passenger seat i.e. in the passenger footwell. With silver screens up to keep the cab cooler what sort of cab temperatures do you think we'd be looking at? 

Thanks
Sara.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

The one crucial piece of info is missing from the specifications is the *power consumption*. In Watts or Amps would be useful.

They shove out a fair bit of heat. (guessing) 6A @ 12V is 72W.

You will definitely hear the fans running in the stillness of night.

"cool 5°C" is meaningless.

"Cooling to 20°C below ambient" is what matters.
Remember that the degree of cooling is fixed and the figure above is probably a bit optimistic.

The interior of your van will easily reach 30°C in summer when parked up.

Remember, performance is in inverse proportion to need.

The warmer the weather, the greater the need for cooling but the coolbox doesn't get so cold, so runny butter and tepid drinks.

Cool weather, coolbox works better, but you don't need rock-solid butter of frozen drinks!

Just don't expect miracles from one of these coolers.

We used them for several years while tent camping and gained a lot of experience.

The Waeco 12V compressor fridge in our pop-top camper was streets ahead, but was not cheap. 
Fully thermostatic operation at a fraction of the power consumption.


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## sjl1970 (Mar 13, 2008)

According to their blurb power consumption is:
approx. 60 watts at 12 volts,
approx. 70 watts at 230 volts

The smaller 22litre box is 48Watts 

All of which means absolutely nothing to me


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## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

I have a RC1600 Electrolux, had for some years, but hardly ever used,outside plastic is fadded, hinges broken,but works perfectly.If you are local ,you are welcome to take a look,not asking much for it.
I found that it got quite hot indoors,we always left it outside in the shade.
great for beers and large bottles of coke,would never used for food.

Les


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Coolbox*

Hello,

If you have room for a coolbox I suggest you have room for a tabletop fridge?. If so, forget the coolbox and buy and A energy tabltop fridge and run it off a small inverter when on the move. Thats from experience.

eg.....

TableTop Fridge A Energy 240v

They range from 60w - 100w power consumption. Also bear in mind the fridge will at some point, even in very hot weather cycle off for a short period, the coolbox will not, using more energy. I would suggest buying a fridge that is rated climate class ST.

Need any more help, please ask.

Trev.


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## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

I bought one of the Halfords ownbrand coolboxes in the days before I got the Westy with its compressor fridge. You can buy a mains adaptor for it, also from Halfords.

The Halfords one is very effective at cooling, and I used it to keep my perishable food for a few days after my Zanussi fridge at home went U/S, pending delivery of a new fridge freezer. 

The drawbacks are that it's very noisy compared with (say) a compressor fridge, and it will put a big load on a battery. The best way to use a coolbox would be to run it on mains electricity at home first to chill the coolbox and contents, and then add some ice packs from your freezer as well before you set off. 

SD


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