Electric Coolers

[surgtech56]

Does anyone have an electric cooler? We usually keep our beverages in a regular cooler and not in the refrigerator of the TT. Saw one of these electric coolers, Coleman made this one, it was AC and had an outlet for a vehicle. During the hot summer months we go through a lot of ice. LOL We probably take too many beverages,etc...

[marcsbigfoot20b]

The other bonus of the chest type vs standard type fridge freezer is that when you open the lid, the cold stays in the chest.

On a dorm type fridge when you open the door all the cold air drops out the bottom and is replaced with ambient air.

[JJBIRISH]

bshpilot wrote:

JJBIRISH wrote:
Even a lower price on Amazon… Price: $583.21 & FREE Shipping.

despite their advertised sizes Whynter & EdgeStar are EXACTLY the same unit.
yet the EdgeStar is slightly cheaper at $579 than the Whynter.

I have the EdgeStar & am very pleased with it.
I suspect the Whynter is equally as good.

http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Refrigerator-Freezer-Qt-EdgeStar/dp/B001TWYCMK

I made a mistake, the lower price is not for the same unit… thanks for bringing that to my attention, and I apologize for my error…

The actual price is for the dual compartment dual zone control model FM-62DZ at a price that I previously posed of $679.99 free shipping… the lower price is a single compartment model…

dual compartment dual control as linked by Chris Bryant earlier


interesting and a good price for it I believe…

[bshpilot]

JJBIRISH wrote:
Even a lower price on Amazon… Price: $583.21 & FREE Shipping.

despite their advertised sizes Whynter & EdgeStar are EXACTLY the same unit.
yet the EdgeStar is slightly cheaper at $579 than the Whynter.

I have the EdgeStar & am very pleased with it.
I suspect the Whynter is equally as good.

http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Refrigerator-Freezer-Qt-EdgeStar/dp/B001TWYCMK

[JJBIRISH]

Even a lower price on Amazon… Price: $583.21 & FREE Shipping.

[bshpilot]

deleted

[JJBIRISH]

Chris Bryant wrote:
Another neat portable is the Whynter dual zone model, with 2 compartments, which can be fridge, freezer or both.

That’s a nice unit and a decent price at Amazon, $679.99 & FREE Shipping… or Wall Mart (out of stock)…

[Water-Bug]

There are basically two different technologies used in electric coolers. Compressor driven units are basically the same technology as your home refrigerator or air conditioner. The second technology uses the Peltier Effect (Peltier Cells). They are solid state devices that generate heat on one surface and cold on the opposing surface. They are much cheaper than a compressor but due to the proximity of the hot and cold surfaces, much less efficient and less reliable.

[Mootpoint]

We bought a Coleman from Wally World on sale.

The idea was to handle any overflow from the fridge when grocery shopping.

Temporary use.

It is now the beer and wine cooler and has run 24/7/365 for the last 2 1/2 years. Replaced the Ac/Dc adapter 3 months ago for $16.

When we are parked and running it on Ac, I put a timer on it to shut off the power in the middle of the cooler nights. Everything stays cold.

It doesn't owe me anything and would buy one, or similar unit, again if the need came up.

[Chris_Bryant]

Another neat portable is the Whynter dual zone model, with 2 compartments, which can be fridge, freezer or both.

[wa8yxm]

YC 1 wrote:
Closer to $800 when I bit the bullet for a large Dometic model. It has handles, a reversible lid, 12 volts or 110, does not have any external fins, is extremely rugged, cools very fast, can be used as a freezer, and worth the money for us when we went full time.

Except for the reversible lid (it is, however, removable for cleaning) you have described my Engel right down the the dollar sign.

Been using this thing 9 years both in the house when I had it and the RV.. Love it.

[Gunship_Guy]

We've been using our 50 qt ARB fridge/freezer for years in 3 different rvs. It's currently in the basement of our 5th wheel and runs 24/7. No issues.

[austinjenna]

Closer to $800 when I bit the bullet for a large Dometic model. It has handles, a reversible lid, 12 volts or 110, does not have any external fins, is extremely rugged, cools very fast, can be used as a freezer, and worth the money for us when we went full time.

Thanks for the explanation. I can see where the 12V would be great to have.

[YC_1]

austinjenna wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:



gee, a $500 cooler works better than a $69 one. who'd of thunk it.
bumpy


But does it work better than yer similar-size basic hundred dollar "dorm type" fridge/freezer? link to one

Now that we're talkin' compressor units: except for the fact that one is upright and one is chest-style how do these differ?

I am kind of wondering the same question myself. My outdoor kitchen on the fiver has about the same fridge as in your link and it works excellent so I dont know why I would spend 500 on one, can someone help me understand the difference.

Closer to $800 when I bit the bullet for a large Dometic model. It has handles, a reversible lid, 12 volts or 110, does not have any external fins, is extremely rugged, cools very fast, can be used as a freezer, and worth the money for us when we went full time.

[Handbasket]

Franchesca, the cheap dorm-type reefers don't have the high-efficiency type compressors, and usually won't run off 12V as well as 120V. Most aren't specifically designed to withstand the vibrations of travel, either. The high-dollar compressor types use a much more efficient motor and compressor, and the compressor & gas plumbing are designed more ruggedly.

The big advantages of either type compared to a 3-way are that they cool quicker, and can run off-level. A lot of them used a computer-type muffin fan to improve heat rejection.

Jim, "Mo' coffee!"