12v coolbox recommendations

[curly head]

can anyone recommend a good 12v coolbox? or what features to look out for

if no recommendations what ones you wouldnt buy again :msn4:

cheers for any help

 

[faux]

If you are buying a 12v coolbox I would go for a 3 way version. This is because the 12v will kill any battery quickly unless the vehicle is running.

 

[curly head]

If you are buying a 12v coolbox I would go for a 3 way version. This is because the 12v will kill any battery quickly unless the vehicle is running.

faux

cheers for the advice. the jobbies i have had a look at also run 230v so 12v should only when i am on the move or have no hook up

it will be running off of my 110ah leisure battery so even if it does kill it shouldnt be too much of a problem :lol: famous last words!!!

 

[Justin & Muttley]

I had a 12v box for the car and was never really happy with it as it didn't seem to cool at all well. I prefer a coolbox and icepacks.

 

[Matt_B]

I bought a 3 way Sunncamp fridge for my camper - was told a coolbox will only cool where-as a fridge will actually reduce the temperature to 3 or 4 degrees - must say that it does work really well - beers are icy cold The other make I looked at were Waeco bvut they were a bit more money.

 

[jonnyvolks73]

I really would love to fit a 3 way fridge but just cant bring myself to cut a hole for the vent in my bodywork .. :shock:

 

[Pete B]

If you are buying a 12v coolbox I would go for a 3 way version. This is because the 12v will kill any battery quickly unless the vehicle is running.

faux

cheers for the advice. the jobbies i have had a look at also run 230v so 12v should only when i am on the move or have no hook up

it will be running off of my 110ah leisure battery so even if it does kill it shouldnt be too much of a problem :lol: famous last words!!!

Mine can demand 48w, at 12v thats 4 amps. 110 Ah at 4 amps is 27.5 hours. Not very long really chap, I am careful about how long mine is switched on, ie put it in the awning where it's cooler and turned off overnight.

 

[curly head]

If you are buying a 12v coolbox I would go for a 3 way version. This is because the 12v will kill any battery quickly unless the vehicle is running.

faux

cheers for the advice. the jobbies i have had a look at also run 230v so 12v should only when i am on the move or have no hook up

it will be running off of my 110ah leisure battery so even if it does kill it shouldnt be too much of a problem :lol: famous last words!!!

Mine can demand 48w, at 12v thats 4 amps. 110 Ah at 4 amps is 27.5 hours. Not very long really chap, I am careful about how long mine is switched on, ie put it in the awning where it's cooler and turned off overnight.

true, not very long at all and a good idea.

i know slightly off topic but can you charge a leisure battery whilst it is being used ie from hook up?

 

[faux]

Yeah you can charge the leisure from hook up in a number of ways. The best way is a Caravan zig unit but you can use a car/bike charge system.

 

[curly head]

Yeah you can charge the leisure from hook up in a number of ways. The best way is a Caravan zig unit but you can use a car/bike charge system.

faux
i was just going to use a basic car charger but didnt know if i could charge it whilst the battery was in use my electrical knowledge is next to useless :lol:

 

[ianscooby]

try going for a marine fridge uses about 1.5 - 2amp/hr, so on a 110amh battery you'll get a full weekend out of it, fitted one about two years ago and haven't looked back,

 

[hipshaker]

i've got one of these chargers connected to the hook up. used it this weekend, charged while the battery was being used:

http://www.tayna.co.uk/Numax-Leisure-Battery-Charger-10A-P6127.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[strutt]

I went down the Zig route,

So when im on hook-up the 12V appliances are powered via the 240v supply

However at the moment my zig wont charge the leisure battery back when on hook up

 

[Baldrick]

try going for a marine fridge uses about 1.5 - 2amp/hr, so on a 110amh battery you'll get a full weekend out of it, fitted one about two years ago and haven't looked back,

I've also got a Marine fridge which is supposed to draw 3.3 amps on average so in theory I should get 30 hours or so...but this weekend (first ever outing) I only managed about 14 hours .

I think it might be something to do with the fridge being on the maximum cooling setting! :lol:. I must set it a bit lower for Peppercorn this weekend and see what it does then.

 

[six]

i use a 3 way dometic 40litres super cold i run on gas when stationary unless there is 240v/110 kicking round. off the battery when on the go. ace i cant reccommed enough.

I've also got a Marine fridge which is supposed to draw 3.3 amps on average so in theory I should get 30 hours or so...but this weekend (first ever outing) I only managed about 14 hours .

Unfortunately Amp hours is not liner, and you'd never get 100% effciency out of a battery

so 14 hrs @ 3.3A/H is 46.2AmpHours .. how big is you battery.. about 70AH?

temp age (especially no of deep cycles you run on it) and other factors all affect this.

Cheers

 

[Baldrick]

i use a 3 way dometic 40litres super cold i run on gas when stationary unless there is 240v/110 kicking round. off the battery when on the go. ace i cant reccommed enough.

I've also got a Marine fridge which is supposed to draw 3.3 amps on average so in theory I should get 30 hours or so...but this weekend (first ever outing) I only managed about 14 hours .

Unfortunately Amp hours is not liner, and you'd never get 100% effciency out of a battery

so 14 hrs @ 3.3A/H is 46.2AmpHours .. how big is you battery.. about 70AH?

temp age (especially no of deep cycles you run on it) and other factors all affect this.

Cheers

Battery is 100AH and its brand new.

 

[six]

um might be worth testing how much current is being drawn to confirm the 3.3 A draw

as a rough calc i assume 70% of the advertised A/hr rating is useable. even on that crude calc would suggest you fridge is pulling 5 amps or 60W which is still not bad for chilling your beer!

also it would be worth making sure its full. I find a slow charge with my optimate 4 motorbike charge gives longer life than charging with a normal fast car charger.

 

[MarkFer]

We have a Waeco CF18 12V compressor fridge. Brilliant. Low consumption http://www.waeco.co.uk/page.aspx?page=powercon&s=4, will cool right down to freezing if you want it. Set to normal fridge temps our leisure battery copes fine - we would normally go out for a run somewhere daily so the battery would get topped up. 2 weeks camping wasn't a problem.

 

[sparkywig]

I've had a Coleman 40qt Powerchill for nearly 15 years and it's great. Runs on either 12V or 230V with a power adaptor.
Used it as a coolbox for Bristol VolksFest and the last bottle of cider was still cold when I got home.

 

[baron]

so you lot running proper fridges, have you all got vents cut in the side of your van for them? that's what puts me off...