Leisure electrics part 2.

[ozziedog]

The great thing about cool boxes is that you can have as many or as little as you like. The bad thing is you really have to plan in advance. I freeze a couple of ice cream tubs full of water at least a week in advance and chill everything before it goes in the cool box. If you tip the water out of your tubs a couple of times a day , the ice will last at least three days. The iced water is great with orange squash on a warm day, tipping the water off increases the life of your ice. I use a couple of polystyrene fish carrying boxes in a travelling / steamer type trunk and it’s as good as any cool box out there and far superior to most.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,you can’t beat cold cold Stella

 

[Velgreeno]

The great thing about cool boxes is that you can have as many or as little as you like. The bad thing is you really have to plan in advance. I freeze a couple of ice cream tubs full of water at least a week in advance and chill everything before it goes in the cool box. If you tip the water out of your tubs a couple of times a day , the ice will last at least three days. The iced water is great with orange squash on a warm day, tipping the water off increases the life of your ice. I use a couple of polystyrene fish carrying boxes in a travelling / steamer type trunk and it’s as good as any cool box out there and far superior to most.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,you can’t beat cold cold Stella

Totally true Ozzie. Thats a good idea too dude. Well im thinking well now im thinking is that with 2 boxes you can keep the food etc that you would use over time in the one keeping them cool more because you dont have to open it often and the other box keeping the immediate drinks, food etc you would use there and then. If that makes any sense at all ha. Im even thinking if it is at all possible to keep a cool box cool purely by using solar power only . To be fair im actually swaying rapidly towards ditching the fridge idea altogether and just having a basic electric set up for basic things. Plus paying over 600 for a fridge for that size and its not that effective. Actually yeah i have just turned myself off the idea now altogether with the fridge and looking into getting another cool box ha.

 

[pgtips]

have to drive a fair old way to re charge a battery

enter lithium battery, game changer. !

I built a lithium battery, they have really low internal resistance and charge as fast as what you throw at them e.g if you had a 100a alternator you could charge a 100a lb in an hour from zero.
It's not as perfect as that but you get the idea.
So assume 40amps alternator then just a 30 minutes drive somewhere and 30 back gives almost half back of a 100Ah lb.

Fridge sapping power you can squeeze a bit more out if them
For my fridge to double battery life I was guided to look into a temperature delay relay and it worked. I run a coolbox so it's always on, now when it reaches temp it all shuts down for 30 minutes, so every hour I get back 30 minutes =twice life.

 

[easy]

I would get the Dometic ACX3 40G, it can run off mains, 12v or the small gas cylinders, which are about 85p (these will last you 24hours on 1!) i also run it during the day of the solar panels on my roof and it runs fine best thing i have ever got really and it makes ice!

 

[la_bigmac]

Gas works for me when camping without hookup, well when we could still get the 15Kg bottles.. Unless its a very hot day I can still make ice.

I tend to chill the beer cooling device on the driveway on Mains before heading off. Lots of Beer and freezer blocks help keep things cool while on the road.

I have tried a few different battery options, the fridge kills them all even when driving.