VicS
Well-Known Member
But on warm nights you get warm beer
12v coolboxes
- Thread starter Kelpie
- Start date
maxi77
Well-Known Member
The cheap peltier cooled units are OK if you do not need them on long term, they draw far too much power for the ammount of cooling they do. We used one on the last boat and would cool it down at home from the mains then only run it for a few hours at a time on the boat. It was small and handy and is now relegated to the car/campevan We now have a 240/12 Waeco unit which is much more efficient, and has a thermostat.
Scotty_Tradewind
Well-Known Member
I've been experimenting this season with 2 of these relatively cheap TE-26 fridge/coolboxes I bought from Marine Super Store at Port Solent, who I have found very good for sourcing all sorts of gear over the years, and if you can quote cheaper prices off the internet from someone else they will always try and improve on that price if you speak to the manager.
for TE-26 see:
http://www.marine-super-store.com/posit/shop/index.php?selectedpartno=99169589
They do use over 4.5amps so unless you use the iron donkey a lot or have a wind genny then it can soon deplete your battery charge.
They also have relatively poor insulation and if not run for a day in the summer they will have lost their value and will have warm food inside.
This said, they were extremely valuable whilst driving the long distance in the car and could contain more than my 3 other coolboxes.
I am considering building one of them, or perhaps just the lid, into a well insulated locker to improve its efficiency and if that works it will be a very cheap way of getting a fridge this size. ( I do have a wind genny )
One downside to its construction.... I had one of the handle hinges break as i heaved the box into the cockpit one dark night by putting too much strain on one end of the handle.
All it needed was a small hole drilling and a ss bolt with a nyloc fitting which took 10 minutes, but if used sensibly as you would normally do, they are o.k.
for TE-26 see:
http://www.marine-super-store.com/posit/shop/index.php?selectedpartno=99169589
They do use over 4.5amps so unless you use the iron donkey a lot or have a wind genny then it can soon deplete your battery charge.
They also have relatively poor insulation and if not run for a day in the summer they will have lost their value and will have warm food inside.
This said, they were extremely valuable whilst driving the long distance in the car and could contain more than my 3 other coolboxes.
I am considering building one of them, or perhaps just the lid, into a well insulated locker to improve its efficiency and if that works it will be a very cheap way of getting a fridge this size. ( I do have a wind genny )
One downside to its construction.... I had one of the handle hinges break as i heaved the box into the cockpit one dark night by putting too much strain on one end of the handle.
All it needed was a small hole drilling and a ss bolt with a nyloc fitting which took 10 minutes, but if used sensibly as you would normally do, they are o.k.
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rivonia
Well-Known Member
Spicemariner
Well-Known Member
We have an Engels. Can be used as a fridge or a freezer, draws no more that 2.7amps and is incredibly quiet. I think they are from OZ and are used by truckers in USA, they are very reliable and you can keep icecream in them. Cost about £400, we bought it in USA, and holds enough food for a month, you can get different sizes. You can get them in the UK, but they seem to be a bit more expensive, actually work though.
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