Cool box ... Lidl

Cheap enough but there is a reason for that. They don't work very well and chew 12v current like crazy. Of course it would make a useful ice box if you try it and find it useless as a fridge. Just throw away the peltier bits and seal up the holes. good luck olewill
 
Funny, I used on my first boat for years worked fine - max draw 4 amps, cooled to 20°C below ambient which in Scottish waters is -10°C to around +5°C in the cooler. Michet not work too well in the former penal colonies where it tends to be a little hotter. Keeps food and drinks cool and with a couple of small SPs runs during the day for "free".
I still have mine to supplement the two compressor fridges and the freezer - sits in the cockpit and saves going below for another beer or two or a bottle of vino.
 
I have one of their previous offers. Think that it might be bigger, it has both 12V and 240V inputs, with a speed control when on 240V mains.
Both ends of the Peltier has a fan. It's a noisy beast when running flat out - which it always does on 12V.
Insulation is a bit thin so a 'blanket' around it helps. If it's sitting on a bunk cushion for any length of time then it can cause dampness.
We start it off with a frozen bottle of water, and only run it when on shore power or on engine.
It works well enough for the price.

Ash
 
William_H said:
Cheap enough but there is a reason for that. They don't work very well and chew 12v current like crazy. Of course it would make a useful ice box if you try it and find it useless as a fridge. Just throw away the peltier bits and seal up the holes. good luck olewill
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+1. I have the Aldi version (rebadged Dometic-Waeco mode with mains as well as 12V options).

In addition to what Olewill has posted, they're noisy and they do not maintain the low temperatures attained at all well if powered off, partly because the insulation is not very good and partly because the peltier coolers are alleged to run backwards allowing the contents to warm up quickly.

Noisy is not to be sniffed at either - I was going to run mine in the kitchen at home overnight on mains power to see how low the tempoerature would go on a long run. The noise stopped all ideas of doing that or I would have got no sleep. I would not be happy with one running on my boat unless the engine was going, just on noise grounds alone, let alone the current draw which is substantial.

Shame really, as something like them which actually worked well would be a complete boon on the boat and in the car.

Boo2
 
I think our comments should be catagorized.
1) the general arguments for and against peltier type coolers.
2) the value of the Lidl cooler in particular.
I use a waeco compressor chest and also a peltier. The peltier uses 3 amps continuous and has simiar noise levels to the compressor but being on all the time is actually less noticable (at night) than the compressor which cuts in and out.
There are pros and cons related to both these types of cooling device. The Lidl sounds good value, I wonder what was the price of the Waeco badged item.
 
pcatterall said:
I think our comments should be catagorized.
1) the general arguments for and against peltier type coolers.
2) the value of the Lidl cooler in particular.
I use a waeco compressor chest and also a peltier. The peltier uses 3 amps continuous and has simiar noise levels to the compressor but being on all the time is actually less noticable (at night) than the compressor which cuts in and out.
There are pros and cons related to both these types of cooling device. The Lidl sounds good value, I wonder what was the price of the Waeco badged item.
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1) For cheap. Agaist noisy and power hungry

2) even cheaper ( My Lidle cool box is not a rebadged Waeco ... its rubbish and IIRC cost more than the current one)
 
I foolishly bought one from force 4 a few months ago on impulse... £49...although I must say it keeps things nice and cool...even in the hot weather we are having, I could do with another so might give the lidl one a go.
 
chrishelen said:
I foolishly bought one from force 4 a few months ago on impulse... £49...although I must say it keeps things nice and cool...even in the hot weather we are having, I could do with another so might give the lidl one a go.
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Got lots of spare amps then if you are going to run two.

Halfords have a range on sale I noticed last time I was in there although there is only one on the website
 
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My mum just bought the Lidle one for use aboard, just keeping milk and bacon cool for,a,weekend. Seems OK, on 240v when moored and being a motor sailer I guess 12v whilst underway. Will report back on how it works out.

Having said that I am rather proud of a six hour beat without having to start the engine at all last Saturday :)
 
I have one of the 12V/240V versions, it works well as long as it is fed electricity but warms up quicker than a cool box when disconnected. I can appreciate a sailing boat when under sail has a problem supplying electricity but in a vehicle or motor boat it is fine.
 
Boo2 said:
+1. I have the Aldi version (rebadged Dometic-Waeco mode with mains as well as 12V options).

In addition to what Olewill has posted, they're noisy and they do not maintain the low temperatures attained at all well if powered off, partly because the insulation is not very good and partly because the peltier coolers are alleged to run backwards allowing the contents to warm up quickly.
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I have the Aldi/Waeco one too, and for the money it's not bad. I don't find it that noisy and it keeps drinks and extra food cool, and so I use it as an overflow for my built in fridge.

Boo2 said:
Shame really, as something like them which actually worked well would be a complete boon on the boat and in the car.

Boo2
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There is something like them, but for the same capacity they're bigger and more expensive.

Unfortunately I don't just like drinks cool, I like them ice cold, at the point of about half a degree before they freeze solid. and I was out shopping today and saw one of these for £175, so picked it up.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/WAECO-CoolF...UTF8&qid=1436383980&sr=8-4&keywords=waeco+b40

This will cool to 20 degrees below ambient on 12v, but on 240v it runs a compresssor, which you can set at whatever temperature you like down to -15C, so it can be used as either a fridge or a freezer.

It's slightly bigger inside than the Aldi cooler, and a fair bit bigger externally, and obviously pricier. However it's cheaper than a regular boat fridge, and on 240v will cool regardless of outside temperature.
 
I've just been to my local Aldi and their version of the cool box was £39.99 but is 29 litres. I didn't get one.

Other stuff which may be of interest: silicone sealants, various colours £1.49. 3in 1 lubricants for £2.79 including Lithium grease and silicone spray. Damaged screw extractor set £4.99.
 
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