which Thermoelectric Cooler

cimo

cimo

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 Nov 2009
Messages
737
Visit site
hello there
although the temperature lately has been good for red wine, I'm getting a little tired of warm beer.

Anyone got any advice or experience to offer on these portable thermoelectric coolers.

I am looking at the Waeco CD22 2-way 22L at the moment but i'm completely open to suggestions.
I noticed the manufacturer is quoting 48Watts @ 12Vdc for both the 40Liter & 22L. Can get the 22L for £110 which seems like good value to me (if it will keep beer cool that is).

All input welcome.
rgds
c
 
I have a 26L Waeco Mobicool which draws about 4A and will cool down a load of drinks in about 4 hours. Generally speaking however I just buy a bag of ice form the supermarket and put that in the bottom, it provides adequate coolness for 24 hours aboard. I think unless you have a constantly running engine they are pretty poor value apart from being much cheaper than a more efficient portable compressor type fridge.
 
They depend on the ambient temperature, working very hard all the time. They say that they only draw 4amps, but my coleman box, which is also on the plate at 4amps, draws closer to 6amps. It blew the guts out of one of those 5amp coolbox supplies and flattens car batteries and domestics alike if left running.
 
cool box

We have an old electrolux gas/electric/battery albeit the gas is disconnected which works well but my wife likes to keep food on board for some reason and complains about the beer and wine taking up space.

So we have always had onboard a halford electric cool box which plugs into the cigarette socket and through a halford convertor for mains. Sits nice under the helm seat. This has worked well apart from the cigarette plug gets very warm when left on overnight on the mains and the end has a habit of mishaping and falling apart. We replaced two or three leads at £17 or so a shot, when I went to purchase the last one I complained that I had to keep replacing the leads twice a year. Seems they have revised the design to the one in the link

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_756417_langId_-1_categoryId_165657

This has a nice concealed 12v cigarette lighter plug but also a separate mains lead with 3 pin plug so no more convertor. Did a deal and replaced the old one with the one above.

Works great takes a load of beer or food for 3 or 4 of us for a long weekend power input says 47 watts. We run it off the batteries we have 2 x 110 amp hr lesiure batteries when cruising and genreally we have power when we stop overnight, either the honda genny or shore power, fan is almost silent £79 is the sale price and generally they are always at sale price :-)
 
I bought one from Aldi last week.

We have limited power availability on our boat (80 Ah Battery charged off Outboard Cool and 10W Solar Panel) So rarely run the coll box off the battery.

Several reasons I bought it.

1) this model was simliar in design to the Sun Thermo Electric box it replaced in that the bottom of the box was as per a passive cool box i.e. a plastic bucket so ice or ice packs can be used in it and it does not matter (to the cooler) if water accumulates in the bottom. Some models of cool box do not recomend this.

2) It has one handle on the top so is easy to lift into tender and off.

3) It will run with 12 or 230V as it comes and both leads are contained in the lid.

So, if we are somewhere where there is power we plug it in and if on the boat and it is not raining put it in the cockpit with a cover that did not impede the fan. (That is something I had not thought about with this one as previously the double insulated 230/12V inverter was in the cabin and only 12V run outside)

We also use it when on long journeys and take in if we are in a hotel.

4) Quotes 36W power consumtion I think.

5) £35

6) 3 Year Warranty

Only problem is they were a special about 3 or 4 weeks ago so may be difficult to get hold of.

Just noticed on manual, web suppoprt address is www.waeco.com. Unit is badged as Adventuridge.
 
Last edited:
Got a Waeco 35 portable fridge. Brilliant, and silent ! It even freezes things if you want to. Mains and 12v input, so you can chill the contents at home, and then on board it doesn't use much juice.
 
If you want a serious portable cooler, then the range to go for is the Waeco compressor type not the thermoelectric. Yes, they are more expensive but they work like a "proper" fridge are much more efficient, draw less power and are quiet.

See here for the range:

http://www.waeco.com/en/3105_482.php

We've had a CF35 on board in France for 4 seasons now and it is great - as good as a fitted fridge without the hassle of having to fit one.
 
davewarburton said:
If you want a serious portable cooler, then the range to go for is the Waeco compressor type not the thermoelectric. Yes, they are more expensive but they work like a "proper" fridge are much more efficient, draw less power and are quiet.

See here for the range:

http://www.waeco.com/en/3105_482.php

We've had a CF35 on board in France for 4 seasons now and it is great - as good as a fitted fridge without the hassle of having to fit one.
Click to expand...

Have to say that if they did reasonable size one with a single handle I would consider one even though they are much more expensive, for the efficiency.
 
Last edited:
davidpbo said:
Have to say that if they did reasonable size one with a single handle I would consider one even though they are much more expensive, for the efficiency.
Click to expand...

I have a fairly large marine 12 Volt fridge fitted in my yacht. The main unit in it is a CF35.

I have not measures the current it draws but it will be between 3 and 4 Amps.

For the last few days with the temperature around 25 degrees. It was cycling on for 3.5 minutes every 18 minutes. Thus the average current drawn is well below 1 Amp.

It is also fairly quiet.

Iain
 
A thermoelectric cooler is very inefficient compared to your average compressor driven fridge.

The ones which will run of a cigarette lighter plug will struggle to keep the box more than 15C lower than ambient.
Down here in summer with average daily temperatures of 35C it means that your 'cold' is a best at 20C.

The 6-8A continuous current comsumption is a lot for your average yachts domestic batteries.

You are better off not connecting it and chucking a bag of ice in the box.
 
12v cool box

I tried one of these last year. Very pleased at first, even adapted my galley to fit it in. After a while the problems became apparent - noisy (I kept it on at night when in the marina with shore power) and wet (I got a lot of condensation inside). I've now taken it out.
 
As others have said - don't go thermoelectric. They are power hungry and inefficient.

We bought one (12vdc/240vac) 2 years ago to supplement the built-in cool-box, and it was a waste of space. We now only use it in the car - for food on the way - if we go to visit our family.

Now, to supplement the cool-box, we have a Waeco 35ltr compressor unit, that has shown itself to be more efficient than the Danfoss compressor cool-box with a holding plate. Admittedly, the bottom of the cool-box does eventually get below freezing, and is useful when we take a frozen meal onboard.

Then again, the Waeco 35 will get down to -18 (or so it says in the information) if we should want it to.
 
WE have an Aldi one for about 5 years. Cost $80. Use it mainly to keep stuff cold before transferring to the boat fridge. It is quite well insulated and makes a good coolbox with frozen milk acting as freezer blocks. Not a patch on compressor types for performance but much lighter and still better than a simple coolbox.
 
thanks alot folks for your experiences.
looks like I'm going to have another think about it.
You have confirmed my fears and I'm leaning back towards the compressor again. My options are to fit a compressor to the boats passive coolbox or save the pennies and invest in the Waeco portable compressor type cooler.

Of course the old onion net bag over the side will have to do in the meantime. (not in the marina though - not good for your health at the moment!).
cheers
c
 
A footnote having used the Aldi Coolbox this weekend.

I froze a 2L bottle of water and put in the box on Friday night before leaving home and put in a couple of ice blocks. It was still partially frozen when I got home Sunday lunchtime (left early due to very poor forecast), I did plug it in for 2 hours on Saturday and in the car the way home.

However, the box is quite high and I struggled getting it on and off the boat onto the tender especially with the dog despaerate to abandon ship.The handle detaches easily if you are trying to manhandle in any way other than a straight lift.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top