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Old 09-05-2010, 01:48 PM
 
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Can anyone recomend a good plug-in cooler for the car?
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Old 09-05-2010, 05:51 PM
 
Location: Wyoming
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I can't, but I'll relate my experience with a Coleman 10-15 years ago. It was only designed to lower the temp 20 degrees. I'm a photographer and used it for film storage while on extended trips. It was nice for that because it was dry storage, but the minimal cooling was kind of a joke. Hopefully they're better now.

I'll be watching this to learn what's now available....
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Old 09-06-2010, 11:33 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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I've been warned that they will run your battery dead if you are out hiking for a couple hrs. It was recommended that I stick with ICE. Minimal cooling has been an issue too. Actually there are some new 12v refrig. that are quite efficient (and equally expensive).
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Old 09-06-2010, 03:36 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthRabbit View Post
I've been warned that they will run your battery dead if you are out hiking for a couple hrs. It was recommended that I stick with ICE. Minimal cooling has been an issue too. Actually there are some new 12v refrig. that are quite efficient (and equally expensive).

Yeah actually I'm looking to buy either a plug-in cooler or a VERY efficient mini fridge. I want to get one to have in case of a power outage so I can run it off a large car battery using an invertor. (We have a generator to recharge car batteries during the day). Figured someone into camping could recomend a cooler or low wattage fridge that actually woks real well because have seen mixed reviews on plug-in coolers.
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Old 09-07-2010, 10:33 PM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tripod View Post
Yeah actually I'm looking to buy either a plug-in cooler or a VERY efficient mini fridge. ...low wattage fridge that actually woks real well because have seen mixed reviews on plug-in coolers.
Here is what I found from my RV group (specifically to replace our Norcold 3163VWG which work really crummy, if at all)

110V running of inverter:
model HSB03-01 Haier 2.7 Cuft (some have found at Walmart; also under Black and Decker label ~ $89)
NOT HSP03 does not have rear coils and will not cool in confined space. (may not be a problem for your application)

Haier model - ESRB03

WAECo/Dometic (way expensive, but supposedly more efficient)

Let me know if you find something decent for affordable. I'm still outfitting my 52 mpg 'mini' Motorhome (96 Passat TDI Wagon). A 2.7CuFt ref would occupy a bit too much precious space. I can get by on 1 CU Ft if you find one that small.
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Old 09-08-2010, 05:22 AM
 
1,477 posts, read 5,990,708 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WyoNewk View Post
I can't, but I'll relate my experience with a Coleman 10-15 years ago. It was only designed to lower the temp 20 degrees. I'm a photographer and used it for film storage while on extended trips. It was nice for that because it was dry storage, but the minimal cooling was kind of a joke. Hopefully they're better now.

I'll be watching this to learn what's now available....

I have to agree with WyoNewk, I dont have much experence with any of the models out there but when I looked they all pretty much were just the cooling type (20 degree drop range).....I know you are looking for something for those unexpected times when the power goes out, but you might have better luck just finding a place where you can get dry ice
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Old 09-11-2010, 12:53 AM
 
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I just ordered Coleman's Powerchill 40 qt plug-in Cooler from walmart.com for $72. Between reading reviews on amazon + walmart it appears they work very well but fans MAY stop working after a lot of use BUT any computer fan or the like for 10-15 bux can be substituted thus making for an easy DIY repair. This one can be plugged into either a cigarette lighter or a regular household outlet. Draw is 45 watts and people say it gets things real cold so looking forwad to it

We're mainly buying it to use if electricity ever went out for a couple days or more we would run the cooler off a large car battery and then recharge the batery during the day on a generator. We also have a few car batteries now and would use then to run led bulbs and perhaps even a small tv/internet off them too using power invertors. Good to be prepared for basic emerencies

Last edited by tripod; 09-11-2010 at 01:27 AM..
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Old 09-18-2010, 03:32 PM
 
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we have had one of Coleman's plug in coolers for quite a few years now and we love it. can be used lying down or standing up like a mini-fridge. it has gone on many cross country trips with us, in vehicles that are long gone, with kids that are grown and gone... so maybe we've had it 10-15 years? it now backs up and supplements the tiny refrigerator in my VW camper van. we installed extra cigarette lighter thingies just so we could run the cooler and things like the cell phone rechargers, all running off a second car battery so as not to kill the main battery. never used it for heating things up, because that isn't what we wanted it for.
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Old 09-19-2010, 12:56 AM
 
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Just tried out the new Coleman cooler today and voltage draw off a large car battery after 1 hr looked impressively low. Like mentioned we bought it to have in case of a power outage to run off a car battery with battery being charged during the day off a generator. We live in a neighborhood where houses are right next to one another so running our generator all night or even intermittantly wouldn't be pratical. So we have a few good car batteries ready to use with invertors to run lights, cooler, etc. If we travel we'd defiantely be thinking about bringing it along too Just had a bad storm yesterday in our NYC area with a couple tornadoes touching down and leaviing lots of folks without power so definately not a bad emergency item to have around
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Old 09-19-2010, 01:10 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,569 posts, read 57,505,129 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tripod View Post
Just tried out the new Coleman cooler today ... Just had a bad storm yesterday in our NYC area with a couple tornadoes touching down ...
Good news, keep us posted on it's use, power and longevity.

I was wondering where you must live to be concerned about such power outages. I'm glad we don't have such frequent issues out here in the boonies.

It has been several yrs since we lost power, but Ice Storms and 90 mph winds happen pretty regular. Fortunately every other house is on a different phase, so we can often plug into the neighbor's power. I do have a 9000W genset I use from welding and it could run the well if necessary, that is our biggest issue. Well going down and not allowing us to circulate water in the pipes to avoid freezing. Running a fridge is not a priority during ice and snow storms, but I can see a 'hot weather tornado' power outage would be a BIG problem for my chest freezer full of fresh salmon and steelhead
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