Fridges

[theMec]

Having to pull my goods out of an iced cooler just beats me to death. Everything gets soggy and yes, you do eventually have to throw stuff away that you feel you should not eat.

For those of you, like me, who haven't saved up for a good fridge - freeze 2 to 4 half gallon bottles of water and put them in your cooler before you take off camping. They melt slow and can't get your food soggy.

 

[RHINO]

coleman had the stirling fridge,,, i real fridge not a thermo unit. i dont know why they discontinued them. last i heard they were clearanced off for $299 so maybe if one were to look around a used unit might pop up.

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Stirling-Cooler-Adaptor-Included/dp/B000A1FCIE


huh, after looking around this is the maker of the coleman, just re badged for coleman.

http://www.rollex.com.au/pages/products/rollex-twinbird.html

 

[cruiseroutfit]

coleman had the stirling fridge,,, i real fridge not a thermo unit. i dont know why they discontinued them. last i heard they were clearanced off for $299 so maybe if one were to look around a used unit might pop up.

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Stirling-Cooler-Adaptor-Included/dp/B000A1FCIE


huh, after looking around this is the maker of the coleman, just re badged for coleman.

http://www.rollex.com.au/pages/products/rollex-twinbird.html

Good find. I seem to remember a thread here on ExPo mentioning that Coleman did in fact at one time offer a fridge but nobody could find a pic, that solves the mystery. I wonder what compressor system it is running?

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Good find. I seem to remember a thread here on ExPo mentioning that Coleman did in fact at one time offer a fridge but nobody could find a pic, that solves the mystery. I wonder what compressor system it is running?

I dont think it uses a conventional compressor - it uses a STIRLING ENGINE

The Stirling cycle belongs to a class of thermodynamic cycles that yield the highest coefficient of performance (COP) between thermal and mechanical energy. The Coleman® Stirling Power Cooler is a product that makes use of the Stirling cycle and uses a linear moving magnet motor charged with helium for highly efficient cooling and freezing applications. The Stirling engine uses a small quantity of helium hermetically sealed in the compression space. A displacer moves the gas between the cold side and the warm side of the engine while the piston expands and compresses the gas. The helium is expanded on the cold side of the cylinder and expanded again on the warm side of the cylinder, producing cold air which is pumped into the cooler and warm air which is pumped out of the cooler. In the Stirling engine, all internal running surfaces are supported by gas bearings so that during operation no contact wear takes place.

A little more research finds this frigs draws a max. 4amps in freeze mode at 12 volts. Now I wonder why is this unit no longer available?

 

[Seldom Seen]

I checked out the Coleman units when the Coleman outlet store was closing them out at $300. Impressive efficiency numbers and it looked to be a well built unit. Almost pulled the trigger on one but I checked out the owners manual first. The Stirling engine will not work when the unit is tilted, IIRC it will shut down at as little as 15*. Not conducive to off highway use IMHO.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I dont think it uses a conventional compressor - it uses a STIRLING ENGINE

The Stirling cycle belongs to a class of thermodynamic cycles that yield the highest coefficient of performance (COP) between thermal and mechanical energy. The Coleman® Stirling Power Cooler is a product that makes use of the Stirling cycle and uses a linear moving magnet motor charged with helium for highly efficient cooling and freezing applications. The Stirling engine uses a small quantity of helium hermetically sealed in the compression space. A displacer moves the gas between the cold side and the warm side of the engine while the piston expands and compresses the gas. The helium is expanded on the cold side of the cylinder and expanded again on the warm side of the cylinder, producing cold air which is pumped into the cooler and warm air which is pumped out of the cooler. In the Stirling engine, all internal running surfaces are supported by gas bearings so that during operation no contact wear takes place.

A little more research finds this frigs draws a max. 4amps in freeze mode at 12 volts. Now I wonder why is this unit no longer available?

I checked out the Coleman units when the Coleman outlet store was closing them out at $300. Impressive efficiency numbers and it looked to be a well built unit. Almost pulled the trigger on one but I checked out the owners manual first. The Stirling engine will not work when the unit is tilted, IIRC it will shut down at as little as 15*. Not conducive to off highway use IMHO.

Great info on both accounts. I've never run across one of these units... yet

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Anybody have any experience with this thing?

http://www.mobicool.com/pages/products/outdoor/a40dcacgas_full.htm

I have somewhat... different fridge requirements. It's going in a trailer, which will be used more like a basecamp. Or, sometimes, will be used more like a basecamp. Sometimes we may tow it daily, other times, we may use it parked for a week at a time. I really like the high quality fridges, but this trailer has really stretched our budget. They also don't seem like they'd work too well for long term camping. Since I'm in the north, solar doesn't work as well either, both because of declination, and also because we'd usually be under tree cover. Not to mention, it would be another few hundred bucks on top of the price of the fridge.

So, I found this locally for $280. With the propane absorption cycle, it seems like it would fit the bill. The only problem is, it says only a 20C temperature drop. I don't get that... that's like Thermoelectric territory?

Is it normal for absorption cycle to only give a 20C drop?

Also, it seems like there is some sort of tie-up between Mobicool and Waeco?

 

[Hank]

With that fridge you're just adding to the complexity of your set-up. You want to add a fridge, but in order to do so, you've got to first add a fuel tank. Once you've installed the fuel tank, you've got to install fuel lines. Once you're on the trail, you've got to worry about fuel consumption and filling.

With something like the Engel/ARB, you don't have to worry about that. If your deep cycle battery starts to get low, just charge it with your vehicle. Plus the Engel/ARB has only one moving part, so if the fridge should quit working for some reason you know what the problem is.

I'll agree with you that these fridge/freezers are a lot of money. But this is not an area to cut costs. Don't get cheap on the fridge. If you can't afford it, toss your igloo cooler in there for now. Don't waste your money on that fridge. Don't be a cheap****.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I already have a propane fuel system in the trailer, adding one more tap is not a big deal. It's not about being cheap, it's about finding a better solution. At this point, I think a good cooler is a better solution for me than the fridge, even long term.

How long do you have to run a truck to fill up a large deep cycle battery? I would think a long time?

 

[Curmudgeon]

An absorption system takes MUCH longer to cool than a compressor system. And if it's running on propane in your trailer, you will have to find a way to vent it to the outside.

And you're right about the 20C drop. If the ambient temp is 90 degrees F, a 20C drop will only get you down to the mid-50s F. I can do that with my $65 thermoelectric cooler. In cooler weather I've had it freeze things, but not to the low temps a real freezer will do. And it will drain a battery if left on overnight. Thermoelectrics are not very efficient.

If the performance of the Mobicool is adequate for you, save a pile of money by going to the nearest Wal-Mart and buying a thermoelectric. I have four of them. They work great for what they're intended to do. But if you need more performance and better efficiency, buy an Engel or ARB.

JP

 

[R_Lefebvre]

An absorption system takes MUCH longer to cool than a compressor system. And if it's running on propane in your trailer, you will have to find a way to vent it to the outside.

Yeah, the venting was my only other concern besides the lack of temperature drop. Easily enough solved though if I only ran it on propane outside of the trailer. It's too bad this unit appears to have low performance, because practically every travel trailer or tent trailer made these days uses an absorption cycle fridge. Those are even capable of freezing.

The thermoelectrics aren't an option, because they use even more electrical power than the electric compressors, while also not having good performance. I was hoping to find an absorption cycle fridge so I could run on propane while camped, just this one seems to have such low performance unfortunately.

 

[fisher205]

I believe an absorption cycle fridge also has to be fairly level to operate.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Yeah, I've heard that one too. Sounds like it just won't work, too bad because I really like the idea of no moving parts, and just need a fuel supply not electrical. Pretty easy to carry a 20lb propane tank on a trailer.

 

[xpdishn]

My .02c's The compressor fridges are the way. Very quick cooling and they keep the temps where you want it. I have a Waeco, but any of the other ones will do. More expensive but who's counting the $$$$?

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: It sounds a lot like a Koolatron, which is OK for short trips, but

My MT35 and solar (mobile) works stupendous, for however long we've been out (9 days) and I'm in Northen California

I use one battery in my trailer, not associated to the jeep electric sys-,therefore no dangers

:victory::wings::safari-rig::safari-rig: JIMBO