Cooler mods: Has anyone done the foam mod?

[AbleGuy]

Or buy a countertop ice maker and just make ice all day with your generator then keep your cooler loaded forever. When my kitchen fridge ice maker crapped out we used a Newair countertop unit for 3 years at only about 150 bucks, maybe 180, I forget the exact cost.

That’s actually a great idea for some scenarios ?????? and several of my less hard core adventure friends (RV residents) have been using that trick for years!

BTW Guys, your postings here are really helpful and much appreciated, thx. I’ve been trying (rather unsuccessfully) to keep up with all of the portable compressor fridge developments for the past few years, as I get closer to setting up a more simple camping system for use with our pickup (instead of always using our Tiger for those shorter, more intense backcountry trips). This info and advice being shared here is great.

 

[robert]

Back to your cooler, it used to be somewhat common to bury the cooler if you were going to be in the same location for a while. You can add a blanket or whatever as insulation on top then put something heavy on it to keep critters from digging at it in the night. We did that when I was in college working on a research project one summer. Another option I've seen is to build a plywood box that was lined with styrofoam to put the cooler in; obviously that makes it take up more floor space. I've also seen where folks have made a box/cover out of just styrofoam or Dow board that dropped over the cooler- both of those last two, along with the evaporative cooling towel, were fairly common in the river rat/dirtbag climber community back in the '80s and early '90s.

If I'm using a cooler I wrap my sleeping bag around it when I'm not using the bag (I've often got two bags with me anyways), a blanket or comforter works too but not as well. Keep the cooler out of the sun, use block ice when possible, prechill/freeze anything you can beforehand, load it with the first use items on top, reduce opening/closing time as much as possible, etc.

 

[NatersXJ6]

When I was in Boy Scouts we used to bury cases of soda to last through summer camp with no refrigeration and still probably knocked 30-40 degrees off them.

 

[Man]

ICECO finally picked up. Initially, defects under warranty were handled by me shipping them the unit. But after saying that I can't overland full-time with an empty refer box she said they could ship me a replacement first as an exception. So they have TruckFridge beat on the warranty. Their prices are better too. They offer a cover plus the VL45 which is the equivalent of the TruckFridge TB46 for about ~$50 less. Both have free shipping. But comments on the ICECO site showed repeated problems where people ordered the refer with a cover and they didn't get their cover. Then there has been repeated shipping damage complaints where the metal surface arrived dinged. That and ICECO is out of stock of the VL45 seems like maybe TruckFridge is the better option but they don't have user comments on their site (and probably a good idea business wise).

Even though the TruckFridge site is lacking, I just discovered buried deeply on page 11 they indicate the insulation thickness of 2". Since ICECO is more of an email type communicator I'm waiting to hear back on what thickness their VL45 insulation is. So far TruckFridge hasn't responded to an email from a couple days ago, but I called and they picked up so that is a non-issue. If the ICECO insulation is thicker I would probably go with the ICECO and just wait for the stock to replenish. Their refer is made in China as well.

 

[Man]

ICECO didn't respond so I ordered the IndelB TB46 from TruckFridge. I didn't get charged sales tax nor any shipping fee so I'm stoked about that. I entered an expired promo code I found online as a longshot. The worst that could happen is they ignore it, lol.

The TB46 must be pretty beefy because it weighs 50 pounds empty. Add my usual 25 pounds of steak and that ************ is going to be 75 pounds. Now I just need to wait for TruckFridge to ship. They typically ship same day if the order goes in before noon Eastern time. So it should go out tomorrow and arrive next week!

 

[67cj5]

Congrats well done, you will wonder why you suffered So long with coolers when you use your new fridge.

 

[Man]

Congrats well done, you will wonder why you suffered So long with coolers when you use your new fridge.

Ha-ha, I've been cheap for too long. It was time to pony-up.

 

[67cj5]

Ha-ha, I've been cheap for too long. It was time to pony-up.

Just remember what I said about setting the Temp so you can use it as a duel zone, ok.

And we want Pictures, LOLOLOL

 

[Man]

Just remember what I said about setting the Temp so you can use it as a duel zone, ok.

And we want Pictures, LOLOLOL

TruckFridge sent an email this morning and they said I selected the wrong option and there is no free shipping and want an extra $100. They put free shipping right on the checkout for me to select, lol.

 

[67cj5]

TruckFridge sent an email this morning and they said I selected the wrong option and there is no free shipping and want an extra $100. They put free shipping right on the checkout for me to select. ******** them, lol.

I would press them and challenge them about it, It's their mistake, Push em and give em a little squeeze, LOL

 

[Man]

I would press them and challenge them about it, It's their mistake, Push em and give em a little squeeze, LOL

Well, they are blaming me for it. Somehow it is my fault. Apparently thier website allows people to select free shipping on items that don't have free shipping. Then they blame me like I did it wrong, lol. They flat out refused to do anything except refund my money. But then they couldn't do the refund because their network was down. They are on my ******** list forever! lol Boy that went downhill fast.

 

[67cj5]

Well, they are blaming me for it. Somehow it is my fault. Apparently thier website allows people to select free shipping on items that don't have free shipping. Then they blame me like I did it wrong, lol. They flat out refused to do anything except refund my money. But then they couldn't do the refund because their network was down. They are on my ******** list forever! lol Boy that went downhill fast.

Well tell em thanks but for that money I'd rather buy an ARB or a Dometic.

 

[Man]

I told them to get ************ instead, lol.

 

[67cj5]

Did you check out Amazons Prices ???

 

[67cj5]

I told them to get ************ instead, lol.

You silver Tongue devil, I love it when you talk Dirty,