my five dollar 12 volt fridge

[jeep-N-montero]

Looking at the computer case fans in the 120-140mm size and amp draw is in the 0.13-0.45 range, should be pretty easy to install.

 

[Mc Taco]

I have a friend that uses a thermoelectric cooler with great sucess. Stocks it like a regular cooler along with frozen gallon water jugs. Uses the vehicle to power it durring travel and on the trail then the water jugs take over when the rigs not running. Makes frozen water bottles last a week.

Pretty much how I use mine. I can return from a trip with frozen blue-ice blocks. I run the A/C non stop almost year 'round in my truck. I have heard all the facts about the "real" refrigerators
and don't care.



I use a CB sometimes too. :Wow1:



My truck isn't Expo white.


I wear cotton pants.

Good find BTW.

 

[K2ZJ]

I use a CB sometimes too. :Wow1:



My truck isn't Expo white.


I wear cotton pants.

Good find BTW.

Please don't tell me you use paper plates!



LOL! One of the best posts I have read in a while!

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I took dimensions for a basket to keep stuff off the walls and increase airflow, should find one pretty easily.

 

[4x4junkie]

Looking at the computer case fans in the 120-140mm size and amp draw is in the 0.13-0.45 range, should be pretty easy to install.

That's quite a bit large for inside the unit, you want something tiny, like around 30mm, and a 0.05 or less amp draw (or about a half-watt). That's all you need to swirl air around inside there, anything bigger would generate more heat, making the unit work harder.

Good find though.
I had a Koolatron years ago too (got it as a freebie). It did keep things nice & cool, though it used a lot of power doing so. The fan continuing to spin after the thermostat shut off (even if you unplug it) was always a curiosity, the temp differential across the peltier junctions made them act as little power generators until their inside & outside temps stabilized.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

That's quite a bit large for inside the unit, you want something tiny, like around 30mm, and a 0.05 or less amp draw (or about a half-watt). That's all you need to swirl air around inside there, anything bigger would generate more heat, making the unit work harder.

Good find though.
I had a Koolatron years ago too (got it as a freebie). It did keep things nice & cool, though it used a lot of power doing so. The fan continuing to spin after the thermostat shut off (even if you unplug it) was always a curiosity, the temp differential across the peltier junctions made them act as little power generators until their inside & outside temps stabilized.

30mm is is only 3cm or almost 1.5 inches, that is very tiny.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I just bought this http://www.ebay.com/itm/DOMETIC-NOR...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a6b243fff&vxp=mtr

 

[4x4junkie]

That still seems like a lot of fan for your little Koolatron... You have to remember whatever amount of power the fans draw will end up as heat inside your unit, causing it to consume more power extracting that heat (disconnecting one of that unit's two fans might work good, maybe experiment with it a bit).

This is more what I had in mind:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Sunon-M...441?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53edd79241

It's 4.6CFM airflow should be plenty to keep the ~ 3 cu.ft. (or less with contents) of air inside that thing in circulation (I've thought of putting one like that in my Edgestar fridge, though it already seems to work pretty good without one).

 

[jeep-N-montero]

That still seems like a lot of fan for your little Koolatron... You have to remember whatever amount of power the fans draw will end up as heat inside your unit, causing it to consume more power extracting that heat (disconnecting one of that unit's two fans might work good, maybe experiment with it a bit).

This is more what I had in mind:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Sunon-M...441?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53edd79241

It's 4.6CFM airflow should be plenty to keep the ~ 3 cu.ft. (or less with contents) of air inside that thing in circulation (I've thought of putting one like that in my Edgestar fridge, though it already seems to work pretty good without one).

Are you referring to friction across the blades causing heat inside the fridge or heat from the motors? Now you have me thinking....

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

Sweet deal. I have been looking at the 52 quart version of these...read a lot of very positive reviews all over on them. Made in North America (Canada to be precise) too.

 

[kletzenklueffer]

AS I rad this thread and saw you were looking for a fan, the CPU fan posted came to mind. You could check microcenter and probably get one for a couple bucks with very low draw.

 

[4x4junkie]

Are you referring to friction across the blades causing heat inside the fridge or heat from the motors? Now you have me thinking....

Both.
The motor itself is likely the bigger heat generator, however energy within rapidly circulated air also eventually turns to heat as it slows against the interior surfaces of the cooler (plus that from the air against the blades too as you noted).

 

[RockyMtnFamily]

My Brother in Law gave me his Coleman Thermo Electric cooler when his company switched him to a newer tractor trailer rig with a trucker's condo on it I use frozen jugs of water in it and have two batteries under the hood so one can run accessories such as this. I cannot bring myself to buy a nicer fridge for several hundred dollars and am content with what I have.

 

[ArmchairRacer]

Wanna double your money? :elkgrin:

But seriously, one of these old thermo-electric coolers would be sick. What model #'s would I be looking for if I wanted to hunt one down?

 

[jeep-N-montero]

The battery saver and fan will be here in a few days, then to put it to the test.