The Dometic refrigerator in my 1999 16-footer failed in the propane mode on a recent camping trip. I'm ready to give up on it.
I have been looking at "iceless ice chests". They're 12V powered, and seem to have a low enough current draw to work OK along with my solar charger. Some of them advertise that they can be placed on end, like a mini-refrigerator. I've done some measurements, and a 38 quart cooler would fit on end in the refrigerator compartment (along with some clever refitting and reframing).
Has anyone done this? As a secondary question, what 12V coolers do people like?
Thanks,
Randy
You need to watch this You Tube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFzy-6LCnTE&t=182s I use an Engel 45 with a swing compressor and a 100W panel keeps up with the needed power.
Eddie
Thanks for posting that. Actual experience is always useful.
I rejected the thermoelectric style coolers right away, because we are often out in pretty warm daytime temperatures, and by their own admission, they wouldn't cool enough.
What I have done is purchase a Costway 55 Qt. cooler. Judging by similarity in the photos, I believe the Costway came from the same manufacturer as the Alpicool. I just got it two days ago, and I'm still in trial mode. I initially cooled in down in the using the AC adaptor. It came in with an inside temp of 90F, and, in a warm porch, it went down to 35 between 3:00 PM and 8:00 AM. On Max cool. Next, I took it out to my Scamp and plugged it into the 12V, put the voltage protection on Low, and set it on Eco mode. My battery was a little bit down at that point, 12.2 V. When I checked it later, the display showed the Er1 code, which means it shut off due to battery protection. The battery had only declined to 12.1. This didn't seem right.
I hooked up my 100W suitcase solar charger, and restarted the cooler. When I went back, it had shut off again, and the battery was fully charged at 13.2 V. Well, it could have turned off earlier, so I started it again. It still shut off with an Er1. Not good. I looked at the power plug, where the setting switch is. There was a little sticker next to the three position switch, positioned next to the top two settings (Med and Hi). This time I also noticed a sticker with red lettering that reads "Do not use Low setting or it will run off your car battery". Whaa? I couldn't find my Chinglish translator book, so I decided to go with the first phrase "Do not use Low setting". I set it on medium, set Eco mode about 1/2 hour ago. The ambient temp in the trailer is 90. I just looked, and it's sitting happily at the set point of 34F. So I'm provisionally satisfied but still uneasy about the battery thing. I need to see if it gets through a night with no solar w/o shutting off. I'll report back later.
Randy
Randy in Paonia
So, Randy. Two years of pandemic later, did you come up with a solution for this? How did it go? Have you been effectively using it?