Advice on Refrigerator/Cooler for the Bed

We have a cabin that is about a 10 hours drive.

Currently I use a 32qt cooler for refrigerator items, I pack it with ice, throw it the bed the night before and get up and drive. By the time we unpack, everything is fine as far a temperature, but it's ice and somethings just don't do well with ice.

I've been looking at electric coolers, thinking I could plug it in over night then use the 120 outlet in the bed while we travel. I need something that pulls less than 400W, preferably in the 2-2.5 amp range.

Any recommendations on brand/model, need something fairly big and economical. It would be used for 100 hours a year and I do not need the ability to freeze, really keeping everything at 40 would be great. We don't pack meat as there is a great butcher shop close. I am not going to run wires for 12v so has to be 120v.

I live in Texas and some of the trips are in the summer, with the bed cover the temp is easily over 115. In the winter, once we leave Texas it's generally in below 40.

Lastly, is this safe to pull this much power from the bed for 10 hours ?

 

I bought a 12v battery box, battery, and got a F40C4TMP refer. Runs almost 4 days on a 60ah lithium battery. For your needs, any deep cycle would do. Saves all the running around with cords. I charge the battery at home pre trip, load it the night before and go. Works great.

 

What temps in the cooler allow the 4 days run time and what is the ambient air temp where you keep the cooler? These coolers look like what I need.

 

https://engelcoolers.com/products/mt60-acdc-camping-fridge?currency=USD&variant=33052416999557&gclid=CjwKCAjw-b-kBhB-EiwA4fvKrKrVcN61Hhef4i0URA68Ms3Zdup8fMzf7AyTHNuhiV9JSyx6GX7akhoCKUkQAvD_BwE
try this. I had this unit years ago that I used for many years carrying around frozen foods samples for my job. Worked great. I would plug in to AC at night, loaded with samples. Switch to 12 volt when I left in the A.M. kept them frozen solid all day even in extreme heat.

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/400w-all-the-time-mod-research.111553/

This thread will help

 

Recently bought myself an Ecoflow Glacier with battery. Might be a little overkill for you. It's 38L and the extra battery gives it a ~40 hour run time depending on set temp.

https://us.ecoflow.com/products/glacier-portable-refrigerator?variant=40524279644233

Things that I like:
Uses Vacuum Insulated Panels (VIP) which keep the insulation better than your typical foam injected insulation.
Can use as either a dual or single zone fridge while being able to utilize the separator as part of the insulation.
Ice maker works well every time.
Display panel is clear and sharp.
Can utilize the optional wheels and handle. I would suggest adding this if you're able.
Solid construction.
Connects and can control with app.
Separate 298Wh battery that has a USB Type-C that can charge other devices.

Things I don't like:
Pretty pricey at just $1k for just the fridge. Not a bad price comparatively speaking but sticker shock for people like me new to the game.
System seems pretty a la carte - have to buy battery separate if not bought in bundle along with wheels and handle.
Can't use the ice maker on battery power or 12V source. Have to have wall plug or plugged into high power battery source.
Connects to app for more features (can be good) but if the app goes away, so do the extra features.
Sorta a negative on this one - Ecoflow being new to the fridge game brings a big question on reliability. If you register, you can extend your warranty.

If I were looking for a cheap basic option and don't want to spend ARB/Dometic money, I would highly consider Iceco or Coleman's iceless cooler. I have experience of both of these through family and friends who love them.

 

I ran 4 days at 70 degrees ambient, cooler set to 35 or 36, as a test in my house. It also ran 2 1/2 days camping. Nights high 50’s, daytime highs mid 80’s. Battery test meter said it had about 1/4 to 1/3 left.

 

I found this on

$260 EUHOMY 12 Volt Car Refrigerator, 59QT(55L) Car Fridge Electric Cooler APP Control, 12V Refrigerator -4℉~68℉, Portable Refrigerator for Camping, Travel, Truck

Amazon.
I use a 70 quart right now and I figure about 15 quarts is the space ice. This one is 59 quarts.

 

I’d suggesting buying an iceco or maybe look into the new anker product. Both can be purchased with coupons easily. But Secop compressors are the way to go unless you’re looking at national lunas or arbs. I also wouldn’t trust a fridge to not pull 400w when on AC. I’d purchase a cheap battery and then use a 2a noco charger to charge the battery but that’s just me. Good luck whichever way you go.

 

I had one of the cheap fridges similar to listed above, mine was from Costway on Amazon and was like $300. It actually worked pretty good and took it all over the western US, though it would often kill the battery so I ended up always taking a little jump box with me. It eventually stopped getting cold, not sure why. Decided to upgrade to an ARB which is a MASSIVE jump in price but the ARB is pretty next level with it's efficiency, battery life, insulation, and features. But it's also about 3x the price. You get what you pay for, but you also get a lot for the cheaper fridges if you're comparing to just a cooler.

 

I don't know what kind of cooler you're using but perhaps you just upgrade your cooler and not worry about any of this power draw. Buy yourself a Yeti or Lifetime, hold your ice for a week, I bought this one and use it for fly-in fishing trips, always performs.

$170 Lifetime 65 Quart High Performance Hard Cooler

https://www.amazon.ca/Lifetime-9100...=&hvlocphy=9000142&hvtargid=pla-1365805101537

 

Wow some of these are really expensive

cool idea though, ha!

 

I will end up with this fridge. It doesn't need a ton of wiring and I already have power in my box. Just needs to be setup for what I'll be plugging in to. We do a lot of day trips to lakes and setup chairs, canopy and a folding table. The BUILT IN battery options would allow me to roll this to our spot and keep it cooling. Is it overkill? Yes. But a lot of things in my life are and I enjoy it that way.

https://youtu.be/QD-37yj3rlg

 

I saw that review. It came out after I bought mine but helped solidify my decision on purchasing this fridge cooler. I feel like they made a solid product and as long as you don't have to deal with their CS, you're golden. Also, in regards to that YTer, I respect his reasons as he gives very objective and reasonable research with a personal twist that separate his reviews compared to others I've seen review this product.

And, I agree, it is overkill but that's what I love about this product. Not too many products that can do multiple things well.

 

A lot to digest, thank you.

 

I use my makita cooler. It will go down to -10° c or as high as +30°c to keep food hot. 12v/110 or use drill 18v battery’s from my tools. Works awesome.

 

Makita...?? Gosh dern it Milwaukee! Where my m18 fridge?!?! I'll have to hassle the Milwaukee guy about that next time I see him.

Seriously, though, I was glad to see such a recent thread on the 12v mini fridges. Not to thread-jack I'm looking for one to take with me most days in the truck. I often forget to fill and refrigerate my water bottles the night before so I either have warm water throughout the day or just don't drink as much water as a should. Which means I stop at the gas station and get a cold soda. And I should drink less of that garbage.

Anybody have any experience with this cooler from IceCo?

https://icecofreezer.com/products/iceco-jp30-portable-car-12v-refrigerator

That Glacier cooler is slick, but takes up too much space for my application. I'm looking for something that is small enough to fit behind the passenger seat of my DC with the back seat up, but will mostly likely reside in the bed. It needs to play nice with my packout stuff as I've got a bit of system back there to get everything.

I think the 30 L F40 Amazon special suggested above would fit the size constraints that I have, as well.

 

Hey that’s cool, I saw a Ryobi one advertised the other day and will see if they have one the next time I go to Home Depot (that’s the battery system I’m in) this will probably be the way I go. Really good for day trips and quick camping trips which is about all we do. Most we usually go for is 4 days.

 

I've got ARB Elements 63 qt fridge, both 12 DC / 120 AC. It is perhaps overkill as it is built like a tank, but once cooled it runs off of semi-dead group 47 battery through the night (about 14-15 hours) without problems.

 

I just got the iceco 50. Taking it on a long road trip this week. I bought a battery pack. But I can recharge it with my solar panels. It will run off DC in the bed when we’re driving.

ICECO JP50 Portable Refrigerator Fridge Freezer, 12V Cooler Refrigerator, 50 Liters Compact Refrigerator with Secop Compressor, for Car & Home Use, 0℉～50℉, DC 12/24V, AC 110/240V

ICECO JP50 Portable Refrigerator Fridge Freezer, 12V Cooler Refrigerator, 50 Liters Compact Refrigerator with Secop Compressor, for Car & Home Use, 0℉～50℉, DC 12/24V, AC 110/240V

 

This is what I am looking at.
Our boy has severe blood sugar issues so coolers go everywhere we do. Ice is a pain. I can use the house plug to get the cooler super cold before we leave, the vehicle plug while driving, and the batteries while the car is parked.
My only question I can’t find the answer to is if the cooler is capable of charging the batteries when it is plugged in?

 

Per the Questions and Answers section from Home Depot's website, no - the cooler won't charge the batteries when plugged in to a power source. Bummer. It does auto-switch between power sources; I would expect as least as much.

 

I just ordered an IceCo JP40; should fit great in the back of my truck or behind the rear seat of the sequoia... hopefully. IceCo is having a sale on some of their coolers today. If you miss the sale, I found a couple of discount codes that are good for 12 or 15%.

HOBOTECH
BFCM

 

Bummer is correct.
Must draw too much power or something.

 

Probably that and heat. I know my M18 chargers draw close to 300 watts but most of these fridge compressors are in the 35-50 watt range which allows you to run them off a cigarette adapter with a 20A fuse. 300 watts is a full 25 amps at 12v, then add that to the 5+ amps required to run the cooler (pump plus electronics) and you need more than 30 amps, which very few vehicle circuits are. Most of my new chargers also have a fan in them to dissipate the heat. Still a bummer. I find it odd, sometimes, which power tools double as charges and which don't. Some of my lights are battery or 120v power, bust most won't charge the battery if you plug it in.

 

same exact issue. My daughter has type 1 diabetes. Ice chest stays in the truck.

 

I'll give another vote for the Iceco brand. I use a JP40 in the bed running off a house battery setup.

Iceco is solid because they use the same Danfoss (now Secop) compressor that Dometic and other big brands use, and they have a 5-year warranty. You get the benefit of high-quality parts without the big price tag.

Just be warry of any of the fridges that don't list their compressor brand or try to trick you by using the term "Danfoss-style" or "Secop-style" compressor. They'll work, but they're not very efficient and have a much higher power draw.

 

Also Have an ICECO 45 qt & a

$299 Bluetti EB3A , 268Wh LiFePO4 Battery Backup w/ 2 600W (1200W Surge) AC Outlets, Recharge from 0-80% in 30 Min., Solar Generator for Outdoor Camping (Solar Panel Optional)

Bluetti EB3A. took it from Ontario to Cape Breton this Sept and the combo worked well. I do have the 400W anytime mod done, without that it wont work. The EB3A is a little small but would run part of the night before it cut off. (I realized I had it in ECO mode, which caused that) So I need to retest with eco off - but at home testing it ran for about 6 hrs if I recall off the battery pack. Not perfect but worked for me as night temps were around 9 C. With that temp the fridge clearly didn't draw power for 2 hrs so ECO mode shut it down. I just added a battery to the set up so now I think it will run for a few days - to be tested this summer!

The 400w anytime mod is a must, and so is researching the actual power draw of the fridge to make sure it works. I think mine only drew 40-50 w, and any extra went into the battery pack to keep it topped up so when I shut truck off it kept running. Of note this setup only seemed to work with the EB3A on quiet mode (less power draw) so combined fridge & battery drew less than 200-250W most of the time. On normal mode I think it is something about how "clean" the power is from the truck. The unit would shut down even if trying to draw less than 400w - there was a pop up on the display, but instantly shut down so I missed reading it. Just keep it on quiet / silent mode and all worked fine.

 

ARB was also starting up and shutting down in Sequoia all the time, until the battery monitor tuned down. I noticed that after like 3 days on the road... Hopefully it didn't take much of compressor life's with it.

No problem in my Tundra with isolated second battery, even that it is 8 years old.

 

I was going to buy an ICECO but found a Dometic CFX3 55IM on sale a few months ago. I had it in my 4Runner but just installed it in the truck last night.