Less expensive 12 volt cooler.
02-01-2010, 12:46 PM
#1
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Less expensive 12 volt cooler.
Just doing some looking and found these.
http://koolatrononline.stores.yahoo....s-warmers.html
I'll be keeping an eye out for the refurbished ones, for 65$ I think it'd be worth a try.
http://koolatrononline.stores.yahoo....s-warmers.html
I'll be keeping an eye out for the refurbished ones, for 65$ I think it'd be worth a try.
02-01-2010, 02:57 PM
#7
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I did not however read that these things only get about 40 degrees below ambient. I'm guessing if it's 60 degrees outside then I'm good but it gets a hell of a lot hotter here in the summer than that.
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02-01-2010, 03:54 PM
#8
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Yeah but how much is an ARB fridge? I found one for 800$...... can't afford that.
I did not however read that these things only get about 40 degrees below ambient. I'm guessing if it's 60 degrees outside then I'm good but it gets a hell of a lot hotter here in the summer than that.
I did not however read that these things only get about 40 degrees below ambient. I'm guessing if it's 60 degrees outside then I'm good but it gets a hell of a lot hotter here in the summer than that.
It's better than nothing, and I bet it would keep things real cold for a while if you put some frozen gatorade bottles in there.
I've made my own ice packs before, with some salt, and 90% rubbing alcohol mixed in a gatorade/2 liter bottle. Those stay liquid down to around -10 if you mix them right.
02-01-2010, 04:18 PM
#9
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After rereading the darn web site information I don't think they would work for me. I'm trying to get away from an ice chest (weight, finding ice, spillage, etc) and was hoping that one of these would be the ticket. The problem is the fact that they don't get really cold. If it's 110 degrees here and that thing is sitting in the back of the 4runner while I'm fishing for 4 or 5 hours I don't think it'll be able to keep any fish that I catch "fresh" for the 3 hour drive home.
Maybe if one of the refurbished ones comes up I'll grab it just for kicks. I could always drop some frozen Gatorade in there like was mentioned.
Maybe if one of the refurbished ones comes up I'll grab it just for kicks. I could always drop some frozen Gatorade in there like was mentioned.
02-01-2010, 04:23 PM
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Oh yeah, frozen Gatorade works pretty good too. I think it freezes around 20 degrees, which would be plenty to keep fish/drinks cold. And you can drink it when your done, or when it melts if you want. I've used one of the Coleman extreme coolers, and had good experiences with them. They say that it can keep ice for 5 days at 90 degrees, but the most I've got is around 3-4, which is still pretty good.
02-01-2010, 05:03 PM
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lol wow i love the debate/argument going on about this subject... Well i see it as u pay wat u get and well i have one that my parents bought about 3 years ago and i still use it once in a while when on camping trips and it works great. Not sure of the brand but i no its not an ARB but it does wat i need it to. My advice to u is if ur on a budget and u think itll work for ur situation then go for it.
02-01-2010, 05:18 PM
#13
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02-01-2010, 05:19 PM
#14
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I'll keep an eye on the website and if any of the less expensive ones show up I'll snag one to try. I just don't want to ruin a mess of fish if it won't keep them cold enough before I can get them to the freezer.
02-01-2010, 05:28 PM
#16
I didn't pay anywhere near $850 for my ARB, maybe $600 or something on a close out model iirc. Yes, still expensive but worth it IMO if you use a cooler a lot.
Yes, it was hard to shell out that kind of money, but after I got it and have used it, it is well worth it. It has a 120 v plug plus a car 12v plug so you can use it or take it anywhere. I have used it way more than just wheeling. Compared to those other 12v "coolers" the ARB makes them bring the suck.
Yes, it was hard to shell out that kind of money, but after I got it and have used it, it is well worth it. It has a 120 v plug plus a car 12v plug so you can use it or take it anywhere. I have used it way more than just wheeling. Compared to those other 12v "coolers" the ARB makes them bring the suck.
02-02-2010, 01:19 PM
#18
I used to run one of those, worked reasonably OK for fall-spring trips with temps under 70. But in hotter weather it just did not keep things cool enough. Also, you need to have them plugged in 24 hours a day to stay cold, so figure ~4 amps draw all night long, will drain a good sized battery or two over a long night. I now have an ARB and it is so much nicer. Only pulls about 1 amp average. For cooler weather, I'll just run it to the verge of freezing then unplug it over night and it'll stay cold in the morning. Or in hotter weather, leave it plugged in all night long. I run mine off of a 12 volt power pack that in turn is plugged into a light socket. The power pack (~24 AH rating) will run the fridge for about 1 day and saves wear and tear on the main battery(ies).
And I actually find uses for the ARB fridge around the house, too. When I need to defrost my main freezer, I can fill the ARB with the frozen food and keep it frozen for a day until the freezer defrosts. Also use it when brining a turkey for thanksgiving, can keep the turkey cold in a bag full fo brine for a day or two before throwing on the BBQ. Plus if there is ever a major power outage, I can move the food from the refrigerator to the ARB and keep it cold with some solar panels.
Also use mine on regular road trips, cooler in the vehicle during the day, then take it into the motel room at night to plug into the wall. I think I got mine on sale for around $600.
And I actually find uses for the ARB fridge around the house, too. When I need to defrost my main freezer, I can fill the ARB with the frozen food and keep it frozen for a day until the freezer defrosts. Also use it when brining a turkey for thanksgiving, can keep the turkey cold in a bag full fo brine for a day or two before throwing on the BBQ. Plus if there is ever a major power outage, I can move the food from the refrigerator to the ARB and keep it cold with some solar panels.
Also use mine on regular road trips, cooler in the vehicle during the day, then take it into the motel room at night to plug into the wall. I think I got mine on sale for around $600.
Last edited by 4Crawler; 02-02-2010 at 04:08 PM.
02-02-2010, 02:47 PM
#19
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No I haven't. Is it that bad??
Great info there but I just can't afford a new one and I haven't seen any ARB's for sale used.
I used to run one of those, worked reasonably OK for fall-spring trips with temps under 70. But in hotter weather it just did not keep things cool enough. Also, you need to have them plugged in 24 hours a day to stay cold, so figure ~4 amps draw all night long, will drain a good sized battery or two over a long night. I now have an ARB and it is so much nicer. Only pulls about 1 amp average. For cooler weather, I'll just run it to the verge of freezing then unplug it over night and it'll stay cold in the morning. Or in hotter weather, leave it plugged in all night long. I run mine off of a 12 volt power pack that in turn is plugged into a light socket. The power pack (~24 AH rating) will run the fridge for about 1 day and saves wear and tear on the main battery(ies).
And I actually find uses for the ARB fridge around the house, too. When I need to defrost my main freezer, I can fill the ARB with the frozen food and keep it frozen for a day until the freezer defrosts. Also use it when brining a turkey for thanksgiving, can keep the turkey cold in a bag full fo brine for a day or two before throwing on the BBQ. Plus if there is ever a major power outage, I can move the food from the refrigerator to the ARB and keep it cold with some solar panels.
And I actually find uses for the ARB fridge around the house, too. When I need to defrost my main freezer, I can fill the ARB with the frozen food and keep it frozen for a day until the freezer defrosts. Also use it when brining a turkey for thanksgiving, can keep the turkey cold in a bag full fo brine for a day or two before throwing on the BBQ. Plus if there is ever a major power outage, I can move the food from the refrigerator to the ARB and keep it cold with some solar panels.
