This season we will be going EHU. One of the things I’m interested in getting is a powered cool box to forgo the hassle of freezer packs.
I am limited in space and cash, so a “proper” small fridge is not an option, so I am looking at the 12v Peltier coolers.
My main concern is the noise they make. I assume the fan runs constantly and there is no thermostatic cut off. I have read many posts where people state noise as a major flaw. I know noise level is very subjective, but are they indeed too noisy to have running at night in the tent?
I’ve had the “brain wave” of putting it in the car and running an extension lead (outdoor garden type) to it if the noise is too much, what do you recon?
some are quiet the fridge door type seem quieter than the fan top ones and some are thermostatically controlled as well (hovering between 3 and 5 degrees in the correct ambient heat) .
all though seem to get noisier as they age but a fine paintbrush can be used to clean the fins and cut down some of it.
half the reason the fridge door type ones seem quieter is all the moving parts are in the back ,to the user they are quiet perhaps to those facing the back not so.
we have a converted peltier one i use for keeping bait frozen (stacked peltier with more powerful fans) i have never noticed it and not had any complaints from anyone else either.
When I used an electric coolbox on a boat it was only actually running when the engine was on, typically 8-10 hours a day. That was plenty to keep everything cold as long as we were sensible (i.e. not leaving the door ope and not putting warm things in but leaving them until they'd cooled).
So you could probably get away with not running the coolbox overnight - of course if you're going to the South of France it will be different!
You would be ok putting it in the car. As they only cool to about 18deg below the outside temp you would'nt want it too hot in the car but I can't see a problem in a UK summer.
The peltier cell has a warm side and a cold side. The cold sends the heat to the worm.
The cell can only work well if there is a way to remove the heat from the warm side - if it gets warmer, them the cold side gets warm too
The fan extracts the heat, so the best it removes it, the best the coolbox works.
The powerfull the fan, the noisiest it gets...there is no way to round this...unfortunatly..
So... if your coolbox doesn`t make noise.. doesn`t cool...
The way I see to round this is having a transformer that allows to vary the voltage - so at night you can run at a lower power - But a transformer like that costs 100€ +-
Well the consensus appears to be that whilst some noise is inevitable, due to how these devices work, it does not appear to be too bad.
I also appreciate that some cleaning maintenance of the fan assembly will help increase life and reduce noise; and I have no fear when it comes to dismantling thinks to find out how they work.
Given I also have the options of simply not running it whilst asleep, or putting it in the car, I don’t think noise will be a problem.
I now have the question of which model to get, but I think that will probably be decided by which retailer is giving the best price. I like the look of the CampingGaz Powerbox and the way you can have it like a “normal” fridge with front door; but there’s plenty of time to look around.
Not sure where if you are going to use your fridge abroad or not, but for Southern France we used a Waeco CF25 fridge, which is a compressor fridge, with superb performance, and even though a compressor, noise was never an issue, even in the tent in the dead of night, when the compressor would occationaly kick in, the sound was almost silent, just another type of fridge for you to consider, although the Peltier type are fine, they can only cool to below ambient, which can be an issue in hotter climes.
I’m strictly UK bound at the moment, and don’t see that changing.
Those Waeco units do look good though, and worthy of consideration; I see they also do Peltier units. Never heard of them before reading posts on this site.
Waeco in my opiniomn is the best cost/quality brand.
I have a waeco CF 40 and its absolutly great - in portuguese summers ( 40/43 ºC ( and more) ) you easealy can go to -7/8 and if you put it before at -18ºC it can keep it
Most powerful peltier units are the Kampa aqua cooler ( I also have one) - you get -30, -35ºC ( bellow ambiente temperature - not absolute temperature) but don`t get even near the Compressor coolers ( like CF 25 or CF 40)
Kampa consumes a lot (150 watt) and can`t work for more them 3 hour in most car batteries, and you need to change the wires in the car to get it running safely - if you make a search on thsi forum search Kampa aqua cooler and you will find some reviews even from me.
Compressor coolers like Waeco CFs are much more performant and consume almost nothing - I usually leave mine working on the car even when its parked for more then a day ( I imagine that is not good for the battery... :), but next day its working and the car starts... :)
So if you want a cooler like the one you have at home that you can abslutly trust to put liquids like milk or things like bacon and knowing that you will not get poisoned - compressor are the only way.
Good point Richardxp, regards running your CF40 from the car battery, handy if no EHU, for those that don't know, the Waeco CF, will shut down before flatning your battery, this setting can be altered or turned of even, to give longer running time if using a leisure battery, did not know this myself untill I read the instructions.
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Topic: 12v Peltier Coolers and Noise
