My first post on here for quite some time as I've been off doing other things.
Does anyone have any experience of the Hi Gear 28-litre 12v/240v electric coolbox? I need to know specifically what temperature it cools down to. I've looked on several websites including Go Outdoors and none of them give that detail.
Otherwise can anyone recommend that type of coolbox which doesn't cost an arm and three legs? Minimum size 28-litre and ideally cooling down to no less than 18 degrees below ambient, 20 would be even better.
------------- Tigermouse
I have a very temperamental personality - 50% temper and 50% mental
I'm a cynical old bugger, if a company is not heralding the exceptional performance of their product, then I consider it's likely to be inferior to the competition and they've nothing to boast about! Why would they not give it's cooling performance, it's a critical selling point of the unit!
That said, it's a Peltier/Thermoelectric cooling device and over and above any sales pitch figures, that has limits imposed by the technology itself, Peltier/Thermoelectric technology generally can only cool to 16 degrees C below ambient, the very best claim 18 degrees C below ambient. I very much doubt 20C below ambient is technically achievable.
Peltier/Thermoelectric coolboxes have their place, but come with a few major disadvantages, they are VERY power hungry often drawing 6-8 amps at 12v, which makes them VERY ineffient cooling devices, because they are so power hungry many have a 'battery saver' feature which brings it's own problems, usually the unit will only run when connected to a vehicle with it's engine running or a leisure battery on charge, a straight 12v battery doesn't have high enough voltage to overcome the battery saver trip out level. If it doesn't have a battery saver feature, it can kill a typical car/leisure battery stone dead in a few hours, they have no thermostat and just run flat out continuously! They take a very long time to cool down to temperature, many hours. People do, but really shouldn't, consider them as a 'fridge', because they cannot achieve and maintain the 0-5 degrees C (absolute temp) necessary for the safe storage of perishable foods. When you consider these cool boxes are often used in tents/cars/caravans etc. which usually have an ambient temp considerably higher than outside ambient shade temps, you're effectively storing perishable foods at 20-30C!
Their plus point is they can extend the life of Ice Packs quite considerably, as they to a degree compensate for the natural warming effect of ambient temps on the cool box.
I've got a couple of Peltier/Thermoelectric coolboxes but these days they hardly ever get used, I've also got a 3 way camping fridge (also limited use on 12v due to power consumption) and a 12/240v compressor fridge (good on 12v), both of which truly are fridges, and tend to be my first choice.
As to recommending a cheapish coolbox that can maintain 18-20C below ambient on it's own, then you are rather out of luck. Best option is a really good passive coolbox (Icey-Tek, Igloo etc.) and keep replenishing with fresh ice, but none of the good ones are cheap. The insulation on Peltier/Thermoelectric coolboxes is generally not that good, only on a par with a so-so passive coolboxes, rather relying on the powered cooling to compensate.
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Topic: Hi Gear electric coolbox?
