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Review of Coleman Thermo-electric cooler

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/05/2008 : 14:56:52

I got sick and tired of not having refridgeration on Indiscipline and I hate buying ice and getting everything all wet inside a traditional cooler.

We lost our 5 day cooler and I was pricing new ones and they were close to $100.

I purchased the Coleman 40 quart thermo electric cooler at Camping World and used it yesterday. It cost $128 and that included AC and DC power.

This cooler holds all of 40 quarts because you don't have any ice in it at all. It draws 4 amps constantly and keeps the inside 40 degrees below ambient.

I brought the cooler home the night before, plugged it into the wall, and filled it with everything we would need. I put a thermometer inside. Friday morning, it was 38 degrees inside. I added the last minute items and took it to the car. I plugged in the DC adaptor, took it down to the boat, and plugged it in there.

While dockside, I ran off AC, underway I switched to DC. It was hot, air temps in the 80s, and my cooler remained at 45 degrees inside. I could finally offer my friends a cool drink!

On the way home I didn't feel like plugging it in the car.

I got home well after midnight and didn't want to unpack so I just plugged it in, in the kitchen. Maybe I'll unpack later.

It does get a little damp inside from condensation, but no food got wet.

All in all I am happy and it worked great. Maybe I'll use it at home to always have a place for sodas and beer outside the (overcrowded) fridge or maybe I'll leave it on the boat full time.

I plan to take it on my 3 week voyage so we'll have to see how the 4 amp draw holds up to my electrical system (2 batteries, solar panels, engine with 6 amp charging). Over one day - no problem.

I am thinking of ways to install it on board but it sure is nice to bring it home and fill it the day before.

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2008 : 15:53:10

We've had smaller ones (12-pack) for years. They fit perfectly between the seats when we passed through our mini-van phase of life. We found it helpful to be sure to put the items in cold to begin with since they take a while longer to cool things from room temperature than ice does. I'll be interested to see your power consumption results.

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2008 : 01:22:53

4 amps is what kills this for me. I too have the solar panel (18W), 2 batteries and engine alternator. Is the cooler noisy?

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2008 : 06:01:16

you can hear a little fan noise, slightly more than a computer.

4 amps not a problem for day sailing. I'll be gone all weekend next week, then we'll see.

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2008 : 06:52:51

Keep us posted on the results.
Where in your boat do you store said cooler? How bad is the heat dump from the fan?
How many hours per day do you think you'll have to run the cooler?
24 x 4 is 96 amp hours, a huge chunk of power to replace.
I have an 11 watt Unisolar flexible solar panel on my 89 wing. According to the digital readout on my Morningstar digital charge controller it will put out .6 amp when it is reasonably pointed at the sun.(it rarely perfect, I can get .7 but that doesn't work in real life) If you can get 8 hours of sun, which is about ideal, you will get about 5 amp hours of power into your bank. Even if you add a little if you think you can do better, it isn't much. If you got one of those big 32 watt panels, 32 divided by 12 volts equals 2.6 amps, less whatever ineffeciancy factor you want, times 8 hours is 20 amp hours. you will get less.
So supplementing with the engine is required. At anchor I'll run my honda when cooking and when the stereo is on, you can't hear it anyway. If you have a quiet engine you can even rev it up a little and get more amps.
Dont't forget to add up all of your lighting loads, including that power hungry anchor light. stereo, gps, computer, bidet, etc. and it adds up.

that's why I buy ice every few days when I'm cruising. I usually want to come in for a meal, beer, food etc. I removed my bulkhead table, and have two 52 quart 5 day colers next to the port setee. One for beverages, one for food. I have gone for a week to the Tortugas with this setup. I was able to trade beer for ice with a commercial fisherman while there (but did you know that this practice is against park rules now? Ranger Barbara gave me a huge bunch of ---- over this.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2008 : 12:01:20

Right now I have the cooler sitting on the starboard setee tied to the rail. I am considering options for permanent mounting. The cooler will fit in the hanging locker upright like a refridgerator.

I have 3 United Solar 11 watt panels. I'd like to buy another 33 watt panel but $400 could be spent on better items! Like a down payment on a new main sail.

I have 6 amps from my engine.

Where I am going there is no place to buy ice. If I run into a problem I'll just turn it off and recharge. I'll have enough canned food to survive. 3 weeks off the grid to the most remote island in Southern CA. The cooler is for luxuries like sandwitch meat, cheese, and cold beer.

I am hoping to run it only 12 hours per day.

Hot air does blow out the fan but I did not notice any significant build up in the cabin. I had all windows open and the forward hatch much of the time.

None of this is an issue for day sailing, a dual battery setup can run all day and recharge under power or when you are back at the slip.

By the way, the cooler is still sitting in my kitchen full of beer and soda. It has been running non stop since Thursday afternoon.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2008 : 17:56:31

This time I put all my food and drink into the cooler warm. It took 2 full days to bring it down to 38 degrees F. On Friday night with full batteries I sailed and motored to San Diego with no noticable battery drain. System voltage with cooler, stereo, running lights, fish finder, GPS, and autopilot is 12.4 volts. Friday night from 10 PM to 11 AM I had the boat on shore power - no problems. Saturday I was on battery from 11 AM to about 6 PM. My dual gell cell 55 amp hour batteries were reading about 11.9 volts with the cooler plugged in and 12.9 volts with it off.

I fired up the motor for about 2 hours just above idle while sailing and 1 more hour with the cooler unplugged. The system voltage came up to 13.7. Plugging the cooler in the system voltage came back to 12.4. The cooler warmed up about 3 degrees F during the hour it was off.

I sailed the last hour or two back to my slip with no noticible battery drain.

Saturday night I left the cooler unplugged the whole night with a cooler full of drinks at 45 F. By morning it was at 60 F.

Conculsions:

(1) Its great to have cold beverages on board, cold food, and no wet, melting ice.

(2) It draws a lot of power but my Tohatsu 9.8 charges the batteries back up quickly with the cooler unplugged.

(3) You can unplug it for several hours and it will stay cool if not in direct sunlight.

I think great for day sailing, I will be testing it all weekend during a long race Saturday and Sunday (no motor for charging).

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2008 : 20:47:14

When I go to Catalina for 3 ro 4 days, I use several bags of ice. I know what you are talking about wet food or bags. Jim, this sounds like a nice alternative. Can it be used horizontally or vertically?
Steve A
PS Walmart has for $83-I hate Walmart.

Edited by - piseas on 07/14/2008 20:56:14

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2008 : 06:17:37

These look interesting to me. The company also sells a "low voltage shutoff" to help save your battery in case you run the cooler a little too long. I'm not endorsing, but I thought I would share.

[url="http://koolatrononline.stores.yahoo.net/d13-portable-kooler.html"]Koolatron Website[/url]

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2008 : 09:34:42

Yes, the coleman can be used upright or horizontal, and has a door that can be changed to open on either side. It does fit in the hanging locker across from the head. You have to leave the end with the fan exposed to open air.

Edited by - on

Ericson33
Admiral

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USA
892 Posts

Response Posted - 07/16/2008 : 14:15:45

I have had one of these units for over 5 years. I bought mine for a San Juan 24 and it had been sitting in the garage forever. This past 4th of July we used it in a small cabin. we used it along side of our cooler, drinks and pop in the ice, and meat, cheese, ect in the coleman. I took up a 10lb brisket and cooked it for 12 hours in aa turkey roaster set at 235 deg. the coleman I had plugged in the night before we left, I hooked it up into the car the next morning for the ride up to the lake. After it was in our cabin I used it just like a frig.

I don't know if it would hold up to the Oklahoma summer days as it gets over 100 deg often, so I use it at home as an overflow frig for beer and pop. You can reverse the polarity and use it as a heater box, or warmer. I don't know why I would use it that way, but I will try and find a use. The fan is very quiet.

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 07/16/2008 : 21:04:37

I might consider using one of these T-E coolers next year if our club does a cruise to the San Juans, but 4 amps continuous is probably more than most of our boats could manage on a two week cruise. That much power draw would especially be a problem for the C-22's which have 5~6 hp outboards with no battery charging coil, and only a small 11 to 15 watt solar panel (if any). These boats only get a battery charge overnight from shore power at marinas, and in the San Juans we are only in marinas maybe one night in three.

Too bad these T-E coolers only go down to 40F. I would be much more interested in one if it could hold frozen food at 0~10F. At that temp, I could bring my primary "vice" - chocolate ice cream - on a cruise. Oh, that would be heaven, to sit at anchor and watch the sunset from Fossil Bay or Sidney Spit (the San Juans again), with a dish of Haagen Dazs and James Taylor's "October Road" on the boat stereo.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 07/16/2008 : 22:32:12

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by lcharlot
 Too bad these T-E coolers only go down to 40F. I would be much more interested in one if it could hold frozen food at 0~10F. At that temp, I could bring my primary "vice" - chocolate ice cream - on a cruise. Oh, that would be heaven, to sit at anchor and watch the sunset from Fossil Bay or Sidney Spit (the San Juans again), with a dish of Haagen Dazs and James Taylor's "October Road" on the boat stereo.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">There's always solid Carbon Dioxide, a.k.a. "dry ice"

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