Dometic Alt.

I've got an Iceco 45 qt 3-in1 fridge/freezer/cooler. Just had it a few months, but it works great so far. It cost around $500. 

Brett Bwrote:

I’ve been using the Dometic CC32 while living out of the vehicle for the past 6 months without issue. It retails 520$ and might do the job well if you can accept the small capacity of it.

I can second this, I got this after my larger, more generic brand died after a year or so. Been great, no problems. We live in our van full time and eat pretty well. Wish I had a freezer some times though....

Thanks so much, all, this helps a lot!

I'll research some more.

It's not used much, but I actually own a very old Coleman ice chest, all metal. It's pretty amazing how well it works, if it's kept shaded, and it isn't ridiculously hot temps.

I'm pretty sure that ice chest is quite a bit older than I am, so I also worry about it "walking off". I do have a very good cooler purchased only a couple years ago, but, there's those times when it's gonna be too hot, or too remote, to make ice very feasible. I travel even in the off seasons, and don't expect that will change anytime soon! 

Here's a really stupid question for ya.

Does evaporative cooling help an insulated cooler at all? I have always had a blown sleeping bag to throw over, for extra insulation. Would some dampness help? Cool the cooler, or at least the air around it? 

Best, Helen

Old lady Hwrote:

Thanks so much, all, this helps a lot!

I'll research some more.

It's not used much, but I actually own a very old Coleman ice chest, all metal. It's pretty amazing how well it works, if it's kept shaded, and it isn't ridiculously hot temps.

I'm pretty sure that ice chest is quite a bit older than I am, so I also worry about it "walking off". I do have a very good cooler purchased only a couple years ago, but, there's those times when it's gonna be too hot, or too remote, to make ice very feasible. I travel even in the off seasons, and don't expect that will change anytime soon! 

Here's a really stupid question for ya.

Does evaporative cooling help an insulated cooler at all? I have always had a blown sleeping bag to throw over, for extra insulation. Would some dampness help? Cool the cooler, or at least the air around it? 

Best, Helen

Who blew the sleeping bag? Seems odd but whatever works ;)

Parachute Adamswrote:

Who blew the sleeping bag? Seems odd but whatever works ;)

Lol! 

A thrift store bag with broken zipper, but I'm sure your image is way more fun 

I have a 60L Costway going on 3rd year. they have gone up in price. around $600. now.  you defiantly need a solar system and battery bank.  I have 200w solar and 200amp hrs and have never run low on power. I am not hooked to the alternator. so far its still running well but if you read the reviews there are 3%  of reviews where the unit stops working... 

FYI for anyone considering buying a Dometic. I bought one that had an intermittent problem - sometimes it would work and sometimes it would not - and it was a major hassle to get a new one under their warranty. Their response could be described as either intentional avoidance of responsibility for their product or gross negligence of their customer service department. Eventually I got a new cooler (not my preferred size), but buyer beware!

Kent Peasewrote:

FYI for anyone considering buying a Dometic. I bought one that had an intermittent problem - sometimes it would work and sometimes it would not - and it was a major hassle to get a new one under their warranty. Their response could be described as either intentional avoidance of responsibility for their product or gross negligence of their customer service department. Eventually I got a new cooler (not my preferred size), but buyer beware!

Was that a replacement from Dometic or a different brand that you purchased to replace the Dometic?

Marc801 Cwrote:

Was that a replacement from Dometic or a different brand that you purchased to replace the Dometic?

The new one is a Dometic that they sent me. The original was a 28L but the replacement is 35L since the 28L wasn't available at that time.

Many big ticket items have a terrible warranty without proof of a professional installation.

M Mwrote:

Many big ticket items have a terrible warranty without proof of a professional installation.

The cooler didn't work (at times) when plugged into the socket in my truck and other sockets. Could not have been an installation problem, and not raised by Dometic. The issue was getting through to their service department, then getting the run around and sent on dead ends.

Short Fall Seanwrote:

I've got an Iceco 45 qt 3-in1 fridge/freezer/cooler. Just had it a few months, but it works great so far. It cost around $500. 

THIS^^^....mine works great as well

Running any of those rigs full rime off the cigarette lighter socket is a recipe for failure.  I hardwired mine when the plug broke. 

Kyle Tarrywrote:

A car starting battery is not designed to power an appliance like a fridge which can (will) drain it down significantly over the course of several days a few hours; it will potentially damage most definitely completely destroy the battery, and also potentially strand you in inconvenient places.  You need a ginormous and expensive deep cycle battery sized appropriately for the application, plus a way to charge it reliably.  There are a variety of ways to do this, each with pros and cons, depending on the details of your situation ...and they all cost way more than an efficient fridge.

In general, if you want to keep stuff cold in a car for a couple days, buy a rotomolded cooler and put some ice in it.  It should last for that duration of a trip, no problem.

Edit: Some more hard numbers: A small Dometic fridge (like the CRX50 I am using in my van) will use 20-25 Ah over 24 hours in an ambient temperature of 77 deg F [...ambient in a vehicle in the summer - when you want this stuff to work - is more like 100+].  A CR-V starter batter is around 50-60 Ah capacity, based on a quick web search - which means your car won't start after just a few hours.  So, one every single day will run this battery down to 50% capacity, which is really bad for a starter battery.  No way you'll have enough juice to run for multiple days, and an uninsulated car parked in the sun will also be way hotter than 77 deg F.

One option would be a combo cooler that takes ice, but can also plug into your 12V accessory plug while you are driving.  That would help prolong the life of the ice on longer driving trips.

I generally agree - but edited a few things.

If you want to run a fridge 24 hrs for a few days, a swag rule of thumb I've gathered from my own experience and correlated with many RV forums - you'll need about 200 Ah of battery and 200-400 watts of solar to charge it.  Minimum - like this is just for the fridge.  A working fridge system is baller - very expensive - compared to a cooler.  Most commercial RV's are shit, too, leaving customers to upgrade later at great expense for something to actually work.

Kent's problem - I would bet - is low battery cut-off.  That modest little beast draws 6.5 amps - ~80 watts.  Fridge turns itself off or simply stalls out in just a few hours on a starter battery.  Get a volt meter and verify the specs.  You can have a volt drop that fails to run the compressor, but still starts your car - especially with long and thin wires ultimately leading back to the battery - ie, aux cig lighter in the back of a vehicle.

Posters suggesting cheaper and less efficient fridges to save money and power get an F in basic physics.  In fact, the total system - if you ever get it to work - will be more expensive.

To echo the battery thing, take a page out sailboats/boats.  Sure they’re heavy, but marine deep cycles aren’t that expensive overall, and adding one or two to a van to power accessories pays off.   Never have to worry if the car will start or not, and you’re using a battery and accessory designed to work together.  

I went with the Costway fridge when I did my build starting in june of 2019. 

paid around 400 for the fridge. The same fridge is now $600.  I paid $300? something for two 100w panels and charge controller. I have since upgraded the charge controller for $80?ish. Two solar specific 100amp hr AGM batteries for $340.00 add switches, fuse box, connections, wire, fuse holder, shut off switches , inverter, etc.

 I did not rig the battery bank to my alternator as it was all a bit overwhelming at the time. So far I have run the fridge full time for two summers and working on the 3rd summer starting last week of March ending in November.  In the winter I have left the batteries frozen in the van keeping my panels clean of snow so that the charge controller does it's thing to keep them happy. I don't know if that is the best plan?  So far I have not run out or low on power yet.. Knock on wood! It's always a game. the best  move being to park with the cab in the shade and the panels in the sun.   I often wonder what is the most efficient. Run the fan to keep the temps down and hopefully use less power from the fridge? or just let the fridge do it's thing and  save power by not running the fan?  My batteries seem to have a resting rate of 13.1v and are usually @ 12.9v in the morning.  so far so good.  I run everything on 12v only using the inverter for extended computer sessions or to charge the mini vacuum or my rotary hammer.   I keep the inverter disconnected from the battery bank when not in use. 

Pros on the fridge. its huge! 60L  Really awesome! works great. nice basket to help organize stuff. I love the metal strong box look. also the handles on the sides fold down flat. that's important as mine is on a sliding shelf.  Cons. it's noisy and perhaps could have better insulation so that it would run less?  the button for the internal light is hard to find in the dark. the control panel gives off a lot of light at night.  that is a nice night light to get up and pee but also is visible from outside the vehicle even with decent curtains, giving away your location.  Its not a fancy name brand so may not last as long as a dometic?????   

I noticed that the control panel  

and the box style look identical to the ICECO units? perhaps they are really the same manufacturer?

9.25 this evening. just checked my system and the batteries are @ 13.2v. Purfect :)

How many times did you open it and where was it parked, sun or shade?

Bill Schickwrote:

I generally agree - but edited a few things....

Posters suggesting cheaper and less efficient fridges to save money and power get an F in basic physics.  In fact, the total system - if you ever get it to work - will be more expensive.

 3n1 from IceCo. Its either a fridge or freezer and is built the same as a rotomolded cooler allowing you to keep it cold while driving, then at camp...its just a cooler ;)

Just parked in the yard while I am at work.  A mix of sun and shade  depending on what time it is.  On the weekend I travel and live in the rig. No  power issues on the weekends  either.