Cruisers Forum
Main Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: BruceClerico on August 31, 2021, 08:26:20 am
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To provide more refrigerator space for an upcoming trip, we're considering purchasing an electric ice chest/cooler for water bottles, etc., that would plug into the dash outlet while travelling & would have a power adapter for 110 use while camping & hooked up to shore power.
Does anyone have a recommendation for one you've used?
Bruce Clerico
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I would not suggest anything "free standing" behind you or the passenger. If, for whatever reason, you get in an accident, you will have a heavy metal box that can fly forwards into you or your passenger. Much better to have it securely strapped in place and plugged into an Inverter outlet.
And I mean SECURELY strapped down!
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Not sure how something against the back of the seat could fly forward. Was curious Bruce if you’ve found one that could fit between the seats? I could see a safety benefit not having my better half unbuckling and walking back to get a cold bottle if water while we’re driving .
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Joe:
That's our plan. To find a cooler that fits between the front two seats &, while on the road, would plug into the dash outlet and, while camping, could be plugged into any one of the electrical outlets in the coach. Have looked at the reviews of several, but thought I'd ask around the Forum to see if anyone has used one they would recommend. Will post what we find.
Bruce
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Not sure how something against the back of the seat could fly forward. Was curious Bruce if you’ve found one that could fit between the seats? I could see a safety benefit not having my better half unbuckling and walking back to get a cold bottle if water while we’re driving .
Trust me, after 12 years investigating over 200 fatal accidents, freestanding, behind the seats or between the seats is not safe. Think about a front tire blowout and/or a rollover.
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This simple improvement I made has worked very well for us, weighs next to nothing and cost about that much:
https://forum.phoenixusarv.com/index.php?topic=3558.msg30269#msg30269
I have attached the lid to the underside of the bed, since I have no intention of ever removing the icebox. And I use 2 half-gallon milk jugs frozen instead of 1 litter bottles, lasts longer.
:)(:
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I bought one of these. So far, so good.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007ZYH4BM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Don, I get it but neither is the passenger getting up and walking around in a 6 ton vehicle pulling another 2 tons at 65 mph. And let’s be honest No one pulls over and stops every time someone wants a bottle of water etc..
It’s much the same on how we worked in the sand box, Russia and so on. Every plan has flaws, it’s a simple matter of risk management. Heck think of the list of risks we all take every day! All I’m saying is a cooler between the front seats with a couple of string cheese and some bottles of water is not even close to the greatest risk we take just heading out on American highways.
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Bangorbob. That’s interesting. Size wise does it fit ok between the seats? Keep things cold enough( assuming pre chilled) ? And just 12 volt or 110 as well? For that price I wouldn’t expect everything. I m pretty surprised one can be had for under 100.
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Don, I get it but neither is the passenger getting up and walking around in a 6 ton vehicle pulling another 2 tons at 65 mph. And let’s be honest No one pulls over and stops every time someone wants a bottle of water etc..
It’s much the same on how we worked in the sand box, Russia and so on. Every plan has flaws, it’s a simple matter of risk management. Heck think of the list of risks we all take every day! All I’m saying is a cooler between the front seats with a couple of string cheese and some bottles of water is not even close to the greatest risk we take just heading out on American highways.
And putting a strap over it or around it isn't difficult either.
Kind of like seat belts, you don't need them until you do.
Your Mileage May Vary
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In an accident the cabinet doors are going to all be flying open. There is plenty to fly at you from the rear. Their adults, I’m not the safety police. To each their own.
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In an accident the cabinet doors are going to all be flying open. There is plenty to fly at you from the rear. Their adults, I’m not the safety police. To each their own.
One of the first things I jettisoned was those 10# stove and sink covers...imagine them flying into the back of your head. I cut some plastic cutting-board material to replace them all
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Lucky, that aside, they're kind of a pain to deal with as heavy as they are. Look great though.
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Bangorbob. That’s interesting. Size wise does it fit ok between the seats? Keep things cold enough( assuming pre chilled) ? And just 12 volt or 110 as well? For that price I wouldn’t expect everything. I m pretty surprised one can be had for under 100.
It is 12 volt. Here's what I bought to convert 110v to 12v. I use this converter for other things also. I will check to make sure it fits between the seats.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012BL8LG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Bob, interesting, thank you for the info. Please post how it works out once you’ve used it for a while. I’m assuming you’ll fill it with pre chilled drinks. I’ll be curious how well it keeps things cold.
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Bob, interesting, thank you for the info. Please post how it works out once you’ve used it for a while. I’m assuming you’ll fill it with pre chilled drinks. I’ll be curious how well it keeps things cold.
I have already used it quite a few times. I live about 1 1/2 hours from Nellis AFB. Once in a while we go to the commissary and we use the cooler. Works fine.
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If you buy the Igloo or an equivalent, be aware that even a small Thermoelectric cooler aka Peltier cooler consumes a lot of amps, so only use it while driving with the alternator charging the batteries or when plugged in to shore power. TEC’s are cheap but also very inefficient.
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If you buy the Igloo or an equivalent, be aware that even a small Thermoelectric cooler aka Peltier cooler consumes a lot of amps, so only use it while driving with the alternator charging the batteries or when plugged in to shore power. TEC’s are cheap but also very inefficient.
If plugged into a 12v dashboard outlet, remember, the vehicle battery is not charged when plugged into shore power unless you have a TrickLStart or something similar.