Cooler for JLURD

[Ratbert]

My Dometic CFX3 45 uses about 48 watts when the compressor is running. About 1-2 watts when its not. Makes a huge difference in your math.

But, I would not run a cooler off a start battery for 3 days. The Dometic does have a battery saver option but I dont think I would trust it. Maybe if I had a jump box, which I also do carry.

That's still just 4 amps per hour if, for whatever reason, it's running the compressor non-stop. With 350ah to work with that's over 80 hours in a worst case scenario.

The aux switches also seem to have a battery saver feature built in. I've had it turn off on me when I forgot about the fridge after camping.

Would I be comfortable running it for three days? Probably not, but the math seems to indicate that it'd be fine.

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[treillw]

Opinion: If you want to run a fridge for more than an occasional overnight you should get a separate battery to power it. many options from Jackery, Dometic, Bluyeti etc. Of you can go the DIY route and buy a LiFePO4 batter with manager, charger etc.

My quick assessment of that is carrying more gear to make the fridge works negates the space savings that I get from using it instead of a cooler. Therefore, I should just use a cooler.

 

[treillw]

Get a Brumate Brutank…you won’t be disappointed.

Looks nice, but it's pretty huge.

I have a Yeti 105 (I think) and a Shiti 30 qt. Looking for something in the 30 qt size range that holds ice better.

 

[rdfact]

I’m in the Jeep fridge camp.

What is that plate you have the fridge slider mounted to?

Edit: I think I found it. American Adventure Labs M.A.S.S. Storage Platform.
https://americanadventurelab.com/product/jeep-jl-mass-storage-platform/

 

[Left Field]

That's still just 4 amps per hour if, for whatever reason, it's running the compressor non-stop. With 350ah to work with that's over 80 hours in a worst case scenario.

The aux switches also seem to have a battery saver feature built in. I've had it turn off on me when I forgot about the fridge after camping.

Would I be comfortable running it for three days? Probably not, but the math seems to indicate that it'd be fine.

Wasn't aware of the Aux switch battery protection, that is good info ?

I've been looking at the same issues regarding battery life and a refrigerator. Planning on buying a fridge this month.

One point that might help with battery planning is a clarification between 700 amp CCA (cold cranking amps) and the actual storage capacity of a battery (amp-hours).

Cold cranking amps is how much current a battery can deliver short term to the starter. This is different than the capacity of the battery which is rated in amp-hours. Unfortunately, Mopar doesn't provide capacity information for its batteries. So looking up the equivalent H6 and H7 batteries on the Interstate Battery site:

H6 AGM 70 Amp-hours (non-tow package)
H7 AGM 80 Amp-hours (with tow package)

A Dometic CFX3 55Qt is listed at a average of about 1 Amp-hour consumption per hour, or 24 Amp-hours used per day.

This would allow about 35 hours for a -new- H6 battery running it down to 50% and about 40 hours for a -new- H7 battery. Note that if your battery is a few years old the battery capacity will be much less, meaning that even if it worked for you last year, this year you could have a dead battery even running over night.

To preserve my vehicle battery, I'm probably going to find a small Li-ion battery to run my fridge.

LF

 

[Whaler27]

What is that plate you have the fridge slider mounted to?

Edit: I think I found it. American Adventure Labs M.A.S.S. Storage Platform.
https://americanadventurelab.com/product/jeep-jl-mass-storage-platform/

Yup. That’s the one. American Adventure Lab is a great veteran-owned company. Their team is great, they stand behind their products, and everything is made in the USA. That’s a win-win-win-win in my book.

 

[Whaler27]

So I'm in Montana - I'll be camping for say 3 days potentially 75 miles back a dirt road and away from civilization. I really don't want my jeep battery to die.

Thoughts?

How long does it take an E cooler to drain the car battery? Do you just start it up every so often?

It sounds great if you're constantly driving, but if you're camping for days, it could be problematic.

Thanks!

I take a Jackery 1500 and a couple solar panels.. I also carry a small lightweight jump-pack. I use the latter primarily as a power source for lights, and phone & iPad charging in the rooftop tent, but it comes with jumper clips I could use in a pinch. This would be overkill if it weren’t for the touchiness of the Jeep’s electric system and brain, and all the problems we’ve seen.

Portable jump-pack w/USB

 

[rdfact]

Yup. That’s the one. American Adventure Lab is a great veteran-owned company. Their team is great, they stand behind their products, and everything is made in the USA. That’s a win-win-win-win in my book.

How do you like it? How does the fridge slider mount?

 

[Ratbert]

Wasn't aware of the Aux switch battery protection, that is good info ?

I've been looking at the same issues regarding battery life and a refrigerator. Planning on buying a fridge this month.

One point that might help with battery planning is a clarification between 700 amp CCA (cold cranking amps) and the actual storage capacity of a battery (amp-hours).

Cold cranking amps is how much current a battery can deliver short term to the starter. This is different than the capacity of the battery which is rated in amp-hours. Unfortunately, Mopar doesn't provide capacity information for its batteries. So looking up the equivalent H6 and H7 batteries on the Interstate Battery site:

H6 AGM 70 Amp-hours (non-tow package)
H7 AGM 80 Amp-hours (with tow package)

A Dometic CFX3 55Qt is listed at a average of about 1 Amp-hour consumption per hour, or 24 Amp-hours used per day.

This would allow about 35 hours for a -new- H6 battery running it down to 50% and about 40 hours for a -new- H7 battery. Note that if your battery is a few years old the battery capacity will be much less, meaning that even if it worked for you last year, this year you could have a dead battery even running over night.

To preserve my vehicle battery, I'm probably going to find a small Li-ion battery to run my fridge.

LF

Thanks for the clarification. I had never considered that cold cranking amps were a completely different beast than amps / amp hours. That's pretty screwed up, but makes sense since a decent sized LİFePO4 is in the 110ah range.

 

[DGT]

IMHO. In MT summer temps, for 2-3 days outback, a 50-70 quart Igloo marine cooler (<$60) works great. Use with dry ice if you have a lot to keep frozen (readily available at most grocery stores), or use a 40-quart cooler with dry ice for freezing and a 40-quart cooler with ice for refrigerator items. Or, a 50 qt. cooler with just ice will probably do everything you need, even without dry ice.

I do own two (expensive) Dometic 50 qt 12v refrigerators/freezers that I've used on my boat for years, and they are fantastic but use a lot of power if it's hot outside. To me, this seems overkill for your needs. If money isn't an issue, these are great options.

 

[cornercanyon]

Cooler, dry ice. Unless you are living in your Jeep a fridge is a very expensive luxury. For years we have used dry ice wrapped in cardboard (some use newspaper) as the bottom layer, next those items that can freeze and will be used last, next regular ice and the rest. We used to bring ice cream down the Grand Canyon and serve it on the eighth or ninth night, no fridge—

 

[Industrialwrench]

For 2-3 days of camping I use a Yeti 35. Tiny and fits in my 2 door without the rear seats perfectly.

 

[LuvHydro]

I’m in the Jeep fridge camp.

We bought the Dometic 45. By all accounts their products are great, even if their customer service is among the very worst. The beauty of the fridge is you get to pick the temp, fridge or freeze, and you don’t need as big a box, as no space is lost to ice.

I have a bunch of coolers, including a Yeti 110, some cheap Igloos up to 120, and four of the fake Yetis sole by Walmart and Cabela’s. The Yeti is the best, hands down, but I’d never buy another one because 1) for my activities the difference between holding ice for three days and holding it for four days is insignificant. The well made cheap coolers are lighter, easier to load, MUCH less expensive, and more than good enough for our uses.

That thing looks cool. I'm thinking to myself, I'll bet it's expensive (by expensive I was thinking maybe $399)

Jokes on me it seems.

 

[Whaler27]

That thing looks cool. I'm thinking to myself, I'll bet it's expensive (by expensive I was thinking maybe $399)

Jokes on me it seems.

I hear you…. Jeep toys are spendy.

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