12V outlet for a cooler on long trips?

[ACDC]

Has anyone used the outlet for a cooler to go on long trips? Does it stay energized when the engine is off?
Thanks...

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[Dude]

Sorry ACDC, it does not remain energized

 

[ACDC]

Okay, thanks. I think I'm going to buy the cooler anyway, it comes with a 110V adapter so I can use it when we get to the cottage.
Cheers,

 

[jkeaton]

Easy enough to test.....plug your phone charger in and shut the engine off......is it still charging and will it keep charging after the systems shut themselves off after a time.

 

[Rawah652]

Has anyone used the outlet for a cooler to go on long trips? Does it stay energized when the engine is off?
Thanks...

Your 12V outlets do stay energized for about an hour or so after you shut off the accessory power, beyond that you have to turn it on again. This feature is great for saving your battery, but sucks if you actually want to run a low-draw item overnight or something when camping.

 

[Barry S.]

The 12volt will not stay indefinitely. Check Amazon for a 120 to 12volt converter. You can keep your cooler on overnight in your room and then plug it in to the 12volt when you return to your car.

 

[ACDC]

Thank you for the reply's

 

[davidg4781]

Do these coolers keep things cold while not powered? I mean do they act like a normal ice chest?

I don't know if I'd trust it for very perishable things but would it hold temperature for say overnight while I'm asleep?

 

[MJE]

Do these coolers keep things cold while not powered? I mean do they act like a normal ice chest?

I don't know if I'd trust it for very perishable things but would it hold temperature for say overnight while I'm asleep?

I haven’t tested mine but on day trips so not certain. But they are insulated coolers so should work well enough overnight.

 

[ACDC]

Yes I agree.

 

[omahafordowner]

The 12volt will not stay indefinitely. Check Amazon for a 120 to 12volt converter. You can keep your cooler on overnight in your room and then plug it in to the 12volt when you return to your car.

Yeah, only reason you should need it to stay on when car is off is if you are overlanding.

 

[Barry S.]

Yeah, only reason you should need it to stay on when car is off is if you are overlanding.

True. I have a solar-powered battery generator that I got from 4Patriots. That might do it. It's their smallest version. We recently had a power outage and it kept lights on.

 

[ACDC]

Good to know, thanks.

 

[Maxwellian]

Do these coolers keep things cold while not powered? I mean do they act like a normal ice chest?

I don't know if I'd trust it for very perishable things but would it hold temperature for say overnight while I'm asleep?

Compressor powered fridges tend to have decent insulation. Better than a cheap cooler, not as good as the best passive coolers, as you have the coolant line providing a path for heat conduction. Thermoelectric coolers do far worse when turned off. They just have a thin peltier chip and heats sinks that the heat will flow right back through without power.

The other thing is whether you have frozen stuff or not. A phase change takes vastly more heat than a simple temperature change. In the partitioned fridge/freezers like my little Iceco 20L, the frozen side will soak up a lot of heat from the fridge side if turned off. Power consumption is much higher to maintain freezing temps though.

 

[Tickover]

I use my 12V cooler all the time. The cooler stays, while on, 30 degrees below ambient, no complaints.

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