Has anybody ever seen a cheap compressor coolbox? (1 Viewer)

Aug 27, 2014
1,910
3,736
Shropshire
Funster No
33,077
MH
McLouis Tandy 640+
Exp
Since 2014
With 5 of us our van fridge is usually pretty full with food, and in summer it would be nice to have somewhere extra to keep soft drinks cool. I've used a thermoelectric (peltier) 12v coolbox once before, but the high power consumption is a problem - without hookup, even in the middle of summer with solar, it does gradually flatten the hab batteries - takes a few days to do so but still not ideal.

A small compressor coolbox - something that can take a couple of bottles and sit between the cab seats - would be perfect, as I understand they have a much lower power consumption than the usual cheap thermoelectric ones, but the ones I've seen are pretty expensive - getting on for £500, more than I can justify for a cold drink!

Has anyone ever seen a cheapie one anywhere? As it's only for drinks and not food a constant temperature is not required. I've kept an eye out for a secondhand one, but they tend to be large ones and they go for nearly as much as a new one - lorry drivers like them for in their cabs, most can run on 24v.
 

DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,969
47,804
Plympton, Devon
Funster No
24,219
MH
PVC, Murvi Morocco
Exp
2013
I bought a Dometic/Waeco CDF 26 a few years ago for a shade over £300. It's brilliant, we use it all year round as a wine/beer cooler at home. But even when I bought it the same model was being sold for over a hundred pounds more by other suppliers. We were just lucky spotting a special offer.
But I've just seen a used CDF 16 on sale for around £320 and I don't think you will get them any cheaper now. :( But you could be lucky. :)
 
Last edited:

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,207
48,831
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
Not that good....only these four listed.

Screenshot_20180318-192930.png
 
Feb 27, 2011
14,671
74,888
UK
Funster No
15,452
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2005
This is the one I have my eye on.



It is a compressor fridge/freezer but it also has a thermo electric element.
So you cool it at home on 240v. Keep it chilled on the road using 12v, then when back on hookup it goes back to compressor.
not a bad price either for something this big. £269.00
 
Mar 11, 2014
934
1,330
Lincs
Funster No
30,480
MH
PVC
Exp
Since 2010
This is the one I have my eye on.



It is a compressor fridge/freezer but it also has a thermo electric element.
So you cool it at home on 240v. Keep it chilled on the road using 12v, then when back on hookup it goes back to compressor.
not a bad price either for something this big. £269.00

It has been lower in price recently so if you're happy to wait it's worth putting a camel watch on it, which I suspect you know what that is, for those that don't:

https://uk.camelcamelcamel.com - is an amazon price tracker - shows you what the price for an item on amazon has been and allows you to set an alert for when it changes to a price (or lower) that you're happy to pay. I use it for stuff that I regularly buy, or am not desperate for, but don't want to pay over the odds for it.
 
OP
OP
Feltwell
Aug 27, 2014
1,910
3,736
Shropshire
Funster No
33,077
MH
McLouis Tandy 640+
Exp
Since 2014
Thanks everyone - you confirmed my suspicions that a cheap one doesn't really exist - it was notable that there were none on Aliexpress (a Chinese online marketplace for new goods - good for all kinds of stuff I've found, cut out all the middlemen, so long as you can wait for the shipping).

But then....

I bought a Dometic/Waeco CDF 26 a few years ago for a shade over £300. It's brilliant, we use it all year round as a wine/beer cooler at home. But even when I bought it the same model was being sold for over a hundred pounds more by other suppliers. We were just lucky spotting a special offer.
But I've just seen a used CDF 16 on sale for around £320 and I don't think you will get them any cheaper now. :( But you could be lucky. :)

I really wanted one that was big enough to take 2l pop bottles, which would mean the CDF26, as you have DBK, or similar. £475 on Amazon - ouch! - but then I saw they had a "used" one at £318 with free delivery on it as well.

Now "used" in the world of Amazon warehousing usually means B stock - in other words, a damaged box or a customer return, worst case minor cosmetic blemish or user manual missing - and you still get 30 days to return it if you don't want it. Thinking that another is unlikely to come up, I've grabbed it, we shall wait and see if it's any good! It's still a hell of a lot of money but hey ho, so long as it lasts........

The CDF26 looks to be the perfect size to sit between the cab seats. I very rarely go through the gap into the back anyway, with a fixed overcab Luton severely cutting the headroom down and the size of me it's just easier to get out of the cab door and back in the hab door!

This is the one I have my eye on.



It is a compressor fridge/freezer but it also has a thermo electric element.
So you cool it at home on 240v. Keep it chilled on the road using 12v, then when back on hookup it goes back to compressor.
not a bad price either for something this big. £269.00

Yes, I've seen those, but I am very rarely on hookup - just don't need it for anything else really - so compressor on 12v is a must.

So, when I'm down in the south of France this August (but at high-ish altitudes - I don't do intense heat!) I hope I'll be congratulating myself on a useful purchase....

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
Feltwell
Aug 27, 2014
1,910
3,736
Shropshire
Funster No
33,077
MH
McLouis Tandy 640+
Exp
Since 2014
I've just refreshed the Amazon page - another "used" one has appeared, this time from a 3rd party rather than Amazon themselves, at £313 if anyone wants one! Seller says only used for advertising. Not enough of a difference over what I've just paid that I'm fussed enough to chase it and cancel my order, but might be good for someone else.......

Can't post a link for some reason, but search for CDF26 on Amazon.co.uk and you'll see it.
 
OP
OP
Feltwell
Aug 27, 2014
1,910
3,736
Shropshire
Funster No
33,077
MH
McLouis Tandy 640+
Exp
Since 2014
It has been lower in price recently so if you're happy to wait it's worth putting a camel watch on it, which I suspect you know what that is, for those that don't:

https://uk.camelcamelcamel.com - is an amazon price tracker - shows you what the price for an item on amazon has been and allows you to set an alert for when it changes to a price (or lower) that you're happy to pay. I use it for stuff that I regularly buy, or am not desperate for, but don't want to pay over the odds for it.

Useful - not heard of that before...........
 
Aug 26, 2008
4,723
24,581
B&NES
Funster No
3,823
MH
Van Conversion
Exp
since 2007
Thanks everyone - you confirmed my suspicions that a cheap one doesn't really exist - it was notable that there were none on Aliexpress (a Chinese online marketplace for new goods - good for all kinds of stuff I've found, cut out all the middlemen, so long as you can wait for the shipping).

But then....



I really wanted one that was big enough to take 2l pop bottles, which would mean the CDF26, as you have DBK, or similar. £475 on Amazon - ouch! - but then I saw they had a "used" one at £318 with free delivery on it as well.

Now "used" in the world of Amazon warehousing usually means B stock - in other words, a damaged box or a customer return, worst case minor cosmetic blemish or user manual missing - and you still get 30 days to return it if you don't want it. Thinking that another is unlikely to come up, I've grabbed it, we shall wait and see if it's any good! It's still a hell of a lot of money but hey ho, so long as it lasts........

The CDF26 looks to be the perfect size to sit between the cab seats. I very rarely go through the gap into the back anyway, with a fixed overcab Luton severely cutting the headroom down and the size of me it's just easier to get out of the cab door and back in the hab door!



Yes, I've seen those, but I am very rarely on hookup - just don't need it for anything else really - so compressor on 12v is a must.

So, when I'm down in the south of France this August (but at high-ish altitudes - I don't do intense heat!) I hope I'll be congratulating myself on a useful purchase....

The compressor only works off 230v. On 12v it appears to be a Peltier effect cooler which would be less efficient and draws a big current.
 
OP
OP
Feltwell
Aug 27, 2014
1,910
3,736
Shropshire
Funster No
33,077
MH
McLouis Tandy 640+
Exp
Since 2014
I really wanted one that was big enough to take 2l pop bottles, which would mean the CDF26, as you have DBK, or similar. £475 on Amazon - ouch! - but then I saw they had a "used" one at £318 with free delivery on it as well.

Now "used" in the world of Amazon warehousing usually means B stock - in other words, a damaged box or a customer return, worst case minor cosmetic blemish or user manual missing - and you still get 30 days to return it if you don't want it. Thinking that another is unlikely to come up, I've grabbed it, we shall wait and see if it's any good! It's still a hell of a lot of money but hey ho, so long as it lasts........

It turned up today - as I expected, a slightly (but not badly) battered box containing a brand new, untouched, A1 condition coolbox with manual & power lead. Still pricey but at £157 less than the "new" price I think I'll live with receiving it in a slightly tatty outer box that will be going in the recycling anyway!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DBK

DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,969
47,804
Plympton, Devon
Funster No
24,219
MH
PVC, Murvi Morocco
Exp
2013
A thing you might want to keep an eye on is the 12 volt connector. Ours had the standard cigar lighter plug but we found running it on the move the plug could get very hot, melting the plastic eventually. So I changed plug and socket to the smaller DIN plug. This has solved the problem. :)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
Feltwell
Aug 27, 2014
1,910
3,736
Shropshire
Funster No
33,077
MH
McLouis Tandy 640+
Exp
Since 2014
Good tip, thank you. Is this the sort of plug and socket you mean?



It would be easy enough for me to fit one of these - I put a cigarette lighter socket in the back of one of the seat bases, I could put one of these next to it easily enough.
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top