1 month update: I am using this as my full time fridge/freezer in my off grid cabin. I have finally found the perfect temp setting to be 20 which keeps everything just above freezing and that will keep frozen stuff frozen for 3-4 days and keeps my soda and beer at just the perfect temperature. I am running this off my small 400 watt solar power set up on DC power and it uses so little power I see hardly any drop over night just on battery power. I noticed compressor noise which is very soft just the first day or 2 and then it faded in to the background I no longer even notice it is running. Kicks on maybe every 5 to 10 minutes just to keep the temp at the setting. This has just enough room for a weeks supply of food and replace items only as used. I would give it 10 stars for price, low power and excellent for off gridders!
Great video. 7 years living out of car using ice coolers with bought ice. I know I am in love with this frig just bought it. Lucky for me I got disability a couple months ago. I love off grid living and will be powering this with the Yeti 1000 - which I just also bought. Drove my last car to death and bought a 2019 KIA Soul. Feeling so blessed lately with all these exciting and new things happening.
You can get the Alpicool C20 here: amzn.to/2WvDGA5 Don't forget to give the video a thumbs up and subscribe and please share my vids with anyone that wants to learn about off grid, sustainable and cheap living and housing solutions.
Just a heads up. When I first got this fridge I set it to the lowest -4 setting because I didn't think it was cooling fast enough and by morning EVERYTHING in the fridge was frozen solid. If you are using it as a fridge set it on 20 and then the stuff at the bottom will stay almost froze and stuff on top will stay fresh and ready to use. Another idea is you could use this as a freezer for all the stuff you want frozen and put in a couple of those reusable blue ice packs and freeze those to use in your ice chest for fresh foods and could even be used in one of those homemade chest air conditioners to keep your places cooler in summer. I am going to try that when the weather warms up!
I bought a 50 Quart ARB based off your video review to use in my big rig. I've had it two years now, and it's fortunately still running well. I bought the insulated cover as well, and that has Reflectex insulation inside the canvas . The cover makes a HUGE difference in helping the cooler maintain temperature inside a sometimes hot cab. Although the insulated cover was expensive (over $100), it was well worth it. Although a do-it-yourself version would work just as well and cost a lot less! If and or when my ARB cooler dies I will keep this on my list of possible replacements. If you could remember do an update video on this after a year or so to let us know how it's been running. That would be welcome information. Being an over-the-road trucker can be extremely expensive if you constantly have to eat out. Having a refrigerator freezer like these combined with another gadget called a "Hot Logic Mini" is an absolute godsend to saving money and eating healthy on the road. By far these two items have drastically saved me money and allowed me to eat more healthy while being on the road. In addition to that it's also allowed me to save a lot of time not having to stop and get food someplace when I can just bring it with me and have it in the truck ready to go. I could spend as much as $250 a week eating out while out on the road. Even buying the super expensive ARB cooler, it paid for itself in the matter of just a few months in food savings. If this brand holds up this will probably quickly become a favorite among over The road truckers. not sure how the Chinese construction will hold out to the constant vibration and bouncing of a big rig though. That is definitely something that the ARB has handled well (so far).
I think ARB are good units but mine ended up failing and the compressor locked up. These Chinese units are competition for other makers so maybe that will force them to come down in price.
Lamar, so glad to see you come out with a new video. I check everyday. This was very encouraging. Congrats on the new grand baby; I have some---they are addicting! LOL
Awsome to see u back Lamar thank you for the update on ur new fridge let us know how it works !!! Joe here in central Vt waiting for spring to be sprung , its been a coupe years or so but good to see u for sure love my 12x20 shop haven’t converted it yet but close to its amazing the space u really don’t use or need when u live in and inhabit a smaller space all the time for sure !!! Use mine for working on my Harley’s n just my get away man cave to sit n collect my thoughts in front of the woods stove !!! Enjoy and congrats on the grand son for sure keep the good videos coming my friend peace ✌️
i got a dc/ac Dometic dual zone fridge freezer. runs on 12v dc strait of my bank. also has low power consumption mode. i love it, works great! wasn't cheep tho.
I really like the chest freezer to fridge conversion using an external thermostat, it's very efficient, uses very little power. I'll definitely check out your system.
I have a Goal Zero Yeti 200x Power Station with a Nomad 50 Solar Panel and use it to power the Alpicool C20 portable refrigerator. Off of the 200x battery power I get between 6 and 7 hours max, depending on the ambient temperature. The 200x can be solar charging and run the fridge at the same time, which is great for daytime hours, and as the sun sets, it kicks back into battery only mode. I would have liked to have had the 500x model to have more battery life, however, it was cost prohibitive for me, perhaps in the future. For now, I also have a 12v cigarette lighter connection to my truck and I will run the fridge off of it for the few hours in the evening, then put it on the 200x for overnight. If I set the temp on the fridge to Eco mode at 20 degrees it will run on battery for about 7 hours overnight. The other thing about this setup it that it is very portable, not small or light enough for backpacking, but certainly doable for shorter hikes into a primitive camping spot for a weekend. Overall I am very impressed with the build quality and the usability of such a small system.
I have a 100 watt panel I am going to use on the Campin' Wagon to run a 12 volt fridge as a freezer for storing meat. I will add an insulated cover which should reduce the power use even more. I use the C20 in the cabin full time but I need a deep freezer. A 100AH sealed batt should run it through the night on DC.
First time watching your video and I finally found a video that the person is honest and give it to me straight up I enjoyed your video and I'm probably going to get that refrigerator because of the way you've explained it thank you so much God bless
@@solarcabin Delivered yesterday all the way from KY USA..I live in the UK but could not find any one selling the C9 here.I am a solo camper so the small C9 is perfect size
How long have you been using the cooler for? Not to be the stereotypical American, but I wonder about reliability over the long term. That being said, for a family of two, would you possibly recommend two C15 models, one for fridge things and one soley for frozen? Would the non raised lid be a determining factor. All that obviously knowing you have not tried the C15 model out. (I looks like the C15 is a C20 with a shorter lid.)
I have had it for a week and is holding the temperature right on the mark. The C20 is the C15 with a different lid for more room. If you need more frozen stuff then you can get 2 of these for the price of an Engel or Dometic. There are good long term use reviews on Amazon for the Alpicool.
hi i just found your channel and loved the video on the alpicool c20 i am an ex military man in the uk i have a small boat i use for up to a week at a time but yet have to find a solution for a fridges there is no fridge on the boat i have 2 12 volt batteries on board one for starting and the other for lights water pump radio etc i also have a 100 watt solar panel i use to keep the main battery topped up so she starts please could you give me any info as to how if possible i could use one of these c20 s on board as i dont really have much knowledge ref this sort of thing .many thanks i have subbed your channel and will watch all your uploads thanks i am also a new grandad too !!
Alcicool make another unit that is 15L. It is the same footprint, but the lid is even with control panel. Also, I saw in someone else’s YT video that there is a way to change the panel from Celsius to °F.
I thought mine was set to Celsius only to find it isn't after freezing all my food solid lol! The ones sold in the US should all be set to Fahrenheit and set it at 20 it will keep things just above frozen.
solarcabin You can change to F. apparently there’s a hidden menu. I think you press and hold a button (menu?) for 3-5 seconds to allow you to cycle thru numbered menu options. I think option number 3 or maybe 5 would toggle between F and C.
Congratulations, grandpa! He's a cutie. Yeah, Lamar - so glad to see you back! I am ready now to get a Redhawk trailer built. I was wondering if you have an idea of how much its dry weight is when complete.
@@solarcabin Thanks!! That's perfect - I have a Nissan Juke -- in Europe, they are rated to pull @ 1500. My warranty is long expired and the car's paid for. :) It's worth the experiment. Again, I am so glad to see you are back!
@@gcassinell If you are only using it at your house then get a US made Dometic but I needed something to take with me camping so these smaller Chinese units are nice for that and the price is affordable for us cheap off gridders lol!
solarcabin lol right.. I’m no millionaire , live within my means.. i was just tired of replacing the item 4 times in 10 years. So i’ve learn to do my homework & just spend more the first time (everything’s a rich mans gimmick) . I went through 5 generators my first few years off grid prior to finding the champion (no pun intended lol) i love your into & your channel! I run a 1500watt AIMS inverter & 8-6v 230ah Duracell lead acid. Going to grab some lithium ion Life PO4 batts & some more LG panels soon. Neat little efficient fridge! I hope it lasts for you!
Lamar, I'm thinking about getting one of these little refrigerators and was wondering if you still liked yours and if it was still preforming good ? Thanks
My cabin is completely off grid and all power comes from 400 watt solar system. I have a small inverter for AC gadgets and DC plugs for DC appliances like the fridge. Best of both worlds.
Was concerned about you. Haven't seen a video from you for a while. Still haven't built that Thoreau house, using your plans. Debating whether to do that or convert a cargo trailer, which could give me the same square footage as a Thoreau cabin.
I use the Eccotemp on demand water heater and have had the same unit for over 10 years. This is the one I recommend: amzn.to/2U09DUd I wash clothes in a barrel washer I made myself but they have small washing machines now that will run on a genny.
Are you losing power or just the additional charge you get from panels when the sun is shining? Panel output is generally around 14 volts. When the sun goes down if batts are full they will read somewhere between 12.75 and 13 volts.
Man you got that right. I was living with an ice cooler for about 6 months and buying ice at 2 bucks every 3-4 days I spent almost as much as this fridge cost. What a pain that was.
1 month update: I am using this as my full time fridge/freezer in my off grid cabin. I have finally found the perfect temp setting to be 20 which keeps everything just above freezing and that will keep frozen stuff frozen for 3-4 days and keeps my soda and beer at just the perfect temperature.
I am running this off my small 400 watt solar power set up on DC power and it uses so little power I see hardly any drop over night just on battery power.
I noticed compressor noise which is very soft just the first day or 2 and then it faded in to the background I no longer even notice it is running. Kicks on maybe every 5 to 10 minutes just to keep the temp at the setting.
This has just enough room for a weeks supply of food and replace items only as used.
I would give it 10 stars for price, low power and excellent for off gridders!
Great video. 7 years living out of car using ice coolers with bought ice. I know I am in love with this frig just bought it. Lucky for me I got disability a couple months ago. I love off grid living and will be powering this with the Yeti 1000 - which I just also bought. Drove my last car to death and bought a 2019 KIA Soul. Feeling so blessed lately with all these exciting and new things happening.
OUTstanding, man!!!!
I start MY "vehicle living journey" next week. Excited. And moving to Vegas.
Great to see you're back Lamar! Thanks for the informative video about the fridge/freezer. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos.
You can get the Alpicool C20 here: amzn.to/2WvDGA5
Don't forget to give the video a thumbs up and subscribe and please share my vids with anyone that wants to learn about off grid, sustainable and cheap living and housing solutions.
Just bought one for use with my jackery 500
Just a heads up. When I first got this fridge I set it to the lowest -4 setting because I didn't think it was cooling fast enough and by morning EVERYTHING in the fridge was frozen solid. If you are using it as a fridge set it on 20 and then the stuff at the bottom will stay almost froze and stuff on top will stay fresh and ready to use.
Another idea is you could use this as a freezer for all the stuff you want frozen and put in a couple of those reusable blue ice packs and freeze those to use in your ice chest for fresh foods and could even be used in one of those homemade chest air conditioners to keep your places cooler in summer.
I am going to try that when the weather warms up!
the intro of this video is so strong and open minded thank you for your work 💛
I bought a 50 Quart ARB based off your video review to use in my big rig. I've had it two years now, and it's fortunately still running well.
I bought the insulated cover as well, and that has Reflectex insulation inside the canvas . The cover makes a HUGE difference in helping the cooler maintain temperature inside a sometimes hot cab.
Although the insulated cover was expensive (over $100), it was well worth it. Although a do-it-yourself version would work just as well and cost a lot less!
If and or when my ARB cooler dies I will keep this on my list of possible replacements. If you could remember do an update video on this after a year or so to let us know how it's been running. That would be welcome information.
Being an over-the-road trucker can be extremely expensive if you constantly have to eat out.
Having a refrigerator freezer like these combined with another gadget called a "Hot Logic Mini" is an absolute godsend to saving money and eating healthy on the road.
By far these two items have drastically saved me money and allowed me to eat more healthy while being on the road.
In addition to that it's also allowed me to save a lot of time not having to stop and get food someplace when I can just bring it with me and have it in the truck ready to go.
I could spend as much as $250 a week eating out while out on the road. Even buying the super expensive ARB cooler, it paid for itself in the matter of just a few months in food savings.
If this brand holds up this will probably quickly become a favorite among over The road truckers. not sure how the Chinese construction will hold out to the constant vibration and bouncing of a big rig though. That is definitely something that the ARB has handled well (so far).
I think ARB are good units but mine ended up failing and the compressor locked up. These Chinese units are competition for other makers so maybe that will force them to come down in price.
Welcome back Lamar, glad to see you're okay, and glad you're enjoying the new grandson
Very much looking forward to these new designs
Good to hear from you again. Glad all is well
He lives!!!
Hey!! You're back!! Good to see all is well Lamar!
Lamar, so glad to see you come out with a new video. I check everyday. This was very encouraging. Congrats on the new grand baby; I have some---they are addicting! LOL
Lamar, I was worried for a minute. I’m glad you are back!
Awsome to see u back Lamar thank you for the update on ur new fridge let us know how it works !!! Joe here in central Vt waiting for spring to be sprung , its been a coupe years or so but good to see u for sure love my 12x20 shop haven’t converted it yet but close to its amazing the space u really don’t use or need when u live in and inhabit a smaller space all the time for sure !!! Use mine for working on my Harley’s n just my get away man cave to sit n collect my thoughts in front of the woods stove !!! Enjoy and congrats on the grand son for sure keep the good videos coming my friend peace ✌️
Right on Joe! Every guy and gal needs a place like that to just relax and kick your feet up without worrying about getting the furniture dirty lol!
i got a dc/ac Dometic dual zone fridge freezer. runs on 12v dc strait of my bank. also has low power consumption mode. i love it, works great! wasn't cheep tho.
The Dometics are nice but dang expensive!
Alpicool is lot better and has some features other fridges dont. Also it cools very fast
Hey lamar good to see you. I learned a lot from your books and vids thought you had kicked the bucket. Welcome back.
I really like the chest freezer to fridge conversion using an external thermostat, it's very efficient, uses very little power. I'll definitely check out your system.
A thoroughhhhhh explanation. I LOVE it.
THANK you, sir
Glad it was helpful! Lots of vids on my channel for simple living and hope you subscribe.
I might get one when I get my van fixed up for travel Thanks always appreciate your knowledge!!!
Just bought 7 acres in the Ozark. I’ll be looking into the fridge. Thanks Lamar.
Right on Jeff!
Glad to see you still kicking hope the winter treated ya well
My hell Lamar. Everyone thought you were dead.
Damn man. Glad yer back.
Not dead. Just took some time off to be with family.
Glad to see you back!
Good video, are you going to do an update on your place?
Can't wait to see what you've been doing.
I have a few new projects planned this year so I will share those. Still snow on the ground here...
Nice to see you back! Seems to be a good appliance.
I have a Goal Zero Yeti 200x Power Station with a Nomad 50 Solar Panel and use it to power the Alpicool C20 portable refrigerator. Off of the 200x battery power I get between 6 and 7 hours max, depending on the ambient temperature. The 200x can be solar charging and run the fridge at the same time, which is great for daytime hours, and as the sun sets, it kicks back into battery only mode. I would have liked to have had the 500x model to have more battery life, however, it was cost prohibitive for me, perhaps in the future. For now, I also have a 12v cigarette lighter connection to my truck and I will run the fridge off of it for the few hours in the evening, then put it on the 200x for overnight. If I set the temp on the fridge to Eco mode at 20 degrees it will run on battery for about 7 hours overnight. The other thing about this setup it that it is very portable, not small or light enough for backpacking, but certainly doable for shorter hikes into a primitive camping spot for a weekend. Overall I am very impressed with the build quality and the usability of such a small system.
I have a 100 watt panel I am going to use on the Campin' Wagon to run a 12 volt fridge as a freezer for storing meat. I will add an insulated cover which should reduce the power use even more. I use the C20 in the cabin full time but I need a deep freezer. A 100AH sealed batt should run it through the night on DC.
glad to see you back! grats on the grand-kid. love your content, please keep it coming! =-D
Thanks for the review! You say it's well insulated, do you think you could use it as a cooler with ice if you don't want to power it?
You could but it doesn't have a drain.
First time watching your video and I finally found a video that the person is honest and give it to me straight up I enjoyed your video and I'm probably going to get that refrigerator because of the way you've explained it thank you so much God bless
Thanks, I have been using mine for over 2 years without any problems.
I had this C20 21quart and its great
Feels like it's been years bro!
So glad u r back!
Great video education for your purchase. Thanks!
I really want the cf35 ....but none available now
Everything is slowed down because of the virus. They will get more. Alpicool is a great brand and still use my C20 every day 24/7.
Awesome info, thanks for sharing this buddy,,, Thumbs-up video ~John
You bet
Good to see you back. How does it compare to your ARB.
I liked the ARB but the compressor locked up and I couldn't fix it. These new Chinese units are a lot cheaper and seem to work just as well.
Not the smallest. I have a Alpicool C9 ( 9 litre capacity )
How is that one holding up? So far I have no complaints and have had mine running full time for over 2 years.
@@solarcabin Delivered yesterday all the way from KY USA..I live in the UK but could not find any one selling the C9 here.I am a solo camper so the small C9 is perfect size
How long have you been using the cooler for? Not to be the stereotypical American, but I wonder about reliability over the long term. That being said, for a family of two, would you possibly recommend two C15 models, one for fridge things and one soley for frozen? Would the non raised lid be a determining factor. All that obviously knowing you have not tried the C15 model out. (I looks like the C15 is a C20 with a shorter lid.)
I have had it for a week and is holding the temperature right on the mark. The C20 is the C15 with a different lid for more room. If you need more frozen stuff then you can get 2 of these for the price of an Engel or Dometic. There are good long term use reviews on Amazon for the Alpicool.
Very good detailed review, thanks so much!
hi i just found your channel and loved the video on the alpicool c20 i am an ex military man in the uk i have a small boat i use for up to a week at a time but yet have to find a solution for a fridges there is no fridge on the boat i have 2 12 volt batteries on board one for starting and the other for lights water pump radio etc i also have a 100 watt solar panel i use to keep the main battery topped up so she starts please could you give me any info as to how if possible i could use one of these c20 s on board as i dont really have much knowledge ref this sort of thing .many thanks i have subbed your channel and will watch all your uploads thanks i am also a new grandad too !!
Good to see you back. Stay safe out there my friend my friend
Alcicool make another unit that is 15L. It is the same footprint, but the lid is even with control panel. Also, I saw in someone else’s YT video that there is a way to change the panel from Celsius to °F.
I thought mine was set to Celsius only to find it isn't after freezing all my food solid lol! The ones sold in the US should all be set to Fahrenheit and set it at 20 it will keep things just above frozen.
solarcabin You can change to F. apparently there’s a hidden menu. I think you press and hold a button (menu?) for 3-5 seconds to allow you to cycle thru numbered menu options. I think option number 3 or maybe 5 would toggle between F and C.
Congratulations, grandpa! He's a cutie. Yeah, Lamar - so glad to see you back! I am ready now to get a Redhawk trailer built. I was wondering if you have an idea of how much its dry weight is when complete.
Thanks Moxie- it depends on materials you use but I estimated the structure framed and insulated ready to finished at under 1k pounds.
@@solarcabin Thanks!! That's perfect - I have a Nissan Juke -- in Europe, they are rated to pull @ 1500. My warranty is long expired and the car's paid for. :) It's worth the experiment. Again, I am so glad to see you are back!
Where can I get the insulating cover ?
Amazon carries them.
Looking for the cover for that fridge can't find it on anazon
Glad to see you. Been a while. Are you not using the ARB?
That ARB ended up breaking down and the compressor locked up.
glad i went with the Dometic instead lol i was considering the ARB.@@solarcabin
@@gcassinell If you are only using it at your house then get a US made Dometic but I needed something to take with me camping so these smaller Chinese units are nice for that and the price is affordable for us cheap off gridders lol!
solarcabin lol right.. I’m no millionaire , live within my means.. i was just tired of replacing the item 4 times in 10 years. So i’ve learn to do my homework & just spend more the first time (everything’s a rich mans gimmick) . I went through 5 generators my first few years off grid prior to finding the champion (no pun intended lol) i love your into & your channel! I run a 1500watt AIMS inverter & 8-6v 230ah Duracell lead acid. Going to grab some lithium ion Life PO4 batts & some more LG panels soon. Neat little efficient fridge! I hope it lasts for you!
solarcabin good to know
Great review. Thanks. Also really nice you are making low cost designs for low income living and the homeless. Handsome grandson👍
Thanks friend! That really is a good fridge and I use mine full time in the cabin without any issues.
solarcabin I need to order now. Do you have an Amazon affiliate link?
solarcabin I checked at least 8 of your videos just now and concluded you don’t have a Amazon link, all is fine. Again great job in helping others.
Nice review.
Good to see you..
How has it lasted? I’ve had 2 alpicools die on me.
I am sorry to hear that. Mine is used 24/7 and still in use today with zero problems. I run it strictly on DC 12 volt.
Lamar, I'm thinking about getting one of these little refrigerators and was wondering if you still liked yours and if it was still preforming good ? Thanks
Hey Lamar!!! Great to see ya buddy. Hope you are doing well.
Thanks friend. Doing good. Looking forward to working on some projects this summer.
So good to see you!! Air Hugg!!!!
🎉🎆
Back at ya friend!
Hi Lamar, did the ARB fridge fail?
That ARB ended up breaking down and the compressor locked up.
Very nice cooler. thanks for the video
can this run plugged into the wall or only off of DC
Is your house all AC? Sounds like an easy way to electrify if you don't want a converter, is that possible?
My cabin is completely off grid and all power comes from 400 watt solar system. I have a small inverter for AC gadgets and DC plugs for DC appliances like the fridge. Best of both worlds.
UNCLEDOUG HERE THANKS FOR THE VIDEOS !!!!!!!!!1 GOD BLESS YOU
Grandson looks like you, what a little cutie!
Thanks friend- he really does at that age!
Hey folks, I just uploaded How to Design a Tiny House On Wheels or Free Standing Tiny House Part 1: ruclips.net/video/X8Hg4WvXXsQ/видео.html
Very helpful video
Was concerned about you. Haven't seen a video from you for a while.
Still haven't built that Thoreau house, using your plans. Debating whether to do that or convert a cargo trailer, which could give me the same square footage as a Thoreau cabin.
I just did a conversion plan for a 7x16 cargo trailer. If you contact me I will send you that for ideas.
Grandson is a sweetheart
He kills me with his mischievous grins!
@@solarcabin Like 'something up his sleeve, grin"?
@@sjr7822 Exactly!
Fist bumps 👊👊👊👊👊, high fives/pats on the back ✋✋✋✋✋, extra thumbs up 👍👍👍👍👍
Eres mi inspiración.
Thanks for the informative video!
How do you heat water and wash laundry off grid ?
I use the Eccotemp on demand water heater and have had the same unit for over 10 years. This is the one I recommend: amzn.to/2U09DUd I wash clothes in a barrel washer I made myself but they have small washing machines now that will run on a genny.
Lamar what state are you in? do you ever offer courses?
I live in the Rocky Mountains. All my courses are on my channel and in my ebooks for DIY builders. www.simplesolarhomesteading.com
I am having a problem with my solar power as soon as the sun goes down I start to lose power from my batteries why is this happening?
Are you losing power or just the additional charge you get from panels when the sun is shining? Panel output is generally around 14 volts. When the sun goes down if batts are full they will read somewhere between 12.75 and 13 volts.
I think the C15 is the smallest!
The original. .
Beats packing around a lot of sloppy ice.
Man you got that right. I was living with an ice cooler for about 6 months and buying ice at 2 bucks every 3-4 days I spent almost as much as this fridge cost. What a pain that was.
Model is a C20 but ITS 21 L fridge.
Holds enough for me for a week.
OMG HI STRANGER