Best Lil Fridge for Boondocking in Van or Camper: Alpicool C20
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- My latest issue while traveling was keeping my groceries fresh. My initial cooler was grossly inadequate for my needs causing many problems, but a previously unknown brand changed everything.
This video compares two types of cooling units, plus what a couple of other boondockers use to keep their food cold.
BONUS: Instructions to read Fahrenheit instead of Celsius on Alpicool C20: Scroll though settings by holding down SET button until you see E1. Keep pushing until you reach "E5" . Use up/down button to switch from C to F. Thanks to viewer "condew" for this! SP
This is NOT a paid endorsement, and I have no associations with any of the mentioned product manufacturers. All views and opinions are my own.
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Great video. I have a friend that travels with both a 20L compressor fridge and well insulated cooler. He sets the fridge to freezer mode and stores his ice cream and a 1 gallon jug. Everyday he removes the frozen jug and places it his cooler. Adds additional water filled jug to freezer. The cooler gives him plenty of storage area for groceries, milk jugs eliminate watery mess in cooler.
Great idea Clermont. I'll try this when my groceries get low. I do carry an insulted cooler as well and had many problems using ice. This could work well for me. Thanks! Slim
I have absolutely no need for a mini refrigerator but watched the entire video because it was so well done. You certainly have a knack for putting together a very well informative video.
Same. I rough it old school style, but learned something from the video because you never know one day maybe..
I agree with Tamalpias.
It seems you missed at 1:32 where he measures daily consumption in Amps and Watts instead Ah or Wh.
I used to think the same way. After watching a few of these videos, suffering through waterlogged food, and multiple trips into town for ice, I bought one. Total game changer. Now instead of stocking up with ice every 3-4 days, I can easily spend 1-2 weeks in the outback, unless I run out of water. Maybe time for me to invest in a good water filter......
I don’t own an A Liner, but I’m still drawn to your videos because of your budget friendly problem solving ability. Your presentations are excellent. Thank you for doing these.
Old four wheeling tip for coolers. Put a couple thick rubberbands around your glass bottles so that if they do get jostled around the rubberband is hitting things not the glass.
Thanks overphiend, Great Tip! SP
Now I know why I have been collecting the rubber bands that come on the u. S. Mail lol those things are really thick
Better still is to avoid buying anything for camping in a glass bottle. Almost everything comes in plastic or aluminum nowadays, so there really isn't a need for fragile glass in the camping scenario. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to a campsite and found it littered with broken glass, or patched up my feet from stepping on broken glass in a river/stream next to a campsite. There are far too many abusers.
Old bicycle inner tubes cut into 1/2" (1cm) bands works very well for this function! 1 old inner tube will provide lots of these bands that can also be used for many other purposes, as well.
@@billrussell7672 Salsa comes in glass generally.
I know these vids take a lot of your time. Thanks for doing them. I don't even need a cooler, fridge but watched anyway because they'e educational, creative.
i don't even have a camper and love watching these video, lol. i'm sold tho, A-liner camper with alpicooler.
well i have people that don't my coments did they serve 12 years for this country did they serve 42 years fedral service
Also pn the plus side for the Alpacool, you don't even have to get out of bed to get your morning beer;-)
Richard Guttierrez what does years of "service have to with what people think of your comments
Finally a video that actually gives an experienced, thorough, honest review. Great work Slim
The top opening fridges are also good for retaining the cold air. If you open from the top, cold air is heavier than the warm air so it just sits there. Whereas in a standup fridge, the cold air all escapes when you open the door.
Change your trailer light plug to have an additional constant 12v (switched) while driving. Your trailer batteries will be topped off and cooler cold when you park for the night(s).
Now that is a nice review. Real world situation. I like the fact that it was tested at 90 degrees rather than typical room temperature as if you are traveling, you would definitely be exposed to higher temp from the outside heat.
I just bought an Alpicool C50 (54 quart/50 litre) and I really like it. It's roomy and I can adjust the settings by Bluetooth with a phone app. You can choose max or economy to cool and 3 different settings depending on how you're powering it. The outside is metal, which I really like. On the outside settings, it shows inside temp and has a light inside it that trims on when you open the lid. This frig can be used as a frig OR freezer but, not both at same time. This frig cost me $269 w/free UPS shipping and was delivered very quickly. Am thinking of buying a second, smaller one, to use as a freezer. Oh, the C50 is very +quiet. The booklet says 45 dcb. I don't think it's even that loud; it's so quiet you don't pay attention. The lid comes opening front to back but can be removed from 2 hinges and put back on to open right to left.
Thanks so much for your video. I saw this awhile back and bought the Alpicool 15 liter model. I'm living in a Dodge Grand Caravan, so space is really limited, and the interior capacity is just perfect for me (single guy). I've been using it since mid July and tracking the power consumption. The best equivalent I can think of is leaving a 5 or 6 Watt night light on 24 hours per day. Very little power required and none of the interior space is used by ice.
Do you charge while driving or use a power bank or solar? I have a Kia Sedona and wonder how to charge overnight
Great idea with the beach ball! We might have to try that.
I've got the Alpicool C15. Same thing with a lower cover. Used it for weeks off grid with a single 100 watt panel and a 4 year old battery. Worked excellent. Also replaced a Koolitron as it was a power hog. Wish I had started out with it rather than after weeks of cursing the old cooler.
Are you happy with the C15 or do you think the taller lid on the C20 is a better option?
C20 is perfect height for a gallon of milk. I run 110w solar an 100ah gell cell when off reading in the jeep.
James Kooistra do u connect to inverter , I have the c15 I charge my jackery with inverter then use jackery to charge my c15
@J G I use cans because of the C15s lower lid.
Totally happy with my C15, too.
Let me tell you before I start that I'm a van dweller. I first saw this video in April, when you posted it. I have had my Alpicool 15 liter fridge since about May. It changed everything about my food storage. I used to shop day to day or even meal to meal. I now shop for a week at a time. Thanks to you I got this amazing and affordable refrigerator. Thank you for showing this item, and please keep the great ideas coming
Hi Bill, Glad to here the fridge works for you! SP
This is the kind of videos that help people take decisions. Thanks so much
Amazon and other websites were sold out.
I was able to find the same cooler rebranded from a reputable distributor.
So far I love it.
if you switch from beer to whiskey you'll save a lot of room in that refrigerator LOL
Or you could switch to dark German beer and drink it at room temperature, which is best! 🍺🍻
Precisely!
Agree! After I switched, I realized how much I dislike beer.Also, my friend drinks his bourbon with tequila 50/50, a Whiskila.
Thanks for the reminder. I saw the Luci light on the outside of your trailer and it was a reminder to put my light in the sun for a recharging. Hope things get better for you.
Top loading is far more efficient and does not lose the cool air preload when you open the door. Yachtsmen have used top load for years.
Best review ever 👍👍👍
Slim, your videos are great, very nicely made and just plain fun to watch. Keep at it and I believe your suscriber base woll double every year. 100K in four years or so. Then look out...a million in eight years. Thanks for all your efforts.
Thanks G, I try to keep my videos as fresh as the food in my new fridge!!!! SP
I doubt it would be that long for 100k and 1m subs.
Just what I was looking for...small footprint/space...efficient...refrig/freezer...? And someone to tell their use!!! You ROCK!!!
I've had my Alpicool 15 for about a year and used it maybe 10 trips. Works great. I got it on an Amazon flash sale for just $115. I'd say by now it has probably paid for itself in ice savings.
You could make a lot of money buying old a liners and pop ups and outfitting them like your and selling them. Or you could just customize them for people’s own trailers. Your brilliant mind and environmental consciousness is a beautiful combination
Slim, the beach ball idea is inspired, sir!
Just picked this up at a Goodwill, for $60!, Months after watching this video. It’ll be perfect for my 4Runner
Great job on the review!
I think the freezer would perform better in terms of energy consumption over a longer period of time. With 5 hours starting with unfrozen water, the energy consumption may be worst case. At 239 bucks you could buy two. One for freezing and one for refrigeration. That would give you 40 quarts total and you would still be cheaper than a single 45 quart arb or engel.
That would also provide a back up if one broke to save the most expensive food items. My plan is to use it strictly on freeze mode to freeze ice for my super insulated cooler and keep a few food items frozen.
@@secondact7151 and youll need it. Longetivity on any of these chinese coolers is spotty at best.
@@secondact7151 Great idea! It would freeze much faster if it contained already frozen items
My first time coming across this channel:
"Celsius." Oh, I wonder if he's Canadian.
"Maple Walnut Ice Cream." Confirmed.
I love how thorough and how much research you've done while also making the video entertaining! Easy sub
this was very useful. including that info about amp draw was clutch. thanks for that.
24 cans of beer to dehydrate, 3 bottles of water to rehydrate 😂
Jen Clark and a box of ice cream for the hangover
Beer should be so cold, it should hurt to drink it.
The beachball solution in your fridge was brilliant!! For lack of such creativity, I used to simply stuff numerous items of clothing inside until I filled the space. But I like your method of something inflatable - you can dedicate just one very cheap item to inflate or deflate as necessary to consume more/less space. Thanks for the tip!!
Looks like a good find Slim! I recently installed a 100 watt solar panel and a 125 amphr battery with a MPPT controller in my Subaru Outback. I'm running a Dometic CFX28 a couple RV LED lights and a couple USB chargers. I was on a 2 week road trip thru UT and had plenty of power. The Dometic was using around 2.5-3 amps while running.
Shawn bailey.parkie75 I have the dometic CF 18 that has the Dan Foss compressor it works great also,,, some day I might try an ARB,,,They’re pretty high though
Great review Slim, was just talking the other night with a good friend about coolers and had to send him your review.
Incredibly informative video, thank you so much for making this!
This looks amazing and reasonable price. Making a car camper, this with a 100ah battery should do me great. Thanks for all the info.
Hey man, I just wanted to say that this was a super well thought out review and I appreciate the real-world testing of amp-hour consumption. I just sold my converted Transit van -- inside, I had 200ah of battleborn lithium and a Dometic CC40. I stumbled across this unit (and this video) just before I pulled the trigger on a regular ice cooler. Can't justify $110 on a cooler when for $180 I can get an actual fridge that sips power. Thanks man!
This Alpicool C20 is very efficient,I highly recommend it,thank you for your great report
Hey Slim! First time watcher here. This is an amazing review with lots of great info. I need to correct you just a tiny bit, not to demonstrate my internet superiority (I promise I intend absolutely no disrespect), but because I want to make your already awesome review even better. It's purely a semantic argument, and viewers who know a thing or two about battery systems probably glossed right over, but I wanted to clarify for people who don't know much about electricity and add some context. When you say 5.8 amps per day, you really mean 5.8 *amp-hours* per day. This means that a full day of use would only discharge a 100ah battery (a good choice for a small camper) to 94.2%. If you're taking good care of your deep cycle batteries, you should only ever run them down to about 80% before charging, so by that measure, your fridge is using about 30% of your daily allowed energy consumption. Since most other things in your camper that run on 12v aren't that energy thirsty (or don't run as long or as often), that's great! It also means you could afford at least one really cloudy day with no solar input. You really could run the fridge, LED lighting, and maybe a couple small fans without ever overtaxing a 100ah battery. In context of solar, you were reading about 12.5v under load, so if we multiply that by the peak current of 1.8 amps, power draw is 22.5 watts. That means a single 100W solar panel should be able to easily keep up with it, even under indirect sunlight. Multiply that 22.5W by the 7.8 minutes per hour of run time, times 60 seconds, times 24 hours a day, and you get 252,720 joules of energy per day. Even operating at 70% efficiency, a 100W solar panel would only take a little over an hour to restore that energy to your battery. And all of that is assuming WORST conditions (max load, high external temp, etc.). What an awesome find! Who needs a 3-way fridge?!? Out of curiosity, how is it holding up now that you've had it well over a year? Any complaints or regrets?
gaffneyswrath Thanks for the awesome clarification! I’m thinking Slim hasn’t seen your respectful comment, but hey, I’m sure he’d certainly appreciate your time. I’m also shopping for one of these lil DC fridges for our ProMaster van/MH build. 👊😎
I've been watching all kinds of van videos for a few years now and this is the only one that was actually helpful with the fridge/power/boondocking issue. Thank you!
Glad to be of help. It works perfect for my needs an am sure others will feel the same way. Thanks! SP
Boy did this save me from wasting time on the cooler. Apicool moves to the cart! Thanks for this thorough demonstration "on site" :))
Thank you for the information. We are in a similar predicament you were in. Bought a cheap cooler that continuously runs at 5 amps to see if this is the way we want to keep the food cool. Have a propane refrigerator, but we have to be level to use. It is just easier to use the cooler.
I'm a truck driver and I saw your video. Very well done! I'm getting the new model G22 it's bigger and it's only $259. But since it's by the same company I expect results as good as the ones that you showed. Thanks.
I didn’t go through all the reviews so I’m not sure if this was mentioned but be careful when you put it under your bed to make sure that the vents have adequate space for cooling. Nice review and glad it worked out for you.
20 Liters? That's only one day of cold beer. The water might have to go. :)
Following your video I purchased a similar model in Australia. It doesn’t have the exact same high lid (it sits level with the control buttons) but other than that it looks exactly the same. I’m very pleased with the unit as I don’t need any freezing capability. It is every very quite which is also a bonus. I would highly recommend this fridge to anyone who doesn’t need a lot of storage space. 😉👍
Thanks for sharing this product review with us. The five hours sounds about right for what you had in it as a freezer... The water was giving off heat and the ice cream was also absorbing it... If you did the same in your home freezer you would likely see about the same thing.
5 hours sounds enough time for a freezer to freeze everything and @ -20C everything should be rock solid. I was going to buy this freezer but will probably drop the idea now because I want to use it for icecream and it doesn't sound great in that
Another reason why the alpicool is more efficient is because it's opening is at the top. With the other cooler every time you open it all the cold air pours out, as hot air rises and cold air sits on the bottom. With the alpicool when you open the top you're not losing all of your cold air every time you open the door.
I use one of those 12v Peltier coolers for one thing only: In Summers here (in hot West Texas, often contiguous days of triple-digits), it's in my SUV at all times, and always running when I go out for the day, in case I go to a supermarket and buy some perishable (chilled or even frozen) groceries -- they can go right into the pre-cooled Coleman "PowerCool" and stay cold until I got home (often 2-3 hours after going to the supermarket). Otherwise, as you did here, I'd be looking for a 12v refrigerator/freezer, (likely an ARB, as I think they use slightly less power than the very good and power-miser Engel) if I wanted real (meaning a compressor) cooling.
Of course, I don't need a WAY more expensive (than the Coleman) compressor unit just for keeping groceries cold from the supermarket, but I COULD use one @ home for emergency use, should the power go off and my 110v kitchen refrigerator is out (I don't have my RV yet, so I'm living in a apartment presently). I already have a 2 small/portable (2 large deep-cycle batteries) 12v solar emergency power supply "stations" built so I can run it off of the larger one, and recharge the batteries (or at least slow down the power draw) using the small (but expensive back in 2009!) Kyocera solar panel originally gotten for it. However, I really should get a larger panel AND a MPPT controller...except that'd be ~ $500-600+ I'd rather not spend now.
Recently though, I got one of those 110v 3.5 cubic feet compressor chest freezers (~$119 @ Best Buy, their "Insignia" brand) and it uses so little power I could run IT off of my portable power station -- using the PureSineWave (PSW) inverter the station has for smaller-demand 110v electrical devices/appliances.
But yes, I'd never use one of those 12v Peltier coolers for anything serious, partly because you can't control the temp (as you noted).
But then, it's not advertised as a "refrigerator" anyway, it's just a "cooler." ;-)
I suspect that when it comes time to gt MY RV (likely a Class B, probably the Winnebago Revel 4x4 44E), it will come with a built-in "Nova Kool" compressor refrigerator/freezer...that will do nicely. ;-)
Happy Travels,
-- BR
Great video, greetings from Yorkshire England.
You really need a larger, high quality, dual compartment unit that keeps frozen food frozen and other food chilled. You can get a Dometic CDX 95DCW for (US$)1081. You spend a lot of time on the road, so this unit will pay for itself by allowing you to stock up on food and stay out camping for longer periods. You can also wait to buy food at lower prices when you are in large cities instead of having to pay much higher food prices in small, remote towns.
We have a new 3 way Dometic in our Class B glamp mobile and it is a POS. Temperature climbs to 50 on a warm day. So I bought an RTIC 30 Liter soft cooler for $100 and it is fabulous. Holds ice for 5 days and gives me peace of mind for food items that would spoil in our crappy fridge. Takes up very little space in our tight quarters. Thanks for another great video.
Funny story about ice. I was using ice in a cooler for veggies and using the melt as shower water. Couldn't figure why I smelled like broccoli after a shower until I realized the veggies came in perforated bags!!!
I have found the more you have in the cooler the less power it uses once you are at the temp you want. BTW - Rule #1) Close the top then talk.
Thanks so very much for doing this review. We bought this particular model and used it for the first time on a two-week cross country trip in May 2019 where we camped in a truck tent set up. Alpicool, or "Alpy," as we call him, worked perfectly and the power draw on our GoalZero Yeti 400 was so low that we were able to operate him for 36 hours before the storage battery needed to be recharged. A great addition to our off-grid camping gear!!!
I'm sure you could keep fresh produce in your old cooler with a block of ice inside a plastic box/ bowl from the dollar store. I would put a sheet of reflectix in the door area of both fridge's. You wouldn't believe how much better a fridge or cooler runs with the piece of reflectix in the door. I actually lined my entire rv fridge with it and got at least 30% better performance and the energy savings from my solar was amazing. Take care and I love your tips for every thing 😊
P.s. I would be very interested in knowing if you lined the inside and possibly outside walls and front of your old fridge cooler with reflectix if it would perform better and give you another fridge source. You could keep drinks ice cold in one and food in the other 😊
Great video, I loved night sky photo at the end, well done. I understand the desire to be out the, alone in nature wondering at creation. I’m like that with astronomy. I wish I could get out there under those cold, clear, pristine skies but alas family and work obligations come first that this stage. I really enjoy a little vicarious living thru your adventures; keep the videos coming.
I think the term you're looking for is "Watt-hours" (the usual unit of power consumption vs. time), or "Amp-hours" (at 13.8V.) not simply Amps.
True.
Slim, Ordered a CX40 when I saw your review on the CX20. Just ordered another CX15 for a freezer for my Scamp, and car camping/Travel. Thank you, Tom
you can sanitize with vinegar also baking soda all friendly to the environment
I bought an alpicool. Id give it 4 out of 5 stars. I would say the lid is a weak point. After some use the the lid sometimes would not click shut securely. Then other times it would. So I bought a ratcheting strap to close it. Good price. Beats ice any day. I have the same model you have. Sometimes amazon will do a price break to $200.00.
Great video. You not only have an easygoing camera presence, but your editing and graphics make these top notch.
Finally someone I can understand... you are a lifesaver when it comes to camping items
Great info and experience watching. I just have to say that the icecream could have been rocky roads to make for a funny joke. lol
Good one! :)
Not gonna lie, that beach ball idea is fantastic!
Good job, you answered the questions I was looking for. thanks
I’ve decided to give this fridge a try. Thank you for your video.
You're welcome Maryam. I'm sure you'll love it! SP
Hi Slim, liked the review, but was confused by the loose usage of Amps instead of Amp hours. Amp hours are only meaningful if you know the average voltage over that time. Im assuming 12V nominal system. I speculate that you were taking a reading from your camper control panel.
What is more meaningful for me is watt hours (Wh), or KWhrs. This is a measure of energy that works for both AC and DC systems with no issue.
0.24 AH @ 12v = 2.88 watts per hour. Easy calculation. Either way, it's VERY efficient
I should have watched your video first... before I bought a Koolatron and ending up sending it back because it was an energy hog, About 1400 Wh per day to operate compared to 70 for the Alpicool. The fridge I purchased is called a Vevor but it is identical to the Alpicool just branded with another name. I enjoyed your presentation. Thanks for doing it.
Be sure not to block the vents - blocking the vents will result in permanent failure. I assume this has a compressor - the only real option. I got my rig with a fancy (expensive) 3 way upright fridge (Dometic). Big mistake. I also experienced the 40 degree below ambient temperature cut off. That made it useless for many places I go (90 degrees causes 50 degrees in the fridge - my food spoils). At night in cooler weather (less than 75 degrees) it works great on propane. Unfortunately while driving (which I do a lot of) it is unsafe to run on propane (the flame also goes out in the wind even if I was a dare devil). So, I have to run it on 12 volts. IT TAKES CONTINUOUS 10 AMPS on 12 volts! Well, that sucks up a lot of power (I only have 150 watt solar). I toasted one set of (expensive) deep cycle AGM batteries (about $650 worth - boy was I pissed). I've since gotten a Dometic 12 volt cooler. It sips power at less than 1 amp on the average even on the hottest days. I can even set the thermostat to freezing temperatures and it still works at 95 degrees ambient. I love it. I can reach around while driving a grab a nice cold Pepsi (35 degrees). The only thing I need to worry about is to keep the fridge temperature above freezing. Something easily done with the thermostat. At night I transfer stuff to the old 3 way and run it off propane. The flame will still blow out in the desert when it is super windy - often. I've learned to live with it. Please understand that some of us only learn in the school of hard knocks - me for example.
Hi Philip, Thanks for the great info on other options. My initial idea was for a 3-way, but I am very glad I never pursued that type of refrigerator. I found them expensive and bulky, and off propane they were very inefficient. But the propane option also was not favorable as I did not like the idea of leaving the trailer with the propane tank not turned off. Efficient compressor fridges are the way to go. SP
Philip Roll I
Philip the 12v setting for 3 way fridges is for traveling with the engine running so you can keep things reasonably cold when the propane is shut off, not meant for use while engine is off, use propane for that (or 120v plug in). A Dometic 3 way fridge does not suffer from the 40 degree below ambient problem, only the piezoelectric cheapie coolers do. If your Dometic is not cooling to 0 degrees in the freezer and 35 degrees in the fridge portion then there is something wrong with your setup, propane normally have no problem getting cold. Some things you can try are having a small solar fan on the external fins and a small internal fan that runs off the light bulb circuit internally, it will help cool it. I use both compressor fridge and standard RV propane fridge, both work well even in AZ summer.
On RV forums there are constant posts about the propane fridges. Folks insist on having huge models. and to replace them cost a thousand dollars or more. These new efficient fridges are the best thing to use when an old propane fridge needs replacing. With proper solar panels and batteries you could easily have 24/7 cold storage. It just wouldn't be huge. (Folks want to go "camping" but insist on having their homes with them.) If there was enough room and power source two would be good, one as a fridge, the other a freezer. I like it!
Thermoelectric coolers are next to useless. They only cool things when it's not very hot. Compressor style coolers are the way to go. Make sure you have a place for the heat from the motor to go.
Thanks for the heat removal tip, Annette.
You've done a very good job here, explaining the differences . I'll get this when I get my van.
I SUGGEST PUTTING A PLASTIC TYPE CONTAINER OR KITTY BOX UNDER THE FRIDGE. "JUST IN CASE" LEAKAGE. ✌😘👌
Thanks for the information going to look into one of these.
If you also carry a regular cooler.
You can store your stuff in the cooler and use the freezer part to freeze a few water bottles.
Then put your food back in the refrigerator along with the frozen water bottles. The thermal mass of the water bottles will help maintain the cool temps in your fridge.
In addition as they melt you have really cold water to drink.
Love your channel very professional
I just got a CX-30 last night and I set the temps to its max of -20°. According to the display it reached -19° and according to my remote thermometer it reached -15.5°. A similar issue at a setting of 0°; the remote sensor says +3°. Knowing the actual temps is helpful regardless of what brand of car fridge you use; I suspect every brand on the market is slightly off from true temps, this one seems to be roughly 3-4° off. This was recorded with a room temp of +20° and with freezer gel paks in the refrigerator/freezer to act as the food mass. It's pretty quiet but I can hear a low bump sound whenever the compressor kicks back in. I haven't measured the power usage yet but it is reputed to be way more efficient than my Igloo thermoelectric cooler.
All temps in Metric like it should be; however, the manual is in Chinese which is not very helpful and the buttons were not labelled; the plus/minus buttons the exception so I could set the temps. Apparently, there is a partial manual online somewhere so I am going to source that out to find out the internal programmable settings.
Other videos and things I have read seem to indicate issues with the temperature sensor and a covering metal tube in the system that may be adjusted to get a better response from the refrigerator. Being a car refrigerator/freezer, it is supposedly designed for the rigours of bumpy roads - perfect for my teardrop trailer. It just barely fits but with enough clearance to circulate the air.
Note: I ordered mine directly from the factory for $546 CDN plus $48 import charges. That's still the cheapest I could find. Other units on Amazon are a gobsmacking $800 to $1100 CDN for a similar size. My old thermoelectric was about $140, cheap initially but expensive on the power requirements.
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UPDATE 1: the CX series has some additional features that the C series doesn't have. It is Bluetooth enabled and has an internal battery (amp-hours not known). I downloaded the app for my Android. Apparently, I don't need the manual now because the app gives me the ability to change everything from my phone including changing the battery cutout/re-enable for running off a trailer or car battery. It also has a temp compensation mode that I will have to play around with. The built-in battery probably serves to keep the unit cool while disconnected from an external source. How long does this last? TBD. The box is Chinese made but the compressor is made in Germany. I also found another source to order them from which is quite a bit cheaper than what I got; wish I had known that earlier.
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UPDATE 2: There are 3 temperature compensation ranges. The colder you set the refrigerator/freezer the further you need to adjust the display to register the true temperature. For example, in the E6 setting, I set the compensation to 3°C; the E7 setting I set to 5°C and the E8 setting I set to 7°C. I am using a remote digital thermometer that I can read without opening the lid. You can then play around with the compensation settings to reflect your usage. Why would we have to do this? I don't know, the factory should have calibrated this prior to putting the product on the market.
After further testing, I was able to set the min. cooling range to -25° and an actual temperature of -23°! That seems to be the physical limit of the compressor. I only need it as a refrigerator so I reset the temperature to +4° and it maintains an actual temp reading of +4°. Sucess!
Thank you for doing the experiment for us. I've thought of buying a small compressor fridge & using it strictly for freezing blue ice packs or plastic 'ice cubes.' Then buying a cheap Rubbermaid cooler to hold my perishable food, rotating the ice packs as needed. Has anyone tried this? Thoughts?
This doesn't look very impressive when it comes to freezing stuff. I was going to buy one to store icecream but will probably drop the idea after watching this video
Cooler makers should mark the areas of the cooler surface that could be added with more insulation. They could even sell addition insulating boxes for their coolers.
Alpicool is unavailable from Amazon. 5/2/18
Larry Schumacher It’s back in stock.
So smart with the beachball to hold things in place. Your ideas and how you present them are so amazing, practical, and thinking outside of the “proverbial” box. The new refrig is too cool. From size to energy mode. Your ideas anyone can adapt to. Just captured your channel in the past two days and love it. Although I do not camp, 20 years in the Army sort of took that out of me. But if I were to travel somewhere overnight or for a few days I can take a few of your pointers on what to have in my car. The test of freezing items was a test with the yummy ice cream. Soft serve ice cream. Woah 5 to 6 hours to freeze. Now you have to eat the ice cream. Travel safe and continue the adventurous spirit.
Update 30/10/19: Looks like Alpicool has just came up with a new model, the C22 for the same price. Have a look at: amzn.to/2WqfL6g. Also, the old C20 stock is now CHEAPER! Might want to grab one fast if you want a deal. SP
Slim Potatohead mine lasted about a year and a half then the compressor went out. I did buy another one at that price though. I also have the whynter 65 quart that works great.
@@tammygalvin2915 I was wondering how long it would last.
So even if you only paid $250, and it only lasted a year, you ended up paying same as $5-600 12v fridge
Thanks for the input! Happy trails!
Thanks for the review! I picked up a C20 and have been running it on mains power for a couple weeks and it performs great! MAX cool mode really freezes down to about -4F and eco keeps it there when full.
The built-in temp guage is not accurate until you use the app with Bluetooth models to calibrate the display with the help of a small freezer thermometer. Overall well worth $155 in my opinion.
Happy Festivus!
Hi, Slim: I'm a vendor who owns my own business and will be traveling across the country, in an RV the near future; for business. I will be doing business with Amazon, including other online vendors, how are you able to have your merchandise shipped from Amazon, to a location near where you are encamped?
MJ Railey z
I got sick of checking the battery status everyday and checking the weather or going for a long drives and sometimes spending a night at a hook up just for a freekin fridge , the day I turned it off was the best day of my life , I now shop differently and have realised that I eat better . Here is a few fridge free things that you can buy ,eggs,long life milk , microwave chicken and rice in a pouch no refrigeration needed , and without a fridge I can run whatever I want because I’m in charge, I can run my aircon for 4 hours ,I hardly use my propane stove because I microwave everything, I’m boondocking everyday . If I want something cold like ice cream I will drive to the nearest shop and let them run the fridge and freezers, great video I also learned about thermo electric freezers using heaps of power but the worst fridge is the 3 way when it’s run on 12 volt
GOOD NEWS! After being out of stock as soon as I released this video, they are now (May 3rd) IN STOCK AGAIN!. Amazon Affiliate Link Here: Alpicool C20: amzn.to/2G6blfI . Also NEW 40 Litre Version: amzn.to/2FEbx0F . Also, I have added instructions in the video description on how to set an Alpicool to Fahrenheit instead of Celsius. Thanks! SP
Thank you for the update ! Safe Travels! Faye
Slim Potatohead 5
We bought this cooler about 9 months ago when changing campers led to downsize in our freezer capacity. We keep it in a storage compartment that was already wired with an inverter from our solar panel. We are very pleased with both features. We like to have our meals made ahead of time and frozen when we hit the road so that was less problematic because things were frozen anyway. It worked equally well as a fridge. Like you, we found it used little power and when it was cool when we were traveling, sometimes we even shut it off over night and things were still frozen the next day...it was well insulated. It is light weight and can be carried off site as a cooler for a picnic if needed. Being Canadian you didn't think twice about setting the temp, but for us stubbornly non-metric Americans, be aware that the temp is only in Celsius. Much more reasonable priced than Dometics and the flat top style fit in our 15 in high doorway to our "basement " storage of our RV. Thanks for your excellently executed review.
Hi David, Thanks for your excellent review of the Alpicool. One thing however: You CAN change the thermostat from Celsius to Fahrenheit . See the instructions in the comments. Thanks! SP
Amazon corporation WELFARE every thing they ship cost Americans $1.50 and then end of year get huge tax breaks ,owner has mere 18 billion personal assets,sorry just kills me they ship 1,600 a day or more!!
Um, what are you saying?
Yes they are a very well run company ! I try to buy everything I need from them 1
Hi! Slim I watched all of your video.and I learned a lot from them. After watching this video, I bought a Alpicool c20.it works great.thanks for your helpful information.I will following you along and have a safe trip.also drive carefully.
👍
Nice unit. I personaly use a small bar fridge hooked to a pure sinwave inverter hooked to 2 6 volt batteries, hokked to a 100 watt solar panel. Left fridge on all summer and never had a problem.
canadian redneck garage very curious to know more about your setup mate.
@@MrGarda42 when i can get her pulled out i will take some pictures
I really enjoyed your video. Great testing methodology. I appreciate it. Thanks!
that's exactly why i swapped my 3way out for a compressor fridge in my caravan. keeping your food in the safe temp range is very important. I've never looked back since the swap
When ice is in the stage that your bottled water was in, you can firmly tap the bottom of the bottle on the table and it will go more solid. It is fun to watch the ice grow from the point of impact to the rest of the bottle.
Thank you for this great review. It is helping me decide which size of the alpicool I want to get.
Thank you so much for this! I was budgeting for a Dometic, and this one is MORE - WAY MORE affordable!!
Great video straight to the point without, omg look at the water and my handy dandy fishing pole and look what I'm eating nonsense well done mate...well done.
X-O-LENT video!! You compiled very comprehensive and complete data. That AlpiCool is a great little fridge. Too bad it’s so small... but it works for you. I’d need 3 or 4 of them to hold my day's ration of beer!! lol Another plus the is the AlpiCool is a chest type cooler, so when the lid is open the cold air has a tendency to stay in the chest. The Koolatron, in upright mode, will allow all the cold air to ‘fall’ out of the unit when the door is opened.
Hi Michael, I included the 40 litre model Alpicool in the video description as well. Thanks! SP
adding a fridge was one of the best mods that makes you say "i should have done this a long time ago!" i got a used dometic. with all the smart features it was well worth it.
They have a new one that is that size but with a small ice cube tray. That's the one I'll be getting. 1 small ice tray in a 30 ounce yeti will last all day and I can have really cool ice tea all day. Thanks for this video. I've watched it a few times really making up my mind which refrigetor to get. Thanks again.
I love my Alpicool 20
$164. USA, and perfect size for me! Powered by Jackery 500.
I bought the Alpicool C20. I have only used it 3 days camping but am very happy with it. It survived some rough roads. It only used 120 watt hours overnight. I had to set the temps a little lower than indicated to maintain safe food storage. I was able to run it off my truck 12v outlet when driving. Its great to go out many days & not have to manage ice.
They use upright/vertical frig/coolers in sailboats for a good reason. Good vid👍