Anyone own a Whynter 12v fridge?
- Thread starter kolelt
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I wanted to try their mini heat exchanger one. 80 bucks but cools 30 degrees from ambient
Jetboy
New member
Those suck. I know from experience. A good cooler is much better. Even a cheap cooler is better.
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Jetboy
New member
I have a Della brand real refrig/freezer and it's awesome. It's just a re-branded Dometic. Matched with a 100w solar panel and deep cycle and it runs indefinitely in my little camp trailer. One thing I like about the larger Dometic models is that the lid opens on both sides. So you don't end up with issues of hinge on the wrong side. Also if you open both latches on both sides the lid comes off completely. You don't need to slide out from inside your cargo area to get inside it. Just pop the whole lid off. I would choose over most others for that reason.
There are a few new - untested - brands out now. One called an Alpicool is for sale on Amazon with good reviews. They have a 20 liter model for only about $200. Initial reviews are positive. The volume is small - but if I were careful about what I put in it - and when - I could make it work pretty well for a solo or two person trip if you combined with another midsize cooler. It's a real compressor fridge that can make ice for your other cooler. That's what I do if I need more cooling from mine or am traveling with someone without a fridge. Mine has the option to have half be freezer and half fridge so I make ice from bottled water and rotate to the cooler. I think a 20L freezer would work just fine if matched with a cooler you already have to work well on a budget.
Don't know about the Whynter ones - but I've heard good things generally from a few people that have them.
There are a few new - untested - brands out now. One called an Alpicool is for sale on Amazon with good reviews. They have a 20 liter model for only about $200. Initial reviews are positive. The volume is small - but if I were careful about what I put in it - and when - I could make it work pretty well for a solo or two person trip if you combined with another midsize cooler. It's a real compressor fridge that can make ice for your other cooler. That's what I do if I need more cooling from mine or am traveling with someone without a fridge. Mine has the option to have half be freezer and half fridge so I make ice from bottled water and rotate to the cooler. I think a 20L freezer would work just fine if matched with a cooler you already have to work well on a budget.
Don't know about the Whynter ones - but I've heard good things generally from a few people that have them.
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Got some photos ? What siZe do they make ? Is it still available? Doesn’t it have a battery shut off safety ? How many amps doe it draw ?
Jetboy
New member
Here's the small one on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Alpicool-compressor-fridge-freezer-15Litres/dp/B073WYS3TR They make a full range, but I don't know if there is anywhere else to buy the larger ones other than ordering a container full from China. Whoever was selling on Amazon is out of stock of the larger one it looks like. A container full of them brings the price down to roughly $75-80 each. I don't have any personal experience with them. I paid about $400 for my Della 55L new - which appears to be actually a Dometic 50L with della stickers on it. They seem to have disappeared for the most part - everywhere that was selling is out of stock.
You can also buy them direct individually through aliexpress - they're about $175-250 depending on model, but shipping is a killer for individual items. $350ish. At that point you might as well just buy a known brand.https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20180113121919&SearchText=alpicool
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Gotch ya. I think I will save my money and get a better one then Whynter. Something that does not have a hug amp draw. and battery shut off safety.
I came across this review. AWESOME REVIEW.
https://expeditionportal.com/buyers-guide-portable-fridge-freezers/
according to them Whynter has highest amp draw. Home Depot also sells that. For anyone looking to finance.
I came across this review. AWESOME REVIEW.
https://expeditionportal.com/buyers-guide-portable-fridge-freezers/
according to them Whynter has highest amp draw. Home Depot also sells that. For anyone looking to finance.
JD914
Member
Whynters are the same as Edgestars. Tons of people (including me) run them, and there's whole threads dedicated to them on Expedition Portal. Their amp draw isn't actually that bad. It'll stay cool all night with minimal draw on the battery, and if I'm planning to be parked for a few days, a solar panel easily keeps it running.
$400 isn't a bad price for that but you might be able find one (Edgestar branded) on openboxdirect.com for even less. I got a 63 quart for less than that.
As cheap as they are, they're great refrigerators.
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That’s a cool website. I just checked. Can get a 43qt for $339 free shipping
RandyDaytona
New member
I would keep looking for older, used ones. I looked at both Whynter and Edgestar, but ended up getting a used Norcold on Craigslist for $200. The person said he only used it once a year on an annual fishing trip, to freeze their catch on the way back to MN from Lake Michigan.
I leave it plugged in inside my work truck from probably April to November with no issues. As with most older products, the thing is built like a tank.
I leave it plugged in inside my work truck from probably April to November with no issues. As with most older products, the thing is built like a tank.
