Tatnai
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Tatnai
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2021
- Threads
- 4
- Messages
- 133
- Reaction score
- 184
- Location
- Rochester, MN
- Vehicles
- Honda Pilot EX-L AWD
- Occupation
- Physician
- Thread starter
- #1
First let's all agree that a traditional well made cooler packed properly is the ideal solution in regards to both cooler space consumption to cooler interior space, and lack of a heat dissipation problem that electric coolers have; ice melt can be managed by not using loose ice. I concede. But for those looking for the convenience of an electric cooler or freezer, there are some challenges it comes with, including heat dissipation, and I have been toying with options.
I bought the BougeRV 12v 23 quart electric cooler/freezer from Amazon, mainly because of the combination of frunk fit and cost/quality balance. Initially, I placed it in the frunk. My use case most often is grocery shopping when I am not going directly home, and occasional overnight trips where I may also be sleeping in my R1S. The problem with the frunk placement is that it takes up a fair amount of frunk space, and the frunk is sealed, and the heat produced in the unit is filling a pretty small space. So if I want to put some groceries in the frunk cooler and others just in the frunk, I have to make sure anything that needs to stay cold and is not in the cooler goes in the car instead. Annoying but not terrible. Also I suspect being in that small enclosed space with the heat will make the unit work harder; these types of units are known to not have the best insulation, and now it is heating up the space it is in. Also it really limits my frunk space to have it sitting there all the time, and the frunk space is the most convenient space to use regularly.
Today on a whim I was in the R1S spare wheel storage space, and thought the divider piece was actually minimizing my useable space. So I tossed it out. Currently, I keep a blanket, first aid kit, inflation tubing, and magnetic pucks in there, and with the divider out I realized there is a ton of space unused in there. Sure enough, the BougeRV fits perfectly in there, with the top space cover in either position. Also, with the top cover in the up/flat floor position, you now have venting on both sides that will allow heat to dissipate into the vehicle. Also I can still fit everything I used to store in there behind the unit, without blocking the unit's ventilation holes at all. And lastly, frunk space and subfloor access is preserved.
Yes, the added problem is that I am now dissipating heat when the unit is on, into the inside of the car. Not ideal, but not a problem in the winter. In the summer, this can be mitigated with the AC, though on hot sunny days this is probably less than ideal (I'll have to test it out and see). But for my occasional use case, with most camping and road tripping fall through spring, I think this is the best balance between frunk storage, cooler access maintained while out of the way when not needed, and overall vehicle space use and convenience.
Finally, thunderbolt adventure supply will be making an R1S solution that includes a bed platform with hydraulics that allow access to the spare wheel well space, which might make this space even more useable when sleeping in the R1S bed. Yet to be seen, but keeping my eye on it (more for the bed with hydraulics rather than the camp kitchen; I don't want to cook out of the back of the R1S with food smell wafting into the car).
BougeRV 12 Volt Refrigerator 12V Car Fridge 23 Quart Portable Freezer Compressor Cooler 12/24V DC 110~240 Volt AC for Truck Van RV Camper SUV Boat Travel Camping Road Trips Tailgating -7℉~50℉ https://a.co/d/9zg2eNT
https://www.caranddriver.com/car-accessories/g43865056/best-electric-car-coolers/
https://www.thunderboltadventuresupply.com/
I bought the BougeRV 12v 23 quart electric cooler/freezer from Amazon, mainly because of the combination of frunk fit and cost/quality balance. Initially, I placed it in the frunk. My use case most often is grocery shopping when I am not going directly home, and occasional overnight trips where I may also be sleeping in my R1S. The problem with the frunk placement is that it takes up a fair amount of frunk space, and the frunk is sealed, and the heat produced in the unit is filling a pretty small space. So if I want to put some groceries in the frunk cooler and others just in the frunk, I have to make sure anything that needs to stay cold and is not in the cooler goes in the car instead. Annoying but not terrible. Also I suspect being in that small enclosed space with the heat will make the unit work harder; these types of units are known to not have the best insulation, and now it is heating up the space it is in. Also it really limits my frunk space to have it sitting there all the time, and the frunk space is the most convenient space to use regularly.
Today on a whim I was in the R1S spare wheel storage space, and thought the divider piece was actually minimizing my useable space. So I tossed it out. Currently, I keep a blanket, first aid kit, inflation tubing, and magnetic pucks in there, and with the divider out I realized there is a ton of space unused in there. Sure enough, the BougeRV fits perfectly in there, with the top space cover in either position. Also, with the top cover in the up/flat floor position, you now have venting on both sides that will allow heat to dissipate into the vehicle. Also I can still fit everything I used to store in there behind the unit, without blocking the unit's ventilation holes at all. And lastly, frunk space and subfloor access is preserved.
Yes, the added problem is that I am now dissipating heat when the unit is on, into the inside of the car. Not ideal, but not a problem in the winter. In the summer, this can be mitigated with the AC, though on hot sunny days this is probably less than ideal (I'll have to test it out and see). But for my occasional use case, with most camping and road tripping fall through spring, I think this is the best balance between frunk storage, cooler access maintained while out of the way when not needed, and overall vehicle space use and convenience.
Finally, thunderbolt adventure supply will be making an R1S solution that includes a bed platform with hydraulics that allow access to the spare wheel well space, which might make this space even more useable when sleeping in the R1S bed. Yet to be seen, but keeping my eye on it (more for the bed with hydraulics rather than the camp kitchen; I don't want to cook out of the back of the R1S with food smell wafting into the car).
BougeRV 12 Volt Refrigerator 12V Car Fridge 23 Quart Portable Freezer Compressor Cooler 12/24V DC 110~240 Volt AC for Truck Van RV Camper SUV Boat Travel Camping Road Trips Tailgating -7℉~50℉ https://a.co/d/9zg2eNT
https://www.caranddriver.com/car-accessories/g43865056/best-electric-car-coolers/
https://www.thunderboltadventuresupply.com/
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