Replaced 3-way Dometic with compressor cooler

Mellow_Yellow

Many of the posts about replacing 3-way fridges are older, so I thought I’d add this recent mod to the stack. With help from my RV repair specialist, I finally pulled the original Dometic fridge out of my 2014 T@B and replaced it with an Igloo compressor cooler. They sealed off the propane supply for the fridge, did a full propane system check, replaced the CO2 detector and the original propane hoses. 

Here is the parts list (links are Cdn but also available in US)

• Igloo 20 QT ac/dc cooler: https://canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/igloo-electric-portable-cooler-blue-20-qt-0373300p.html 
• Pull out shelf:  https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B0DWSCZ7QN?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
• Eyelets to secure webbing while in tow:  https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B0CJV3RZ1C?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
• 6” Stainless steel drain hole covers (4), used to cover old fridge ducts: https://www.rona.ca/en/product/oatey-6-in-diameter-stainless-steel-cover-plate-42783c-11205207
• 12V/USB outlet provided by RV repair specialist. 

Energy use during a driveway test: 

• Cooled down from OAT to fridge temp (4C) in 5 minutes then shut off
• Took my 210 Ah 6v AGMs from 100% state of charge to 80% under load. This initial drain would easily be recovered under tow or by solar.

I’ll be camping off-grid this weekend and will report back on energy draw, etc. So far, I’m super happy with the final result!

Mellow_Yellow

field test results: the cooler ran for 3 days off-grid and turned itself off when my AGM battery state of charge (under load) reached 60%.
I’m in BC and don’t have much off-season solar capture. So I will use a regular cooler over the fall/winter and try out the powered cooler again next spring/summer.

pthomas745

@Mellow_Yellow thanks for the nice report! On my 12V portable fridge, there is an "Eco" setting that tells my fridge not to shut down until the battery voltage drops to below 11.8. I have a lithium battery, but the fridge still shuts itself down even if my battery state of charge according to my Victron is quite a bit higher than 11.8. It only happens occasionally, but at least it doesn't happen as much as when it was set to a higher value. You might want to check if your fridge has some sort of setting for what that shut off would be.

AnOldUR

Chances are that there's a lot of voltage drop between the fridge and the battery. The voltage number that the fridge sees is considerable lower than at the battery. I've kept the shutdown at it's most conservative setting and the one time (long story) that it shut down from low voltage my Jeep started. I will say that when I saw the cooler off I got very nervous.

Options for my Vevor that I use as a freezer …

Mellow_Yellow

thank you SO much for that tip @pthomas745 ! I found the instructions online for the Igloo cooler’s “Shut-Off and Restart Voltage Levels” and I see there is a lower setting available that shuts the cooler off at 10.1V instead of 11.8V state of charge. That will make a huge difference! I’m still on 6V AGMs and hope to upgrade my converter “one day” to better support lithium..

This forum is so fantastic!!!